Apr 2, 2016

Railfanning downtown Spokane Thursday, March 31, 2016

The fifth train of the day was another eastbound. This time it was an empty grain train with more than 100 cars in tow.  The sun is falling further west and I am
losing my bright sunlight advantage on my subject. By the way these locomotives are 4400 horsepower each and there is one in the rear pushing as well.
The sunlight looks perfect on the going away shot of the same train. This bridge is over 100 years old
and still carrying the weight of all these thousands of trains per year.
This pusher is operated by the engineer in the lead unit of this train. No crew is needed back here
as all controls are with the engineer. It keeps the strain off the couplers as 1/3 of the cars are actually
being pushed.
I wasn't the only one watching trains go by as the local Pigeons has a front row seat as well.
It was time to go get the wife but just before I left this creature was heading east as well. After a
hard day work it is retiring from the main line scoping up rocks at the end of the ties and cleaning the
rock of dirt that would hinder water from draining away from the rails. Now how many of you knew that was
a problem?

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