Sand Train in the snow

I better show these snow pictures before we get too far in to the nicer Spring weather.

There's plenty of Taylor and Blair sand trains moving through Wisconsin Rapids, and some are off-schedule. Snow and cold might have something to do with it. Normally this should be an evening train, but here are loads going north at 8 in the morning.

And surprise, there's a BNSF on the rear.

I've seen more than I have pictures of, mostly because the nights are long yet.
A westbound of empty hoppers was going to Blair after sunset, with a single BNSF engine. While an east bound sand train was in a siding somewhere. And there sure aren't many sidings 'out west' to do a meet between long trains.

There was a Canadian PACIFIC leading a sand train. This is a CN town. The variety is nice.

I heard there were a dozen locomotives in Taylor last month. I once saw 5 engines east/northbound on a loaded sand train going through Rapids.

And with so many BNSF running where I don't expect them, I wonder if any sand moves from Blair west to the BN along the Mississippi. That might be the shortest route to ? . . . what destination?
I don't even know where the sand trains go after they reach Junction City, to the east or west.

And after the long sand train is clear of the wye, I can see a switch engine working west beyond the crossing.

And the GTW yard set is making up the Nekoosa job that should leave town at 11 am

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this page was filmed and wrote in Feb 2017