Anyways do you know if BNSF go through Lawton, Oklahoma? I knew that Burlington Northern has gone through there in the past.
Now the Stillwater Central RR (WATCO) Since June 1998.
Line is owned by state of Oklahoma and leased to WATCO
Mud:
BNSF still runs a train between Tulsa and OKC on the state owned track. Do they still run to Quanah, TX?
I was in Altus (west of Lawton) a few months ago and the BNSF was still running through there. It is part of the Chickasaw sub from OKC to Quanah tx. I believe the Tulsa OKC part of the line is operated WATCO for the state, but I know that the BNSF still operates on the line daily, I can hear the Track Warrants issued on my scanner.
Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub
BNSF runs a daily local (sometime ~midnight) from Quanah to Snyder on the Chickasha Sub. From my understanding, BNSF no longer controls the Chickasha west of Snyder (it’s actually a place called Long, but it’s close to Snyder); that’s now the run by Stillwater Central RR. When I was in Altus a year ago, I talked with some Stillwater Central folks, and they said they were expecting to get the rest of the line (or at least trackage rights) from Snyder west to Altus, but as of yet, that hasn’t happened. As far as BNSF, they will also occasionally run unit trains from Altus to Quanah in the harvest season (I caught one there last winter with NS power on it).
For the original question, I don’t remember BNSF being in Lawton. Check out this map of the Stillwater Central; it doesn’t show BNSF (or as the map indicates, BN) going through Lawton:
http://www.watcocompanies.com/Railroads/slwc/StillwaterCentralRailroad.pdf
BTW, Altus is a shortline railfan’s dream. You’ve got the Hollis&Eastern, Wichita, Tillman&Jackson, and Farmrail/Grainbelt servicing it. Throw in BNSF and perhaps in the future, Stillwater, and Altus is surprisingly busy for being in the middle of no where!
Chris
I couldn’t find any updates to it cause the map said that Burlington Northern goes through there and I wasn’t sure if there has been any changes or not.
Yes it is, I used to live there in the late 80’s and early 90’s (Altus Air Force Base) and at the time BN, ATSF, MKT, Farmrail, and Hollis&Eastern all made daily appearances. I liked the H&E wallboard operation enough that I have included a similar operation on my Central States layout I am building.
The old BN yard in Lawton is just south of the mall, it was about 4 or 5 tracks. Most of the work was done at the Goodyear plant and at Ft. Sill as well as grain and cotton trains during harves. Most of the spurs would be used for storage of grain cars during the off season.
Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub