MWR - Images of Bob Eisthen

Images by Bob Eisthen

Welcome to my page. Well, it's my page so long as Paul lets me stay here, which, given that I ain't payin' any rent, might prove to be painfully short. This started as an effort by yours truly to show a photo of BN 8073 after it had been repaired. The unit was wrecked in front of the Tehachapi Railcam on April 5, 1999. As I had spent some time photographing the scenically interesting, but incredibly obscure, BNSF main from Gillette, WY to Huntley, MT, Paul and I decided to display a handful of additional photos. On that day, I was able to record 11 trains on the line, going as far north as the Little Big Horn Battlefield. I chased BNSF 4787 west from just outside Gillette all the way to the Battlefield (175 miles), recording him six different times. Naturally, there are no pictures of 4787 on this site.

Coal train at East Logan, WY | Eastbound P-train at Oriva, WY | Helper set at Kendrick, WY
Between Ulm and Verona, WY | Parkman, WY | Pass Creek Road

East Logan, WY - August 22, 1999 SD40-2 BN 7009, SD40-2 BN 8073, C30-7 BN 5582, SD40-2 BN 7823 & SD40-2 BN 7238

Ah, yes, the Powder River Basin ... conjures up images of hot, new power dragging coal trains across the dusty plain ... AC traction, high
horsepower, brand new paint, so clean you could eat off 'em ... well okay, AC traction, high horsepower and new paint. Here's a photo of five worn out old dogs lugging 119 loads at the summit of Logan Hill.

East Logan, WY - August 22, 1999
SD40-2 BN 7009, SD40-2 BN 8073 & C30-7 BN 5582

Okay, there is some brand new paint here, even if not high horsepower and AC traction. The new 'do is courtesy the Topeka Shops, which performed repairs to the sheet metal on the engineer's side where the unit landed in the wreck.

Oriva. WY - August 23, 1999
SD40-2 BN 8119, SD40-2 BN 7168 & C44-9W ATSF 650

This nice "eastern railfan at a grade crossing" shot was taken just a handful of miles west of Gillette. Of course, I didn't use a 50 mm lens, so I am not totally eastern, I guess. After two days in the Basin, this was the first hot intermodal / priority manifest train I had seen. A refreshing change after two solid days of BNSF SD70MACs.

Kendrick, WY
SD40-2 BN 7206, BNFT 47 & SD40-2 BN 7225

This is a helper set helping to bring the train to the top of the hill at Kendrick where the railroad crosses under US Highway 14. I had been chasing this bad boy for miles on dirt roads at speeds that left me wondering if there was a Wal-Mart stocking BVDs nearby. I guess I really am an easterner at heart, eh? Kendrick was my first sign of pavement in a
long time, and it made me feel "so" much better.

Near East Verona, WY
SD40-2 BN 7206, BNFT 47 & SD40-2 BN 7225

After getting comfortably ahead of the train, I settled in on top of this hill on the "old highway" -- that's what the locals called it -- a highway -- geez, it was two ruts in the dirt! -- between the settlements of Ulm and Verona and waited. It didn't take long to be
rewarded.

Parkman, WY
B40-8W ATSF 507, GP40 EMD 140 & C30-7 BN 5585

This eastbound merchandise crests Parkman Hill at barely 10 mph. Partly, it's because he has to stop at the east end of "town" to meet another drag freight, and partly it's the 10 mph slow order for the last seven miles up the 1.5% grade --- I don't know what the gradient actually is, but Bob Eisthen's Intraocular Method (I eyeballed it) said 1.5%. You could hear this train coming for almost an hour! Once in the siding, the engineer pulled his lengthy train up right to the signal and prayed he was clear of the opposing move.

Pass Creek Road, WY
C44-9W BNSF 4878, SD40-2 ATSF 5187 & SD60 OWY 9066

The ten mph also covered the downhill moves, as well, giving the photographer ample time to chase this one down the hill, set up, take a nap, read a book, count how many rolls of film are left, how many miles is it back to Gillette, how full is the gas tank, got any snacks left, how about Gatorade.

All of these images are copyrighted work of Bob Eisthen, 1999. Email Bob about his photos.

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