Once again, my employer sent me out in the field, this time to Oklahoma. It sure as hell beats riding a desk. Man was not meant to sit behind a keyboard all day!

I'd been to Elk City, OK once before and knew of a neat Katy Depot standing in town. So, I took the camera in hopes of having time to get a photo. As it turns out, I was so tired by that point in the day that I completely forgot about it! Oh well, maybe next time...

I left Spring at 0515 and traced my route to Chama all the way to Vernon, Texas. Of course, unlike previous trips, the boredom of North Texas wasn't being tempered by thoughts of coal smoke and mountain vistas. All I had to look forward to was work. But, at least I wasn't rotting in my office in Houston.

I'm starting to feel a bit like Robert W. Richardson, the founder of the Colorado Railroad Museum. Before moving to Colorado and starting his hotel in Alamosa, Bob worked for a tire company and traveled the country, mostly in the south. During his travels he amassed quite a collection of photographs and stories, enough to fill a large book. I've read "Chasing Trains" twice and it's inspirational. I'll continue to take my camera along on work trips.

Day 1

Just before arriving in Vernon, I caught up to the first west bound train I'd seen that morning. I fugured if I could get far enough ahead of him, I'd be able to get a shot at the crossing in Vernon where I made my turn north to head into Oklahoma.

I got past the crossing in Vernon JUST before the lights activated. I barely had enough time to park and grab a few shots. There are at least two "Bolton Wheat Express" locomotives. The other is east of Vernon at Harrold, Texas. I've posted photos of that one in previous trip reports.

Here comes the BNSF double-stack / piggy back doing about 65.

Google Map Location

Granite, OK

Note the Rock Island boxcar through the tree

Google Map Location

Granite, OK

After completing what I had to do for work, I ran over to the hotel in Clinton, OK. After checking in, I went in search of food and stumbled across this.

Google Map Location

Finding the Depot and coaches, led me to this...

"Hi-Railing"

Google Map Location

Not sure what this is, but I'd guess it's Farmrail's engine service facility

Google Map Location

More Hi-Railin'

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The next morning I left Clinton at 0515 and ran south to Giddings, Texas. I didn't see anything of note until just south of Robinson, Texas (near Waco). Here I found a standard gauge bobber caboose. I've never heard of a STANDARD gauge bobber. Narrow gauge: sure.

Google Map Location

This is the business where

the caboose was located

After 7.5 hours, I arrived in Giddings. Before heading to the office, I spent 5 minutes getting some photos of the restored railroad facilities. This was once the junction of the Houston & Texas Central Railway and the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad. 

The H&TC line east to Brenham and Hempstead is abandoned, except for a portion in Brenham to service the Blue Bell ice cream factory. The H&TC line west to Austin (now the Austin Western Railroad) has been put back into service some time in the last 10 years. Using Google Maps I found at least 4 rail-served businesses between Giddings and Austin. This is very encouraging. The last time I traced this line from the ground, it was un-used and very over grown. Giddings is the main interchange with the AWR, but there are 2 others at Elgin and McNeil. The AWR runs 155 miles from Giddings to Llano. And, the Austin Steam Train Association (owners of SP 786) operate on the line between Cedar Park and Burnett. It's a neat railroad that I'll have to investigate further someday.

The SA&AP line is owned and operated by the Union Pacific today.

Google Map Location

SA&AP Freight Depot

The bank across the street from the Depot has a definite railroad look to it.

HUH?!?! I didn't know UP had a K36!

Me thinks someone didn't do quite enough research...