If you want to watch live trains all day, this is a busy spot. This is a live feed from Tower 26 in Houston, Texas. I've been watching it for a couple of days.
It seems like at least a couple of trains an hour pass through.
Sometimes there is an operator in the tower who pans and zoom the camera. I saw him do that earlier when there was a train going through the "S' that is out of view camera now. Maybe it is done remotely. I don't know.
The view is looking West and slightly North.
Here's a long shot view of the tracks.
(https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/444167054_10161709881000522_2681048907590513206_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_aid=0&_nc_ohc=BbmT81psM2EQ7kNvgEpjHTA&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&oh=00_AYCrg2lSWKwjYFWCS96p1k8Q5WjvjF9SuRj-6zejoDATNw&oe=6658116E)
I wonder what's fixing to come by. A bunch of people with cameras are waiting.
I thought maybe it was the Amtrak but it passed and they are still there. I am hoping for something of a steaming nature. I can't see people gathering just to watch diesels.
The tower guy keeps shifting the camera toward the East and watching that way.
Wow! It was worth the wait.
It was a Canadian Pacific passenger train. It was headed by a 4-6-4 Hudson #2816 with a pair of tenders. It was followed by one the boxy diesels, then a pair back to back F "A" units and bunch of passenger cars.
2816 was first retired in the 1960's and sold. CP reacquired it in 1998.
It was refurbished and put into service in 2001 for excursions. That program was discontinued in 2012 and it was stored at CP's Headquarters since then.
CP and KC Southern merged in 2023 and 2816 was just put back into service in Spring of 2024.
Terry, I'm a subscriber to Trains.com and they have been running a series of videos on this train. Their title is the "Final Spike For The Canadian Pacific" since the new name is now the CPKC. One interesting item that I found doing a little research on Google is that the CPKC is the only railroad in North America to be able to offer service from Canada into Mexico. Don't know how true that is but I found it interesting since my father worked for the Canadian Pacific (colloquially known then as the CPR) at their office in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in the mid-50s. So far, Trains.com has published two videos and there are supposed to be more. Hope this helps.
I was really lucky yesterday. I had just found that site a couple of days ago. I pull it up every so often and watch for a little while.
When I saw a crowd with cameras starting to gather, I knew something was up.
I just happened to be in the right place (live feed wise) at the right time.
I wish that CPKC Would acquire L&A Ten wheeler number 503 that's rusting away in Port Arthur, Texas.
There are actually a number of "Live train Houston" cameras. They can be accessed here:
https://www.livetrains.com/locations/houston/
Use the arrow to the right of the small screens to scroll through the complete list.
Len
I had seen other live ones. 26 looked like it would be busiest with the double track crossings. I hadn't seen that particular site though.
For a holiday, it seems to be a lot going on at almost all of the sites today.
Len
If the view is looking west and slightly north, with downtown in the distance, this is probably the old T&NO (SP) crossing the old I-GN (MP). I crossed those diamonds many a time on SP No. 2 and No. 5. That was 60 years ago more, so nothing looks familiar anymore.
The KCS Southern Belle inspired paint scheme is beautiful and about to be lost, so much better than solid red. Count it among the other lost ones like the warbonnet and the black widow.