Chris Parker and I were up at 5:30 AM and I checked my e-mail before putting the corrections in the BNSF Network Operations Center Story. We checked out of this Best Western and drove back to the Fort Worth Transportation Center, paying ten dollars for the same parking space we paid three dollars for Thursday morning. We walked out to the train and found our coach before detraining to take pictures and acquire the consist.
Quanah Zephyr Excursion DescriptionHistorically speaking, the Saturday June 21st excursion up to Quanah will mark the first time since September 11th, 1967 that a public passenger train has traversed this route. The Fort Worth and Denver was built during the 1880's, shortly after the Comanche Indians were finally forced to accept a treaty and end their reign as the Lords of the North Texas Plains. The FW&D's premiere train during the streamliner era was the Texas Zephyr which operated daily between Dallas-Fort Worth and Denver, Colorado from its inaugural run August 22, 1940 until finally being discontinued on Monday, September 11th, 1967.
The route will transverse a vast section of North Texas stretching from the headwaters of the Trinity River, all the way to the desolate plains of Northwest Texas. The trip will allow riders an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to retrace this important rail artery. Enroute you will see the burial site of Comanche Chief Peta Nocona (father of Quanah Parker), pass over the historic twin spans crossing the Wichita River, see one of the last herds of wild Texas camels, pass countless grain elevators, speed past the mysterious Medicine Mounds of Comanche lore, and to arrive in historic Quanah, Texas, headquarters of the fabled Quanah, Acme & Pacific Railroad. As one steps off the Quanah Zephyr, one can almost hear Chief Quanah Parker as he proudly proclaimed after its construction that "This is my town... this is my railroad!"
Amtrak P42DC 136 built by General Electric in 2000 was on the point of our excursion train.
BNSF ES44DC 7752 built by General Electric in 1996 was the second locomotive.
The station side view of our train, whose consist was Amtrak P24DC 136, BNSF ES44DC 7752, Amtrak P42DC 38, BNSF business car "Stampede Pass", Amfleet coaches 82710, 82560, 82630, 82580, 82620 and 82500, Mid-America Railcar "Golden Shore" 800881, Pennsylvania Railroad "Henry Hudson" 800644, New York Central 38 800655, Pennsylvania Railroad "Braddock Inn" 800854, Mount Vernon platform car 800708 and "Kitchi Gammi Club" VRIC7 800705.
Our train today was known as FW&D 2 West and FW&D 1 East, the same number that the old Texas Zephyr had when it that made its last run on September 10th, 1967.
At 6:55 AM, our train reversed far enough so it could depart on the Amtrak connection to the BNSF mainline then we proceeded north, crossing the Fort Worth and Western Railroad and a few minutes later, passed through BNSF's Saginaw Yard. We then crossed the Union Pacific and the former Fort Worth & Denver as we passed between the huge grain elevators. Continuing our journey, we took the post-BNSF merger connection tracks and I started my new mileage. The train made good time as we passed through Avondale, Herman, Decatur and Alvord with no freight train interference.
Typical western Texas scenery.
Dry farming takes place along our route.
More western Texas scenery. Once you pass west of the 100th meridian, the countryside really becomes arid.
We took the siding as a freight train had a major problem. It seemed that some idiot with a blue painted face dressed as a lady with a pink blouse and an axe had been chopping air hoses on the BNSF coal train here. The axe-wielding idiot was then arrested by BNSF police and repairs had to be made to the coal train which delayed us. Once he was able to resume his journey, we waited for another train to clear before we resumed our trek. In my one million and seventy-six thousand plus miles of riding trains, that axe-wielding fool was a first!
Just after departing Bowie, we crossed the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, now owned by the Union Pacific then passed through Bellevue, Henrietta and Jolly before we approached Wichita Falls.
Crossing a river as we entered Wichita Falls.
We stopped there to drop off and pick up passengers then we departed and proceeded to Quanah.
Passing through Wichita Falls.
The train next went through Iowa Falls.
Going by a small lake before everyone was on the lookout for the wild Texas Camels of Tomburnett.
Wild camels spotted!
The train rolled the miles through Elektra, Harrold, Vernon and Chillicothe.
The train arrived at Quanah at 1:25 PM and we were told the train would leave at 3:30 PM. I detrained to a fantastic reception by the town of Quanah, Texas which included a parade.
The Quanah Zephyr in Quanah, Texas. I then walked three blocks into town to the Three Rivers Ballroom where the Town provided a boxed hamburger lunch, which was very well-organized.
Three lines to get your food and drink.
Then you found a table. After lunch, I decided to look around.
The train reversed to the wye crossing Main Street.
The parade was still occurring.
A group of us walked down to where the train was being serviced for a few more pictures.
BNSF 7752 looked excellent in the afternoon sun.
On the way back, we saw this sign and I had an idea - put my finger between the two twos and it became two point two. We returned to our location under the shade of a few trees and a building to wait for the train to return from wyeing. 3:15 PM came and went as the crew had to water some of the cars with a hose.
At 3:38 PM, the wyeing started to finish.
Finally the train was reversed to Main Street to board the first class passengers.
When they started to reverse the train so we could board the coaches, another westbound BNSF freight came off the line from Oklahoma.
The Quanah Zephyr was now ready to board and return to Fort Worth. I listened to John Anderson of Yes fame's "Latin America 1993'. We departed at 4:15 PM then took the siding at Vernon for a coal train and a Z train.
In Vernon was Bolton's Wheat Express GP10 1005, ex. National Railway Equipment 1005, exx. Kiamachi Railroad 1005, exxxx. Conrail 7590, wxxxxx. Penn Central 7253, nee Pennsylvania GP9 7253, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1959. I next listened to Yes' "Open Your Eyes".
Our train rolled slowly through Wicitha Falls.
BNSF power laying over.
There is a small railroad museum in town.
Fort Worth and Denver City Railway 2-8-0 304 built as a coal-burner by the Brooks Locomotive Works in 1906. It was converted to burn oil in 1929. Retirements began in 1934, although the last of the class lasted until 1960. 304 was donated to the Wichita Falls Rotary Club in 1955 and is now on display in the Wichita Falls Railroad Museum.
Fort Worth and Denver caboose 101 on display, builder and year unknown.
Dallas Railway and Terminal streetcar 5 built by American Car Company in 1926.
We departed Wichita Falls at 6:10 PM and boxed dinners were distributed. I worked on editing the Amtrak Million Mile DVD and finished as we approached Fort Worth, arriving there at 9:00 PM. A special thank you to BNSF and the NRHS for a fantastic trip to Quanah.
Chris Parker and I then drove down to the Best Western in Temple for the night.
