Day 1

Day 2

Passing through Trinity we found a UP train in the hole and cut into 3 sections to clear the crossings in town. Just past the photo on the left is the turn-out that begins the WBT&S (nearly all abandoned today)

Here is a segment of the Weldon Branch of the old Wobbly. Note the ROW just past the first row of trees.

Looking South                          Looking North

This is the Highway 21 crossing of the abandoned grade

of the Texas Southeastern RR owned by T.L.L. Temple. To the north the line tied into the TSR just west of the Neches River crossing. To the south there was a junction with the TSE at Fastrill, which was the Temple Lumber logging camp for many years.  The line heads southeast from Fastrill and joined the TSE proper at Blix which is south of TX 94 where it crosses Clear Creek between Apple Springs and Lufkin.  Where 94 crosses Clear Creek, was the site of Vair where the Fastrill

line connected with the GL&N to give it access to Lufkin from Groveton.

Special thanks to Everett Lueck for the history on this line.

Abandoned ROW of the Cotton Belt (SSW) in Alto, TX

Railroad Art at the entrance to the Rusk Depot and Yard

A crazy railfan hard at work

TSR #300 (former U.S. Army #'s 396, 645, and 2)

pulls the afternoon train into Rusk from Palestine

Video - Arriving at Rusk Depot

#300 is one of two remaining "General Pershing" class 2-8-0's

The west leg of the Rusk Wye

Backing through the east leg

of the Rusk Wye

Backing through the east leg of the Rusk Wye

Video - #300 on the Rusk Wye

Heading back west on the main after turning.

Brakeman Zack

The NARCOA parade followed the train into the Rusk Yard

"RIO GRANDE!!"

Video - #300 ties onto the train & the NARCOA Parade passes.

GM Dave Schrank and some crazy railfan in a cowboy hat.

Yours truly

Next we drove over to the shops, past the main entrance and the railroad art thing...

It's odd, but kinda cool

This is the eastern end of the mainline. About 5' east of here it crosses Hwy 64 and disappears into the weeds/forest. There was once a diamond and interchange yard with the Cotton Belt (SSW) subsidiary of the Southern Pacific on the other side of Hwy 64.

East end of Rusk Yard

Newly restored #201, former Texas & Pacific #316.

#201 is a 1901 product of American Locomotive Works (ALCO).

#300 backs into the servicing area after shoving the passenger consist into the back yard to clear the depot tracks for the night photo shoot.

Drop Pit in the Rusk Engine House

Here are two generations of the Rusk Engine House Mouse Patrol

Ain't they kinda cute?

#400 is slated to be restored next. In a former life she was known as Magma Arizona #7. This Mikado class locomotive rolled out of the Baldwin

shops in 1917.

TSR #500 is ... well...

she's missing a few

pieces these days...

TSR Caboose #129 was once MKT Caboose #129

I don't know the story on this plow yet. But, I'm betting it didn't get much use in Texas.

A railfan-ette at work

TSR #8 is an MRS-1 built by ALCO & GE in 1953

TSR #201 being prepped for the double-header

scheduled for the following day.

As dusk approached, #300 was moved from the

shop area back to the depot for the Night Photo Shoot.

Video - #300 staging for the night photo shoot (a blowdown is included).

My buddy, Larry Gibson, requested this photo and I'm very happy he did. It turned out to be one of my favorites from this trip.

I'm really diggin' this shot

This reminds me of a John West photo showing DRGW #488 sitting at Cumbres Pass in the 1960's.

Michele suggested

I take this shot

#300 jumps to warp speed

Rusk Depot

Looking west towards

Maydelle and Palestine