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SWOMRS News
A few things this week in the railroad side around here. With some pre grain season reports.
WT&J was up this past week and last, did several grain loads to Wic Falls after they brought up some
75 cars or so.
The so called talks of BNSF Chickasha Sub from Quanah, TX to Long (Snyder), OK sell out to
Stillwater Central of what I heard last month is supposed rumor, however, what I did learn this week
I think I shall call it the Altus Interchange deal.
BNSF has in the past been getting cars into QUA yard for the trip to here and Snyder. These cars
have been coming from TUL to AMA to QUA, or going from QUA to ALT to OKC to TUL... now with this
pattern of lot of rail mileage that is not really needed, looks like SLWC will do the Altus
Interchange... TUL to OKC to LAW to Altus and visa versa. So, the H&E loads heading East w/Empties
coming back, Poole Chem tank cars coming as well (BNSF will do the spotting at Poole), along with
the Powdered Gypsum car loads to BNSF with empties in return. BNSF does have other wallboard cars
from G/P plant in Acme, TX they give to SLWC as well. So the SLWC's Altus Interchange Yard Job as it
was called by my son just about sticks to it. This will eliminate the back log of cars going around
the big loop and being more direct as it was in the past. BNSF will still continue to take Snyder
cars there for Grainbelt/Farmrail.
Was in Snyder yesterday, seen Farmrail units 8053 and 8253 lashed up and tied down, had a side dump
car hooked with huge chuncks of concrete rocks ready to get dumped as riprap some where, plus
ballast cars as well. Farmrail 8180 was tied down in the side stub at Snyder Depot (aka now the
trailer that sits where a nice station once stood proudly before BN had it ripped down years ago.),
this was the unit leased to Martin Marrietta Rock Plant at Long till they got the MM unit (ex-SP
GP-9), a side comment was heard, the remote control equipment that runs this unit is worth more than
the Engine unit is worth as whole.
Back here in Altus, last night BNSF 5083 (44-9CW) w/ 111 empty grain cars (6800' of it) was the 4th
one into Altus (3rd was Wed or Thu night) and went to Snyder. The one here in Altus was taken care
of by Farmrail already and is staged at the Planters Co-op Silo here, and the yard next to the silo
is getting full as well as the Elmer branch is empty waiting on another grain train. Glad to see
that BNSF and Farmrail got something going to get this very abundant crop of wheat about to get
harvested rolling along to the ports. Also heard next BNSF Empty Grain train is to be on Sunday,
Mothers day (Happy Mothers day to all you mothers out there) I think it may be for Altus drop, since
Snyder got filled up last night.
Now speaking of Grain Train Season, looks like June 2nd is the tentative kickoff date of the Altus
Grain Switcher, this will be the Monday after Memorial Day Weekend, however if things get kicked off
early for the harvesters to do the cutting, this can even change to early as Mem Day kick off, but
as for now looking at the grain, 2 June does look more like the target start date.
Grain here in Jackson Cnty and surrounding areas do look very well, starting to really yellow out at
the base to mid ares, even with spotted top areas of the fields starting to turn and gettting ready
for harvest. I have talked to a few farmers over the last few weeks, and they are very pleased, they
even say they may pull more bushels per acre this year than what they thought, even the local paper
this past week said about the same for the SW to the NW areas of OK, and even into Sthrn KS as well.
I have seen some caravans of wheat cutters heading south, but not that heavy yet as I have seen, too
early by a week or two yet. Looks like it may be a busy busy season for harvesters and railroads to
keep the flow going smoothly.
Other things happening around here.... several Wide High loads via semi truck on Rt 283 of what
looks like Refinery Equipment and Power Plant Products, these are about 14' wide x 16-17' high on
trailers that have mega axle's and even gooseneck 5th whl doublers on the front end. I seen some of
these also come back Northbound empty with the Gooseneck and tagalong axel sets sitting on the
trailer. Some of these moves even have a caravan of support trucks, bucket type trucks to deal with
light poles, traffic lights, wires, ect ect. Altus PD has been very helpful to escort these trucks
from the north to south end of city limits, even the City of Altus Elec Dept has been standing by as
well to assist these moves if needed. (It looked like some of these things could have gone by rail,
but, I think they was too wide for side clearances on the ROW.)
Also the Western Sizzlin should be up and running by then from the Feb Fire rebuild project... and
even Quizno's Sub shop is coming to town from what I heard this week as well. The New Braums is open
on N Main St (Rt 283) and very nice place, the old one on E Broadway (Rt 62) they have it closed and
stripped out already. Starbucks Coffee is a big hit with the Aircrews, College, and RR crews, as
well as other folks who like to go there, I been there once. There are some changes going on around
town, improvements happening.
Updates will be as needed... I will most likely do a grain report in a once or twice a week report
when it gets going, unless something of the odd happens. This season is coming up to my railfanning
time around here... if anyone hears anything of a heads up for this area, please do pop me a email
and let me know, I would like to make this one of the best wheat harvest railfan/report/info and
great time for you to feel like your part of the SW OK American Adventure.
Ron Roman
Altus, OK
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