is increasingly dominated by Retro Belles. On most days one to three loaded grain trains arrive at Knoche Yard from elevators in the metro area and from Union Pacific storage facilities in locations such as Topeka and Atchison, Kan., as well as Council Bluffs, Iowa. They head south to KCS locations like DeQueen, Ark., and Heavener, Okla., while others go to Mexico. Much of the grain is destined for huge domestic poultry farms. When unloaded, these empty hopper trains come back north. A pair of daily high-priority manifests (HKCSH and HSHKC) pass over the line between Kansas City and Shreveport, La. Both trains sometimes run with a rear DP. Although they are scheduled to travel over the Pittsburg Sub at night, traffic congestion or mechanical issues can allow you to see them in daylight, especially in the morning south of Kansas City. The most distinctive KCS operation
is the QKCNL, which employees call the Q-train. This daily southbounder usually leaves Knoche Yard sometime in the morning with manifest cars and a rear DP. At the IFG facility south of
RIGHT: Train QKCNL heads south at 86th Street in Kansas City, Mo., on November 2, 2014. A recent brush cutting operation has opened up this new location to photographers. The entire KCS route from Air Line Junction to the top of the hill in Grandview, is without a public grade crossing. CARL GRAVES BELOW: Two SD70ACes power a cut of Schneider double stacks arriving at the yard throat tracks at Knoche Yard from the west on July 26, 2008. Brand new BNSF SD70ACes 9233, 9245, and 9239 have just been set up for operation at Mid America Car and have been delivered to the KCS for movement west to BNSF Railway’s former Santa Fe Argentine Yard on Kansas City’s west side. KEVIN EUDALY
34 NOVEMBER 2015 •
RAILFAN.COM
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