[58][4k] Six Trains Per Hour, BNSF Southern Transcon, Winslow, AZ, 06/03/2017 ©mbmars01

It is fair to say that Winslow, AZ is one of the busiest railroad towns in the entire country. During my brief visit, on average 6 BNSF trains showed up per hour. It was certainly a particularly busy period of time, but the BNSF Southern Transcon is used by about 100 trains per day and thus one of the most active lines in North America. Winslow is home of the only more significant yard on the Transcon in Arizona. Most train crews change here, which naturally leads to some congestion. The thrill and excitement of this midday railfanning adventure was amplified by the presence of various desert sand spouts, some small, some not-so-small. You'll get an idea while watching the video... Enjoy!
Note: This video has been recorded and produced in 4k Ultra-HD resolution.
[© 2017 MBMARS Productions. Exclusive rights for KZbin channel "mbmars01" only.]

[@CoenOinkeyTrains]

Excellent video! This is my favorite line, awesome catch of the Bluebonnet duo and Fakebonnet!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! Yes, I really liked that there were so many different paint schemes in this consist.

[@jleveille2]

the mid engine dpu did a little up and down dance on the first train Nice job of framing three trains in one picture. I liked how you filmed the trains as they disappear into the desert heat. A new name for you Ernie Pyle thanks for being brave for us rail fans. I could tell something was going on with the speed of the wind would increase. WOW eight engines I watched it a couple of times made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Optical illusion when the eight engine train was heading in to the yard it looked like it was on the same track as another train. When you were close on the 6628 I think you could see the end of the train starting to move great picture. I like 7988 looked like it was peeking around a corner. Mbmars I have always enjoyed your work this one I had a blast watching so much to look at I will enjoy watching this over again. You made my day

[@mbmars01]

Just awesome, thanks so much. If you have the possibility, watch it again on a big 4k display. As you said, there are so many details to discover.

[@johnglover5886]

I Like that old SANTA FE Train Bridge. I also saw a BNSF Locomotive July,7,2017 BNSF Dash9-44CW 5313. I saw it in DEFUNIAK SPRINGS Florida.

[@mbmars01]

+john glover I knew before that the SF bridge was there and wanted to see it. Not surprisingly, a train showed up while I was in the area. Nice, I know, many BNSF locos are currently on foreign tracks.

[@kennethcabadas9303]

Love your vid when i grow up im working for the bnsf

[@mbmars01]

Very cool!

[@dont_notice_me1046]

Sooo Cool!!!!

[@kennethcabadas9303]

@@dont_notice_me1046 thank you

[@chrimkuk]

Great video! Winslow also has the added attraction of the Posada Hotel where you can sit on the patio just a few feet from the tracks. I'll never forget arriving there on the Southwest Chief from LA at 5.30am on a sunny morning during a vacation from the UK.

[@jaxontrain464]

I love Norfolk southern

[@scoobycarr5558]

Wow - Santa Fe still on its home rails 22 years after the merger - how exciting! And the shot of the bridge with the legendary Santa Fe logo on it - this makes for an exciting day for BNSF fans. This does confirm that BNSF does like to celebrate its great heritage just like Union Pacific.

[@mbmars01]

I don't know if they actually care about it or just leave the logo where it is, which is the least effort anyway. Either way, it's indeed always cool to find such remnants of railroad history.

[@scoobycarr5558]

Okeedokee thanks for the info

[@spacecalander]

You have the best videos on youtube, you follow the power through, you tell us the consist contents, and it is in beautiful clear HD. It takes a lot of work and i certainly appreciate it.

[@mbmars01]

Many thanks. The production of each video is an enormous, time-consuming effort and I really appreciate such nice feedback, because it keeps me motivated to work on more :)

[@joewlos5607]

Thanks for your bravery while filming another beauty.

[@mbmars01]

Lol, many thanks.

[@Milcom34]

Another Super Video mbmars01....Really Enjoyed. Thanks.

[@mbmars01]

I'm happy you like it! Thanks.

[@philliplee980]

sweet catches.

[@mbmars01]

+Phillip Lee Yep, thanks 😃

[@iusetano]

Some real nice shots. Excellent video.

