Where Glidden's at Flatonia:
Flatonia, Texas is half way between San Antonio and Houston. This is where Tower 3 once controlled a busy SP interlocker. Today, UP's Glidden Sub from Houston meets up with the Flatonia Sub from Dallas and Hearne for the run to San Antonio and makes for some great railfanning. Flatonia is also the point the Port Lavaca Sub. takes off south towards Victoria. To hear conversation on the Glidden & Port Lavaca Subs. tune your radio to 160.665. The Flatonia Sub. operates on 160.320.
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What used to be...
This is a typical scene at Flatonia of only a few years ago. This SP EMD SD40-2 is leading a train off the "Dalsa" from to Hearne, and heads west toward San Antonio at Flatonia. The Glidden Sub. and Tower 3 are in the background. The Flatonia Sub. is actually the whole segment from San Antonio to Hearne. |
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Houston Bound Drags
This Rio Grande EMD SD50 is at the head of an RBMMY patiently waiting in the siding at Flatonia. This train along with other rock trains from Beckmann take the Glidden Sub to Houston. Other Houston bound freights from the west are QWCEW, MWCEW, MLDEW, and ALDLI.
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Port Lavaca Sub.
The Port Lavaca Sub. sees light traffic down to south Texas. It is dispatched by TWC or Track Warrants. UP runs grain, coal, and auto trains AGPBV & ASPBV. Tex-Mex has trackage rights from Houston to Robstown to run their daily pair of trains which are AMEMXJ and AMXMEJ. Shown here is a BNSF manifest, whom also ultilizes trackage rights on the Flatonia & Port Lavaca Subs. |
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Intermodal
Anyone that knows the Sunset Route knows container trains. UP runs stack trains each way between San Antonio and Houston through Flatonia. Eastbound are ILBEW, ILBNO, IAPAT, IOAHO, and ICIHO. Westbound are IEWLB, IEWLBB, IEWCI, INOLB, and IATLB which usually hit Flatonia in the afternoon & evening. Shown here is an ILBNO led by a GE C44-9W.
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Remaining Gliddens
The rest of the Glidden Sub. traffic includes westbound empty rock, and the two manifests QEWWC and MHOWC. Shown here is an EMD SD40-2 with an MHOWC fresh off the Glidden Sub. in the late afternoon. Amtrak's Sunset Limited numbers 1 and 2 run westbound at midnight and eastbound in the early morning. |
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Dalsa
The "Dalsa" part of the Flatonia Sub. veres north out of Flatonia towards Hearne and Dallas. This is also Track Warrant territory. Most of its traffic is between Ft.Worth and Pine Bluff to San Antonio, Laredo, and Eagle Pass. UP also runs coal, grain, and rock trains through here. BNSF utilizes trackage rights on the Dalsa as well. This EMD SD60 led MLDFW takes the turnout towards Hearne.
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Noteworthy:
UP bases an LAU90 Flatonia Local at Flatonia. An LAU91 Glidden Local also appears off the Glidden Line. Flatonia is milepost 120 on both the Glidden and Flatonia Subs. There are about 10 daily Port Lavaca trains, 15 Dalsa, and 20 Glidden trains daily. The straight shot Glidden Sub trains pass by at 45mph. Everything else is about 20mph. Trains tend to come in packs at Flatonia, but patience can lead to a nice days railfanning at this fascinating UP Crossroads. |
