I took the photos using natural lighting (the Amtrak platform lights). I used a high sensitivity setting, ISO 16,000, which does result in some graininess in the pictures, but allows me to use a higher shutter speed so the moving trains wouldn't be blurry. These pictures obviously can't be enlarged much, but look ok on a small computer screen. As you will see, it does allow me to take pictures at night, making it bright as day.
11:19 p.m. Feb 19, waiting for the Texas Eagle.
Texas Eagle 22 arriving early at 11:21 p.m.
Amtrak locomotive No. 97 headed the Eagle tonight. The train had two locomotives on it instead of the normal one.
Looking east from the Amtrak platform at 11L25 p.m.
Passengers getting ready to board at 11:27 p.m. The train wasn't supposed to arrive until 11:31 p.m., but like many nights this year, it's been arriving as soon as 11:10 p.m. and will wait on time to leave at 11:39 p.m.
11:28 p.m.
Used the flash on this one.
BNSF 2042, the blue BNSF locomotive, passing the stopped Texas Eagle with Amtrak 97 leading, at 11:35 p.m. The BNSF train was the Little Rock BNSF local.
BNSF 2163.
Amtrak leaving.
To see a movie of this train leaving, either click on the photo above or the link below:
http://youtu.be/J6OMDB2B_ww
11:41 p.m. The Eagle is starting to cross UP's Baring Cross bridge over the Arkansas River, then head north to St Louis and Chicago.
The BNSF local, the one what passed Amtrak on the siding earlier, is now backing onto the Little Rock & Western tracks to take its train to the Pulaski siding (former Rock Island) in west Little Rock. The local is on UP Main 1 and the switch to get onto the LRWN is manually thrown by the guy in the truck. A BNSF conductor rides the freight car while it backs up, using a fuzee (a red flare light, used on a railroad as a warning signal to approaching trains).
11:47 p.m.
The BNSF local backing to Pulaski.
BNSF 2163, 11:48 p.m.
Blue BNSF 2042. Are there any more of these blue BNSF units around?
Another train northbound, 11:53 p.m. Feb 19.
CSXT 7897, 11:53 p.m.
HZGX 7751 hopper.
A passing southbound, 11:55 p.m. near the midnight hour.
UP 9798, former CNW unit, 11:56 p.m.
UP 4325.
Cool how you can see the lights inside the cab of UP 4325.
UP 8675, 12:08 a.m. in the new day of Thursday, February 20.
Union Station and part of downtown Little Rock to the left of the station at 12:09 a.m.
NS 8964, 12:32 a.m.
The oil train, ONUEU-18, headed by NS 1069 Virginian heritage, approaches at 12:47 a.m.
NS 1069.
DPU of the oil train was NS 1022 at 12:50 p.m. I decided not to wait on the southbound Texas Eagle No. 21, which doesn't arrive until after 3 a.m.