Chasing Farmrail on the Choctaw Route

Here's a collection of video clips I took chasing a Farmrail train from Clinton to Elk City on the former Rock Island Choctaw Route, now Farmrail's Sunbelt Division.  Enjoy!

Farmrail in 2018

Before I moved to the east coast in March, I got a couple chances to visit my favorite railroad, Farmrail.  I was lucky enough to be able to see them do some switching around Clinton on one day, and chase a train from Clinton to Elk City another day.

GNBC 3637 and a leased GP15-1 are powering a short local in Clinton, OK in this shot from March 1st

After putting together the train in the old Frisco yard, the crew headed south to work the industrial park.  They dropped several grain hoppers for Mars Petcare at this runaround track, to be spotted on the facing-point spur on the return trip.

The local continues south across this neat old trestle.

Arriving at the Clinton industrial park for a good hour or so of switching at the various oilfield suppliers

One of the newly painted additions to the roster.

A nice view of the Farmrail shops in Clinton

The shop crew moves GNBC 8126, a GP10 still in Illinois Central black, around the shop tracks.

Looking north up the old Frisco tracks in Bessie, OK. 

Farmrail had several strings of old hoppers they use for grain shuttles stored on the Grainbelt line in Bessie, OK.  Here's one still sporting faded C&NW colors.

The Rock Lives!  Many of Farmrail Corp.'s shuttle hoppers still sport faded Rock Island "Bankruptcy Blue."

One of the leased locomotives on the property rests at Clinton, OK

GP9 4079 at Clinton

I returned on March 7th.  It was pretty chilly that morning!  The Clinton switch crew's power, with leased GP15 still wearing its Texas flag colors from the Heart of Texas RR, rests at the junction.  Behind it are two old GP10s likely from the "Weatherford Turn" job.  This junction is once where the Santa Fe's Orient line and a Frisco branch both met the Rock Island's Choctaw Route.  All three lines (or at least what's left of them) are now operated by Farmrail. 

With lots of power thanks to former Iowa Interstate and Union Pacific locomotives, Farmrail hauls a long train of sand and drilling fluids from Clinton to Elk City on the former Rock Island.  Seen here at Foss, OK.

Headed across the prairie for Elk City.  A video of this chase is forthcoming on my YouTube channel.

BNSF in Central Texas (2014-2018)

I know this blog is focused on Oklahoma railroads, but until recently, I was stationed south of the Red River for about four years.  Here's a video I recently put together of some of the highlights of what I saw BNSF up to in Central Texas.  Check out my YouTube channel while you're at it!