Two DMO Encounters

Saturday, January 19

Early on a frosty Saturday morning, I'd heard talk on the scanner from more than one train crew in or near Pleasantville on the Des Moines branch of the BNSF. I drove to town to check things out and found a crew van sitting by BNSF 538, tucked into the Cascade siding, while a string of hoppers and fuel oil tanks occupied the Hawkeye siding.

Shortly, westbound light power arrived at the southeast end of town, BNSF 2157 and 2162. They proceeded to the end of the siding and the assorted railroad personnel held a conference to decide what to do next. I noted later in the day that the siding was still occupied by the hoppers and tanks.

Next Saturday, January 26

Around 2:00 in the afternoon, I went to Pleasantville to check out some switching activity by the DMOWQM that I'd heard on the radio. When I arrived they were knocking a couple of tank cars around in the siding by Smith Fertilizer. Leading the train were BNSF 538, 141 (an ex-Santa Fe unit) and BNSF 6776. I got images of all three units, 538, 141 and 6776 at the G-40 grade crossing as they were leaving town.