10 Minutes – 2 Trains
After spending the better part of the day doing chores at home, it was time to get out into a beautiful Saturday afternoon in South Texas. I ended up driving toward Rosenberg. I thought that between the UP and BNSF, I might have something in good light at Tower 17.
About halfway to Rosenberg, I heard the Glidden sub dispatcher give a track warrant to KCSM 4658, authorizing it between MP 2.5 to CP SA036 on the Rosenberg sub.
An eastbound. That’s nice, but I’d much rather a westbound.
Ask and ye shall receive, because a few moments later the DS said that he’d bring the KCSM into the terminal after he ran one west by him at 17.
By the time I got to Tower 17, the KCSM 4658 was already there. Within several minutes, the detector at MP 34.5 announced that the westbound was getting close.
The first 3 shots show UP 6558 crossing the BNSF at CP SA036 and going over the switch where the Rosenberg sub diverges from the Glidden sub mainline.
Pivoting to face west, I was able to get the 6558 heading west while the KCSM 4658 waits for its turn to go.
After visiting a few moments with the KCS crew, their signal flipped to green, allowing them to enter the Glidden sub eastward.
Southwest Rails 
Robert, what does TWC mean on the marker?
TWC = Track Warrant Control
Robert,
Your stretch of the Sunset Route may have seen a similar amount of traffic Saturday, like you mentioned it getting on Friday. In the space of app. 30 minutes during the 4 o’clock hour on Saturday afternoon, I saw three trains cross Bellaire Blvd. A SB manifest, a SB doublestack, and a NB Martin Marietta rock train.
Have you noticed a consistent pickup in traffic through Sugar Land lately?
Howard
Sharpstown
I don’t know that traffic is increasing per se, but it seems to be concentrated at certain times. Early morning and late afternoons particularly due to recent day-long work windows due to bridge work just east of Hwy. 6