$250 for the crossing, but death to an unfortunate man who crossed the tracks right about where the train is in the photo just a few hours earlier.
The three C's: CBQ Signal bridge, clouds, and crepuscular rays.
UP stacker bypasses Proviso and shoots through the Berkeley Metra station.
Amtrak flies towards the sunset. Those tracks look a little bumpy just ahead...
The cool QJ logo that only the 6988 possesses, attached to the front of its smokestack. It was applied sometime in the week prior to the excursions. Anyone care to translate?
The 261 deserves some attention too - after all, it was the one that made it a triple header.
Backing up across the canal bridge outside Bureau, on its way to the depot.
Last shot of the train as it heads back west from Bureau towards Rock Island, smoking past an IAIS hyrailer.
The photo runby for any passengers that wanted to get off in Bureau. Not as cool as mountains in China, but still pretty awesome to watch.
Stopped in Bureau to load/unload passengers.
Pacing triple-headed steam trains is always enjoyable.
Chinese steam locomotives meet the American midwest's fields of soybeans. Notice the airplanes chasing the train - there were at least 6 of them.
Like the Chinese dragons they somewhat resemble, the two QJs (and the 261!) start 'em up at Rock Island breathing smoke and steam.
4 SD40-2s highball east near sunset, putting out a good deal of smoke.
Warbonnets leading the pumpkins - wish it would happen more often!