HiDef: 7/8/10 - Chasing BNSF's Warren Buffett officer special

[Watch in 720p for full quality]

This was quite the find! I got a call early in the morning from a good friend telling me about an officer special coming to Paducah with several large figures riding along in it, which proved to be very true.

BNSF ran this officer special out of Kansas City, MO to Paducah, KY carrying the head of the Springfield Division and possibly Warren Buffett, but details on him are vague. The 7 car train consisting of very clean looking passenger cars (along with the power car) is lead by two ES44DCs.
BNSF 7656 takes the lead while the shiny 7375 trails behind.

Mermet Springs, IL
This was the first location where me and 3 other railfans caught this train. After waiting for about a hour with a high green, we were just about to leave when the detector at MP 213 went off reporting a train with 40 axles, that was the special. We rushed back into position just in time. The friendly crew gives a few taps on the horn for us as well.

Pines Road - Paducah, KY
This was the second location we went to. We could have gone somewhere further up the line, but due to personal choice of the other railfans, we moved here. BNSF 7656 clears up with the P&L and flies past Pines Road doing every bit of the 40 MPH speed limit.

L&N Gate (Littleville Road) - Paducah, KY
We stopped by the L&N gate and noticed a flatbed truck with SUVs being unloaded from the trailer since this was the end of the line for all the officials riding aboard. The engineer on the BNSF 7656 pulled his train past the switch and the parked vehicles carefully spotting the rear car onto the crossing. It was quite the sight to see this taking place. Soon everyone was offloaded and the train was cleared to make a reverse move up to the L&N gate, just enough to clear the crossing.

The Old Wal-Mart switch - Paducah, KY
We relocated again to the other end of the wye they were turning their train at to get some more action from a different angle. The engineer, guided by other BNSF personnel, backs his train up past the switch and onto the zip tracks. The conductor calls for clearance with the CN and the train soon moves forward departing Paducah back to Centralia, IL.

Pines Road - Paducah, KY
We rushed to get one last shot of this train before the other 3 guys had to go home. Once again the engineer easily gets the train up to 40 MPH and makes for quite the show over those terrible dips in the rails we have here. Once again the crew gives a couple friendly toots and continues eastward.

Enjoy!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Warren
• Buffett
• officer
• special
• O-KCMPAD
• PADKCM
• GEVO
• ES44DC
• 7656
• BNSF
• 7375
• Burlington
• Northern
• Santa
• Fe
• Kansas
• City
• Missouri
• Paducah
• Kentucky
• Springfield
• division
• P&I
• chase
• train
• railroad
• Sill
• Metropolis
• Illinois
• P&L
• yard

[bobberfie]

ha I had the 7656 as a bad order on a Z train a few months ago and I had to set it out Kansas City. 

[BNSF9192]

@bobberfie Well, that's interesting. I was shocked that they stuck an older unit in the lead.

[bobberfie]

@BNSF9192

Its not that old, they don't really care when it was built but BNSF does tend to get their shorts creamed over these newer motors.

[BNSF9192]

@bobberfie True. But the newer ones always get BNSF into a good "mood". Just to show off to everyone else. That's why I was kind of surprised.

[bobberfie]

@BNSF9192

They mustve had a new one on earlier and it took a shit lol.

One thing theyre deffinately good at is showing off like anyone really gives a flyin fuck, thats what UP used to do and they learned not to do that, but I guess when your main office is in Fort Worthless you get retards like this.

[BNSF9192]

@bobberfie lol, probably!

Yeah, that's very true. I mean, UP does do a good amount of "showing off" still. I'm sure you have a lot more experience with all this, so I know you're sure of your word. I've heard a good amount of good and bad comments though.

[bobberfie]

@BNSF9192

Haha oh yeah. It really all depends on who you talk to. We were doin good from once I started then we started getting stupid and then stupider. I think we're finally getting smart again, kinda like going in a circle.

[globalintermodal]

Happy Birthday Warren! Pete

[BNSF9250]

@BNSF9192 sd40-2s rock old boy.

[BNSF9192]

@DJGENEX71 Yeah, the track can be real bad. It's the 2nd to the newest. The newest are the 7800 series.