[@mbmars01]

Cool, thanks!

[@RogerRubarb]

Thanks again! I'm recommending you for the prestigious Distinguished Railfan Cross for enduring the dust devils and Arizona heat. Good job!

[@mbmars01]

Haha, I do not accept anything below the Medal of Honor :P It was just a great trip and I enjoyed each part of it. The temperatures were even higher in the south, were I went to visit the UP main line.

[@ironjawbones]

Good stuff, mbmars! Such a fine sight to see!

[@mbmars01]

Thank you! Indeed...

[@natejackson8213]

I love BNSF.

[@kennethcabadas126]

Me too

[@borisobrucicov8630]

I got excited when I saw the 8th locomotive train. that was a great catch bro. and thank you for that keep making those videos. I will be watching.

[@mbmars01]

+Boris Obrucicov This was definitely a special catch. Cool, thanks!

[@johnmorris3744]

Fantastic video, I particularly enjoyed the part where you got 3 trains in the frame. Lots of traffic back and forth.

[@mbmars01]

Thank you! Having three trains in one shot is rare, indeed.

[@mikehowey4869]

Wow,cool video! never a dull moment there!

[@mbmars01]

Thank you! This line is just rewarding :)

[@johnglover5886]

I have been by there when I was little I Like those old SANTA FE Locomotives it reminds me when I was Little traveling through New Mexico and Arizona.

[@jamesmark782]

I've heard those haboobs can be pretty intense out there. Appreciate your gutting it out for us.

[@mbmars01]

It's fun to watch them, but the bigger one that made me seek cover starting sucking stuff off the open doors of my car and this wasn't tolerable anymore lol.

[@southerntrains6530]

Great Video! I bet that tornado was catastrophic.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks. Lol, I know you're kidding me :P Wanna see a real one when I visit you next time. Can you get that organized?

[@mbmars01]

+ruth souza Yes, AZ is Arizona.

[@johnmoore8016]

Thanks for an outstanding video; watched it on full screen and the scenery was something else. I notice the heat waves coming up from the ground; must have been hot there. Thanks again for the videoThanks for a very good video; watched it on large screen the scenery was outstandingThanks for a very good video; watched it on large screen the scenery was outstandingThanks for a very good video; watched it on large screen the scenery was outstanding

[@mbmars01]

Yeah, it was hot, maybe 95 degrees, but this was even dwarfed by what I experienced in the south which I went to immediately after the recordings for this video. Nice, glad you liked it.

[@normansilver905]

Also home of one of the Fred Harvey Inn's along the old Santa Fe rail lines. La Posada, and it is truly a sight to look inside.

[@mbmars01]

Absolutely! Unfortunately, my own schedules are typically too tight to really explore the trackside attractions, but one should indeed visit these places to help those who maintain these pieces of history.

[@howielane8406]

Man....your videos are just that darn good. I really enjoy them. @ 2:14 the train is just a tad bit bouncy bouncy on the tracks there....! I hope they look into it.

[@mbmars01]

I'm very happy you have fun watching them! Thanks!

[@Clavichordist]

Definitely a cool video! We should be so lucky to have that kind of traffic back east! Those dust devils can be mean and I'm sure that sand and grit wreaked havoc with your camera equipment. They're not tornados, but look cool anyway. I saw a "swarm" of them in southern CO last summer down near Trinidad and Alamosa. We also saw a land spout tornado, which was a lot bigger, meaner, and extended all the way up into the clouds. We were supposed to be out on a storm-chasing tour, but my rail fan chasing buddies and I spent most of our time train watching due to nearly no storms.

[@mbmars01]

Oh well, I have to agree. We've got some good spots in GA, but nothing compares to that line. Very cool - isn't it great to be interested in more than just trains? One just picks what one gets. That's why I occasionally do these trips, not only for the trains but also to see some exciting environment. Be safe when you chase storms.

[@Clavichordist]

Yes, definitely way more trains. What you saw in your hour there, is far more than we catch up on the old B&M west end in a day. There's definitely great stuff to see out there. Have you been up to Montana? I was out and along the BNSF, former Great Northern, up through Glacier National Park. Gorgeous country plus long container trains, and also caught the Empire Builder too. We also were out in the Powder River Basin. If you haven't been there already, I highly recommend a trip there to see those long coal trains. Then also along the Strafford Sub in TX and out La Junta CO. Wow, lots of good traffic with a parallel main. :-) You be safe out there too.

[@Jaxanator25]

Love the video! Keep up the good work!

[@mbmars01]

Awesome, thanks!

[@BNSFBishop]

Awesome. BNSF has sooo many gevos

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! Oh yes and I have the feeling they know what they are doing.

[@FishplateFilms]

Great work Sir! Nice camera work and smooth panning..apart from the Tornado..LOL Some very good composition and editing too. Looks like a good spot, I'll have to get there on my next visit to the US! Cheers Gregg.

[@mbmars01]

Thank you! I'm pretty sure you'd like it. This line and that spot offer a lot of inspiration for a BNSF model railroader.

[@FishplateFilms]

True! The whole country is a inspiration!

[@J3scribe]

Another nice effort. Good stuff.

[@mbmars01]

Thank you, glad you like it.

[@Nicola636128]

Great video!

[@mbmars01]

Cool, thanks!

[@gfandwrr1]

Those are called Dust Devils, true mini tornadoes. You would see them on the East Coast where they are called Water Spouts. Winslow is a great place to railfan and of course have lunch at La Posada.

[@mbmars01]

I know, one can see them at many places, but I have never seen so many of them in one area and this strong before. Unfortunately, I didn't have time for lunch, as I wanted to relocate to South Arizona that same day. I didn't intend to seriously railfan Winslow at all, but it just turned out like that and was worth it.

[@gfandwrr1]

I hope you will return and take more time. Railfanning this area is more than just trains. There are some really good websites that can guide you to the "special" places. Thank you for doing what you do.

[@mbmars01]

Oh I did a lot of "touristy" activity in the area as well, visiting, e.g., Grand Canyon and the Meteor Crater, but I know there's much more one can do.

[@UnitedRailfan]

Talk about monster trains. I’ve never seen a train with lead units, mid train DPU, and a rear DPU, all on one train Good video

[@mbmars01]

If you watch my video [57], you can see one of my favorite "monster trains" on the BNSF Transcon. It's a grain train with four engines upfront, three in the middle and two at the rear. It's an awesome sight.

[@UnitedRailfan]

mbmars01 do you know if they end up somewhere in Chicago? That’s where I am stationed. But I’ve been to every bnsf Line bear here, they must not run ofteb

[@mbmars01]

I have no idea where it comes from. I've only seen it in Flagstaff, AZ and it was always westbound.

[@robertweldon7909]

How about the very first train you ever see, and at the age of 4, is lead by 3 NYC Niagara's (4 - 8 -4 like UP 844) 150 coal hoppers 2 more Niagara's in the middle 150 more coal hoppers and another Niagara pushing, "rail fan for life"

[@iansutton3176]

Another great video, and it was nice to see a few sets without the usual graffiti!

[@mbmars01]

Cool, thanks!

[@thebnsftracker1317]

Awesome video! I hope 2 get out here 1 day!

[@mbmars01]

Thank you. You should, it's worth it.

[@thebnsftracker1317]

mbmars01 LOL! I would, but I don't have the time 2 do so. College is important after all.

[@sliceofpizza1053]

Winslow Arizona is a nice place to see trains, i’ve been there.

[@johndusak8147]

Did you stand on the corner in Winslow that where the witnesses meet the devil. He's a candy man what ever that is.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Some interesting power on that one at 4:35.

[@mbmars01]

Oh, I know!

[@notthatdonald1385]

Nice job. I wish I could find 6 trains/hr around here in PA.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks. Most of us share the issue of low frequencies at our home lines...

[@trainlover1017]

Nice work

[@mbmars01]

+Train lover 101 Thanks!

[@marcosinnes5999]

cool video

[@mbmars01]

Thank you!

[@HoolaaBaaloo]

It appears to me that the train in the background at 4:15 is the same one in the start of the video

[@joshswarens9409]

nice video

[@mbmars01]

+Josh Swarens Thank you.

