I decided to do a mini train watching event at Little Rock's Union Station, which I called "12 Hours at Little Rock." So, I went to the station at 7 p.m., Wednesday night, May 23 and stayed all night until 7 a.m Thursday, May 24, 2012 and counted trains. There was a total during that 12 hour period of 27 trains. Most of the freights were NOT photographed except for the lead locomotive's number boards. I took the number boards only so I'd have a time stamp on my digital camera for future reference. Photographing moving trains at dark doesn't work anyway. If you open th lens to get more light, you can't stop the motion because the shutter speed is too low, so you get a blur. If, on the other hand, you set the shutter speed high enough to stop the action, then all you get is a black picture, only seeing the number boards (which is what I did). I did take photos of both Amtrak trains and after sunrise on May 24 (a Thursday).

Here are the trains I saw with times, locomotive numbers and most train ID's. The train ID's were provided by 'SP8595' on Trainorders.com:

1) 7:00 p.m. - BNSF 4133, northbound mixed. This shot was taken from my car, to show how close to the tracks we are.



2) 7:13 p.m. - UP 9727, 9634 on the WMAFAS-22 (Work-Malvern, AR-Felicia, TX-Slot) with 4 cars, 2541 tons-1602' northbound.



Doves getting ready to go to sleep, 8:16 p.m.



3) 8:28 p.m. - UP 9727, southbound slot train - guess it resupplied' Photo below showing number plate.


4) 8:51 p.m. - UP 9527, 6676 on YNL99-23 (N. Little Rock-Pine Bluff Haul) with 64 loads, 74 empties-7937 tons-11904' southbound.

5) 10:30 p.m. - UP 4789, 4264 on the YPB88-23 (23:59 XHaul Yard Job) with 92 loads, 17 empties-11,904 tons-6545'  northbound.

6) 10:41 p.m. - UP 8244, 8080 on QSPNL-23 (Quality-Spring, TX-N. Little Rock) with 30 loads, 11 empties-4172 tons-2640'  northbound.

7) 10:46 p.m. - BNSF 518, the BNSF local. It passed the station then backed onto the Little Rock & Western's 'Vinegar Spur' to leave some cars

8) 11:17 p.m. - UP 4853, 3999 on the QLINL-23 (Quality-Livonia, LA-N. Little Rock) with 69 loads, 15 empties-9441 tons-5181' northbound, Main 2

9) 11:20 p.m. - Unknown engine number since this train was on Main 1 northbound, passing the UP 4853 train which was closer to me on Main 2. It was blocked from view.

10) 12:01 a.m. - AMTK 123 on the northbound Texas Eagle 22. Amtrak 22 left at 12:12 a.m. Long line of people getting on.











Eagle 22 left at 12:12 a.m.

11) 12:17 a.m. - BNSF 518 returning from it's local switching duties on LRWN's tracks

12) 12:33 a.m. - UP 8723, 4272, 8750 on ZMXYC-22 (Intermodal-Laredo, TX-Yard Center, IL) with 64 loads-3335 tons-4948' northbound.

13) 12:44 a.m. - CEFX 1037, CP 8873 on the OSJCH-22 (Ore-St. James, LA-Chicago) with 1 load, 102 empties-3553 tons-4948' northbound oil train.

14) 1:24 a.m. - UP 5196, 8048 on AEGAS-23 (Auto-Eagle Pass, TX-Alton & Southern/St. Louis) with 72 loads, 16 empties-6316 tons-7674'  northbound.

15) 1:30 a.m. - UP 4375, southbound light move

16) 2:17 a.m. - CSXT 5323, CSXT 458 on AARAS-22 (Auto-Arlington, TX-Alton & Southern) with 66 loads-4616 tons-6183' northbound autorack.

17) 2:37 a.m. - UP 9509, 9767, 5627 on the QAGNL-22 (Quality-Angleton, TX-N. Little Rock) with 71 loads, 12 empties-9633 tons-5296' northbound.

18) 2:49 a.m. - UP 3824 on ZMQYC-23 (Intermodal-Mesquite, TX-Yard Center, IL) with 79 loads, 9 empties-4480 tons-6899'  northbound.

19) 3:37 a.m. - AMTK 154 on the southbound Texas Eagle 21. Amtrak 21 left at 3:45 a.m.

It's amazing to me how many want to ride trains, even at 3 in the morning.


Either click on the photo above or the link below to see a movie of this scene:
http://youtu.be/wtHP2ilOfiM


20) 3:50 a.m. - UP 8162, 4945 on WKNNLZ-23 (Work-Knobel, AR-N. Little Rock) with 73 empties-2704 tons-4096' southbound Herzog hoppers.

21) 4:02 a.m. - UP 4058, 4964 on the ZMXDT-22 (Intermodal-Laredo, TX-Salem, IL) with 49 loads, 1 empty-2838 tons-4055' northbound autorack and intermodal.

22) 4:28 a.m. - UP 8082, 9755 on QBTNL-22 (Quality-Beaumont, TX-N. Little Rock) with 44 loads, 48 empties-6885 tons-5712'  northbound.

23) 4:52 a.m. - UP 6717 on the ASPMER-23 (Auto-Spring, TX-Memphis, TN-Return) with 76 empties-4047 tons7219' northbound autorack.

24) 5:32 a.m. - UP 8486, 4022 on MLIAS-23 (Manifest-Livonia, LA-Alton & Southern) with 49 loads, 18 empties-6589 tons-4047' northbound.

25) 6:05 a.m. - UP 7213, 6551 on the QEGNL-22 (Quality- Eagle Pass, TX-N. Little Rock) with 32 loads, 30 empties-3226 tons-3821' northbound.



To hear sounds of birds waking up, either click on the photo above or on the link below:
http://youtu.be/XFPOf9ehi6A

26) 6:26 a.m. - UP 1929, 1917, LLPX 2289 on YNL69-22 (22:30 Transfer) with 34 loads, 18 empties-4898 tons-2893' northbound.



27) 6:40 a.m. - UP 3809, 2329, NS 9769, NS 9629 on the MFWNL-23 (Manifest-Ft. Worth-N. Little Rock) with 55 loads, 101 empties-7830 tons-9734' northbound.


That's it. I went home and went to sleep. Reminded me of being on mid shifts at the NWS for 30 years! But at least the Amtrak station was open all but 3 of the 12 hours. I'm sure the day trains would have been just as numerous, and if so, that would mean a total 24-hour train total of 54, but of course, I can't say that for sure. It was fun doing this.

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