Union Pacific Trains in Houston

It's the first of September and I'm in Houston on business with a couple more weeks to go.

This afternoon, I took a hike up to the "top of town" to University of Houston where I did some train observation (yes, that's what this blog is all about: trains sighted in various locations around the world).

I was standing on the bridge that spans one of Houston's bayous. . .the same bridge that serves as a promenade for one of the university's buildings. It also serves as the terminus for Houston's trolley system (the Red Line). I was peering over the side of the bridge looking at some nice shiny railroad tracks when I heard the telltale sound of screeching train wheels on tracks, and the next thing I knew, a diesel engine bearing the Union Pacific color scheme and logos emerged from under the bridge, a scant 25-30 feet underneath me (the second time I kicked myself for not bringing my digital camera along for the hike).

As I stood there, I counted five diesel locomotives. The lead locomotive stopped mid-way across the bridge, then blew his horn a couple of times to warn people crossing the tracks on the other side of the bridge. Then the train moved forward and 46 cars of various types (tankers, freight cars, flat cars, etc.) followed the locomotives. A powerful sight.

I walked on across the bridge and found myself looking over another bayou. . .and off in the distance, I heard another locomotive blast it's horn. Then I noticed three Union Pacific diesels crossing a bridge over an interstate highway and 64 cars followed them.

Interesting how fewer locomotives pulled more cars.

To cap off my training adventure, I boarded the southbound Red Line tram. It passed by the Minute Maid Field (a few blocks off from the tracks), the restaurant and theatre district, passed our hotel, on down past Hermann Park (where I shot golf balls from the range last weekend), past Rice University, and the whole host of medical centers, and on to the Reliant sports complex. I've never seen so many buildings devoted to sports: an arena, a stadium, also the Reliant Astrodome, and it appeared to be some other buildings as well. The tram ended up beyond Reliant at the southern terminus next to a Sam's Club. Then I bought a return ticket and rode the tram all the way back to University of Houston.

Nothing like trains, in all their forms. . .as big metal worms.