Leave the Depot Inn and Suites on Brown Street driving south then taking a right on Missouri Highway 156 west out of La Plata. You first location to photograph is the Missouri Highway 156 grade crossing.
The Union Pacific 8543 East at the Missouri Highway 156 grade crossing.
The BNSF 6138 East at the Missouri Highway 156 grade crossing.
Union Pacific 4824 West at the Missouri Highway 156 grade crossing. From here go to the next left on the road, Indiana Place {dirt} to the crossing of the BNSF mainline and cross the tracks and park on your right.
The BNSF 7301 East with CN 2604 as its trailing unit went through the Indiana Place grade crossing.
The BNSF 1035 West at Indiana Place grade crossing.
The eastbound Southwest Chief running early at the Indiana Place. Go back to Missouri Highway 156 then go west then take the next left Iceberg Lane {dirt} and go down to the BNSF mainline crossing and park.
The BNSF 749 East at Iceberg Lane. Return to Missouri Highway 156and the next road and turn left on go on Hilton Road {dirt} and go down to the BNSF mainline crossing and park.
Union Pacific 5505 West at the Hilton Road Grade Crossing. Go back to Missouri Highway 156 then go left on Missouri Highway 3 then take a left on Helium Street {dirt} to the grade crossing and park on the other side of the crossing of the BNSF mainline.
Amtrak Southwest Chief passing through Cardy running about twenty minutes late this morning.
An Amish Farmer with a roll of hay at Cardy.
Union Pacific 7893 West at Cardy.
The BNSF 4255 West with a DPU on the rear end at Cardy. Return north to Missouri Highway 3 taking a left and park just beyond the bridge over the BNSF mainline.
Amtrak's Southwest Chief Train 4 running right on time at the Missouri Highway 3 Bridge.
The Union Pacific 4734 West at the Missouri Highway 3 Bridge. Go south down Missouri Highway 3 right in Route J west to Elmer and park before the grade crossing with the BNSF mainline.
The BNSF 5149 East at Elmer at the Route J grade crossing.
BNSF 6638 East at Elmer at the Route J Grade Crossing.
Union Pacific 1996 West led by the CNW Heritage Unit 1996 at Elmer. To get to the Chariton River Bridge cross the mainline and drive down Santa Fe Road {dirt} to the end and then walk under the bridge to get to the south side. The shot is really tight so be very careful, catch one or two trains then leave quickly.
Union Pacific 7622 West was about to cross the Chariton River.
The BNSF 7906 East crossed the Chariton River. Return to your car to Route J going west and take this road to Route F taking this route towards Elmer.
The Union Pacific 8245 West across the Chariton River flood plain. You can take Estate Place {dirt} down to the BNSF mainline cross the tracks and park.
The Union Pacific 7741 West at the Estate Place grade crossing. Return to Route F take a left on Dolphin Road cross tracks and park.
I stopped at the Dolphin Road grade crossing for the BNSF 6610 West. Return to Route F go west take next left on Emerald Road cross tracks and park.
The BNSF 4489 East at Ethel at the Emerald Street grade crossing. From here take Route F into Ethel and a left on Missouri Highway 149 cross the tracks and park to the left.
The Union Pacific 4661 East at Ethel at the Missouri Highway 149 Crossing.
The BNSF 7874 West at Ethel at the Missouri Highway 149 Crossing.
A five hour late Southwest Chief came through Ethel on the way to La Plata.
The BNSF 6535 west at Ethel. From Ethel take Missouri Highway 149 north to Beaver Street {note this is the start of the dirt roads}. These roads are fine unless there has been heavy rains so avoid them during those events. Go down Beaver Street then a left on Crystal Avenue and then park before the bridge facing the way you came in.
The first old bridge west of Ethel.
The BNSF 5383 East at the first old bridge west of Ethel.
The BNSF 5233 West came under us. You have to back track north to Beaver Street then took a left onto Bayport Ave to our second old bridge of the morning.
The second old bridge west of Ethel.
BNSF 5204 West with a DPU on the rear end at the second old bridge west of Ethel.
The BNSF 4522 East at the 2nd old bridge west of Ethel.
BNSF 4597 East at the 2nd old bridge west of Ethel.
The Southwest Chief at the 2nd old bridge west of Ethel with the last Amtrak Dome Car deadheading for Missouri River Runner Service. From here we moved to the 3rd bridge west of Ethel via Bayport right on Bison, right on Route VV {Paved} to the bridge.
BNSF 4018 West at the Route VV bridge which is the third bridge west of Ethel.
BNSF 7393 West at the Route VV bridge.
BNSF 5860 East at the third bridge west of Ethel. From here we moved to the fourth old bridge west of Ethel. We backed tracked down Route VV right on Route Z and stop before the grade crossing and park.
The Southwest Chief with Amtrak Heritage Unit 181 at the Missouri Z grade crossing. From here go west of MO Z {Dirt} left on Anchor Road to our last old bridge on these part of our route.
The fourth old bridge west of Ethel.
The BNSF 658 West at fourth old bridge west of Ethel.
BNSF 7331 East at the fourth old bridge west of Ethel. From here we headed to the Newton Road grade crossing via Anchor Ave and a right on Newton Road.
Union Pacific 7349 East at Newton Road. From here we took Newton Road west {this ends the Dirt Roads} and a left on Missouri Highway 129 towards Bucklin .
The BNSF 6254 East at the Missouri Highway 129 grade crossing.
The CB&Q Line through Bucklin. From here we drove south to Meadow Road for a special picture.
Shot them while you can, as the Santa Fe signal bridges are being replaced. From here we drove down to the US Highway 36. After crossing over the BNSF mainline take a left on Monaco Road and a left on Lunar Road and at the grade crossing park.
A BNSF Special Train with CEO Matt Rose aboard came with BNSF 6618, Stampede Pass, Rollins Pass, Topeka, Fred Harvey and the Glacier View at the Lunar Road grade crossing. Go back across the tracks west on Lisbon Road and a left on Landau Drive to the grade crossing.
The BNSF 7234 West at Landau Drive.
BNSF 4100 East at Landau Drive. From here drive south then a left on East Broadway Street into Marceline. Gas, snacks and a bathroom can be found at the Casey's Gas Station. If you want a break from the trains then you have the Disney Hometown Museum in the old Santa Fe Station plus all the other Disney things here in Marceline. To continue railfanning take Kansas Ave then a left on Crocker Street down to the grade crossing.
BNSF 7407 East at Crocker Street in Marceline.
BNSF 5129 West with EMD 9025 as the second unit at Crocker Street in Marceline. Move one crossing west to the Santa Fe Street grade crossing.
An eastbound BNSF train passing the Marceline Station.
The BNSF 8236 East at the Santa Fe grade crossing.
The BNSF 7556 West at Marceline at the Santa Fe grade crossing. Here there is something else to photograph.
The Santa Fe Station in Marceline now houses the Disney Hometown Museum which is worth a look. A block away is Ripley Park that you should take the time to visit.
The Santa Fe 2-8-0 2546 is in display in Marceline in Ripley Park.
Santa Fe Caboose 999471 in Marceline in Ripley Park.
The BNSF 7487 West passes the Marceline Santa Fe Station.
BNSF 7220 West at Marceline.
The BNSF 7487 West passes the Marceline Santa Fe Station.
This BNSF westbound passed through Marceline from the East Garcia Avenue Bridge.
The Amtrak Southwest Chief flew through Marceline next stop La Plata from the East Garcia Avenue Bridge.
The Santa Fe Railway Sand and Coal Chute was built in 1902. Today it is one of the three remaining concrete chutes left in North America. You can take the paved road Highway JJ or you can take the Kansas Ave which is a short cut but turns to dirt before you reach Highway JJ. Further west on Highway JJ is a grade crossing with a good board curve to the west. From here stay on Highway JJ then a right on Route E and park just south of the BNSF grade crossing.
BNSF 7288 East at the Route E grade crossing Go west on Route E through Rothville to Missouri Highway 11 turn left then crossover the BNSF mainline and park off to the southwest on a farm access road.
Union Pacific 7411 West at the Missouri Highway 11 Bridge.
BNSF 6726 East with CN 8890 at the Missouri Highway 11 Bridge. From here go south on Missouri Highway 11 then you have a choice. If you take Mike Road that takes you to the next grade crossing but that way is a dirt road. If you want the paved option, go to Mendon and get to it that was from the short north end of Mike Road.
The BNSF 6675 West at Mike Road. Take Mike Road to Route CC and cross the BNSF mainline and park.
The eastbound Southwest Chief headed through Mendon at track speed.
The BNSF 7908 East at Mendon.
The Union Pacific 7820 West at Mendon. From Mendon take Route CC south back to Missouri Highway 11 then a right on Route M and take that west to Bosworth.
On the way to Bosworth you will cross the former Wabash grade at Triplett that once ran from Brunswick to St Joseph. Stay on Route M into Bosworth and onto Missouri Highway 139 south to the grade crossing.
Bosworth Station Sign with the brand new BNSF ES44C4 6956 at Bosworth. From the grade crossing go back north to Route M then a left on Route UU to then first bridge west of Bosworth.
I took a picture of this first old bridge west of Bosworth.
BNSF 6310 West just west of Bosworth at the first old bridge west of Bosworth.
The Union Pacific 7395 East at the first old bridge west of Bosworth. Go back to Route UU go south to the second bridge west of Bosworth.
Here is the second old bridge west of Bosworth.
The BNSF 7581 East at the second old bridge west of Bosworth.
BNSF 990 West at the second old bridge west of Bosworth. This is as far west as we will take you. Next part will be east of La Plata.
