Three BNSF GE C44-9W engines in Heritage paint, pull a grain train west between Mendota and Arlington, Illinois. An eastbound weed sprayer is the opening act.
Still mostly overcast as the clouds were just starting to break. This video is longer than I normally like. But the MOW weed sprayer rolling into the scene adds a little bit extra to the video.
After catching the Amtrak pass earlier, I heard BNSF "Main Line" dispatch give permission to a grain train to pull onto the main from just east of Mendota and head west. That large grainery was just west of where I was located so I quickly drove by it. Sure enough, there was the train slowly departing the big loop to take main track two westbound. I determined that I had enough time to drive southwest of Mendota to one of my "go to" spots and be set up for a capture.
I positioned the cameras and waited. Soon, off to the west, I spied two MOW highrail vehicles on track one heading eastbound towards me. As the lead vehicle eventually came by, a nice BNSF employee, who saw my cameras, called out that the vehicle behind was "spraying Round UP." Spraying weed killer, in other words, and my cameras might take a chemical bath. I thanked him and moved the camera most in the line of fire, then stood by the others ready to quickly move them if necessary. But the spray vehicle stopped the spray as he approached my position. Which is probably normal procedure for a grade crossing.
Photo at:
www.flickr.com/photos/basicbil...