[@Jacobkorowin4014]

Awesome video man. Does that line robe through flagstaff.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! Yes, that's the Southern Transcon. Winslow, Winona, Flagstaff. Just a few miles.

[@Jacobkorowin4014]

@mbmars01. Thank you for the information.

[@scoobycarr5558]

And the C&NW-style left-hand operation of trains from Winslow in eastern Arizona and then eastward across New Mexico - I don't really believe that BNSF is emulating UP's former C&NW-style operation in and around Chicago but I believe that Santa Fe had that same operation, presumably to allow loads to travel uphill on its grades while empties went downhill on its grades just like California's Cajon Pass.

[@RailfanJackProductions]

sandspout almost gotcha that sucks

[@mbmars01]

+Railfan Jack Productions Lol, it was a special event, for sure. Sand spouts are typically harmless, but the high-pitch noise of this one told me it was somewhat stronger.

[@trains5.9]

I absolutely LOVE these videos! They look fantastic! If you don't mind me asking, what camera are you using? I've been using my iPhone, which does provide good video (for what it is), but nowhere near this quality!

[@mbmars01]

This is awesome that you like the videos! Thanks so much. For this video I used a Panasonic W991 camcorder and recorded in 4k resolution.

[@trains5.9]

mbmars01 anytime! I just subscribed! And thank you so much, I need to look into that camera!

[@mbmars01]

Nowadays, I use the successor, which is WXF1. I particularly like the Panasonic camcorders for their zoom capabilities.

[@trains5.9]

mbmars01 I appreciate all of the info, thanks so much! I definitely agree, Panasonic holds the 4k zoom like no other!

[@LWSJ85]

Good video, I have noticed more of your videos out of Arizona, are you still living in Georgia or did you move, either way your videos from these states are really good, keep them coming.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! No, I just went there for a short visit. Still living in GA.

[@larrydockery7201]

does anyone know what happen to wing man

[@oldtown6240]

Especially nice shot with the three trains around 4:10 et seq. Railfan heaven, except for the environment. That said, not surprising the number of Native American reservations.

[@mbmars01]

This was one of those few particularly exciting railfanning moments. Catching a meet of two trains is not special, but seeing two trains bracketing a third one is rare.

[@larrydockery7201]

i wonder if strobe the hobo is on one of this trains

[@mbmars01]

Lol

[@CSXRailfanner]

Hey sometime u should go to Selkirk New York and watch the trains there

[@mbmars01]

Yea, there are so many interesting places to go watch trains :)

[@CSXRailfanner]

+mbmars01 yeah I live in Massachusetts the action isn't really that good

[@railanimal4380]

What camera u use?

[@mbmars01]

+Rail Animal I typically use a Panasonic WXF991 camcorder nowadays.

[@railanimal4380]

mbmars01 great quality!

[@roboftherock]

Enjoyed that one as well. Some observations:- 1. 5:10 - 5 locos, 4 paintjobs; you'ld think after all these years … 2. 20:15 - As WB manifest passed EB autoracks, a crew member standing besdie the track. I've noticed this elsewhere. Safety requirement or a guy stretching his legs? 3. 28:18 - a plastic bag looking for some mesquite as life partner! :-)

[@mbmars01]

Thank you! The engineer just stretched his legs while the train waited for line access.

[@AndreiTupolev]

I think they look out for things dragging or unsafe loads etc as well.

[@kensingtonchapp4819]

That crew member was most likely the conductor, and he was giving the passing train a roll-by inspection. BNSF at the time required a crew member to be on the ground to give roll-by safety inspections to almost all passing trains. The engineer rarely does it so it was almost certainly the conductor.

[@zonashad5953]

You spelled BSNF instead of BNSF at 7:24

[@GoneMudden]

Need a wind sock in the mic.sigh

[@mbmars01]

Wind noise is part of the authentic railfanning experience.

[@rcmadness247]

kfc @ 6:47

[@teadyconnolly9590]

mbmars01 this is superb video well done this took a long time to make this video right well done for outstanding entertainment I still couldn't get your email I don't want to put my gmail details up here if you can

[@mbmars01]

It's true, the production takes a long time... The email address is mbmars01[at]gmail.com.

[@jerryandannswarens677]

nice video

[@mbmars01]

Cool, thanks!