PASSING TRAINS PT10

A train with UP power is passing through town!

The lead unit is UP 1982, UP's Missouri Pacific Heritage unit. While this unit, along with the other five Heritage units, mostly stays on home rails, it sometimes "tours" other parts of the country.

The second unit is an ex-Southern Pacific Dash 9-44CW.

On the head end of the train is a long string of articulated autoracks, forming a long, yellow snake behind the locomotives -and almost matching the Armour Yellow of the second UP unit!

But, after the racks, are a string of piggyback trailers, including two sharing a draw-bar connected pair of flatcars.

The men in the yard watch as the last of the cars roll past, alert for any problems. They find none, and the train continues westward, the two engines on their way back home to the Union Pacific!

PASSING TRAINS PT9

Train TKC35 stops for a crew change. Today, it's led by the Rock Island heritage unit, Dash-944CW 5416, and a BNSF Dash-944CW, 972. Western power sometimes shows up on this train due to the Kansas City connections to the West Coast. Since the AP&W's predecessors gained alot of trackage west of the Mississippi River after the collapse of the Rock Island, the heritage unit fits right in.

As is usually the case, the train is almost exclusively trailers. Also, the train is exclusively spine cars; none of the usual piggyback flatcars are in the train.

The trailers range from 53' reefers to 28' pups.

The lone containers in the train are these JB Hunt 53' plate wall containers.

The EOT device brings up the rear, as the train passes into the forest at the edge of town, on its way west.

TONY'S GARAGE

Another day at Tony's...

Tony Jr. looks over a special car -his! While his sister is seen off to the right receiving her new Smartcar from Daddy, Junior went out and got his own; a used BMW 525. While it'll stay mostly stock, he may make a few tweaks to the engine and suspension!

Later, Tony, Junior and Jeff team up to change a tire on an old Chevy C-10 pick-up . As usual, Elvis is laying down on the job by the front door.

A freshly trimmed Ford F250 sits among the cars in the lot. Tony and his crew applied the flames and graphics. Also of note; the Porsche 928 sitting next to the truck.

Back in 1962, Tim and his his brother, Mark (Tony's dad & uncle), purchased this brand new Ford F850 tow truck. Here, they pose with it for a advertising/posterity photo.
"If you wreck it, we can tow it, and we can fix it!"

A half a century later, all three have aged, changed, and seen better days, but are still alive and going strong!

TOWN LIFE PT20

Another day in Hillsdale...

Tony supprises his daughter, Tammy, with a new car! After her old clunker finally died, he got her a brand new Smart Car. Getting up to 41mpg highway, she'll save alot of gas money versus her old 84' Buick!

Later, Tammy takes her new car to the Olde English Flower Shop. Not only will she send her dad a thank-you bouquet, but her mother's birthday is comming up soon! Another increasingly popular fuel-efficient car is parked behind hers; a Mini Cooper. At the opposite end of the spectrum, is the Ford Expedition EL passing by.

Tony's secretary and her lover make out behind the garage. Think she'll make it back from her lunch break on time?

A customized owner-operator semi rolls down Main Street, headed for the open road. The chrome trailer seems to make up for the lack thereof on the tractor!

Crime in Hillsdale! The cops put the cuffs on a pair of suspected drug dealers outside the townhouses. Is that how they were able to afford the Cadillac Escalade?