UP 4141 - President Bush Funeral Train

December 6, 2018

Almost immediately after the story broke that President George H. W. Bush had passed, word came down that UP 4141 would be used for the funeral train. Details were sketchy at first, but they were finalized and released in a few days. I started trading texts and emails with my buddies Blake, Brian, and Everett to make our own plans. In the end, Everett wasn't able to join us because of work, but Brian's wife, Emily, tagged along. It's kinda rare to have a female in our midst... other than Michele.

Elaborate plans were made to begin our chase in Spring and run up I45 to Conroe then take 105 to Navasota where we'd intercept the train again. Now, there is a saying in the Marine Corps: "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy." Those words were ringing in my head as I was getting gas and the pilot train blew through Old Town Spring 2 HOURS before the funeral train. Blake and I gave chase, but were unable to catch it... or even see it! Must've been going 70 as soon as they cleared the Wye.

Then, Blake realized he needed an SD card for his camera. So, off to Walmart we went. This put us way out of our planned start position near Old Town Spring, but Blake wanted to scope out the area behind the Kroger on Holzworth & Spring Stuebner. As it turns out, this was a great spot with open vistas and very few people. The crowd/traffic weren't too bad, so we decided to use the spot figuring we could still get on 99 and then 45 pretty quick to make our run out to Navasota.

However, after an hour wait, the crowd swelled from 20 to at least 500. The vistas were now clogged and vehicles were double-parked giving us no way to escape. The day was over. We would get a single shot each. Fortunately, Brian and Emily set up 3 miles down the line and got a nice broadside view.

Union Pacific did a first class job of honoring a man worth honoring. Ain't many of those in public service these days.

Thank you, UP.

Looking east towards Old Town Spring at MP 2 on the Navasota Sub.

The Spring Fire Department is hanging an American flag over the track at I45.

The modest-sized crowd grows. It was 10 times this size when the train arrived.

Note the Spring Fire Department trucks on the Holzworth bridge.

Swapping out flags for a bigger one.

I was bored and this dude flew over.

The bigger flag.

Class.

At long last... HEADLIGHTS.

The Presidential Seal on the drumhead was above and beyond.

Well done, UP!

So long President Bush.

Fair Winds & Following Seas, sir.