Today the Union Pacific 844 came into Fremont, Nebraska. I went just northwest of Fremont to see the train moving along at a good clip and followed it into Fremont to take more pictures.
First, here’s a photo of some of the other people waiting for the train. These folks were really out of control and were obviously not true railfans. Fortunately, they got tired of waiting quickly and left well before the train arrived. Notice that one guy has his car parked on the train tracks while talking to someone. Also, just outside of the scene, there were a ton of little kids all of whom were screaming, crying, finding roadkill (or should I say railkill) and just acting plain stupid.
Here’s a photo of a freight train before 844 came through:
Here is the 844 coming through at about 50 mph:
Now a few pictures of the train parked in Fremont. Obviously, this part of Fremont is not exactly scenic.
Thanks for all of the positive comments. They encourage me to keep taking pictures.
Carl - This is the third year in a row that I’ve seen 844. Tomorrow I’m going to head up to Blair, Nebraska to watch it. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll see those Heritage Units too.
Very nice photos of #844, Willy. Very nice indeed!! I consider myself a semi-pro photographer and I probably would not have gotten better pictures than these. [tup]
Yes, indeed! I certainly enjoyed looking at those photos, Willy!
I too was at Fremont on Sunday, June 24th, and saw the crowds mulling around the downtown yard office waiting for the Alco and her entourage to arrive. I didn’t hang around there long though. No, mild curiosity and a certain sense of serendipity led me down some side streets, over a road crossing and then down a short stretch of right-of-way road where I found an extraordinary spot for pictures.
The spot was maybe a half mile west of where “the Q” crosses the Columbus Subdivision, and there were thick groves of tall trees standing like silent sentinels along both sides of the tracks. I parked my car and waited for no more than 10-minutes for UP 844 East. I heard the engine’s whistle before the train showed up and had just enough time to grab my camera, climb on top of the trunk of my car, aim, and shoot.
The placement of the sun, the background of tall trees, the mildly hazy blue sky, the manicured right-of-way, the engine and train looking like they just came out of the wash rack, just the right amount of smoke wafting above, and Engineer Lynn Nystrom looking like a serene mandarin potentate sitting proudly upon his throne were the elements that may have given me the best picture yet of U.P. steam in action. Sure, it was a pedestrian 3/4s “wedge shot,” but it sure looked good in my viewfinder! As soon as I finish the roll of film, I’ll know for sure!
My family and I are thinking of going over to see the train go through somewhere between Lineville, IA and Trenton, MO … it will be the first time I will see 844.
Cool photos, Willy. I guess the UP844 really gets around. In early May the UP844 was in tandem with SP4449 for a special run up from Cheyenne through Portland, OR to Tacoma, WA where they were on display for five days. Our club has some cool shots ( and video ) along with interesting comments from railfans who “fanned” this trip of UP844. Go to:
