Everyone has some nice springtime shots here! The grass is green, people aren't all bundled up.... Remember that last week I posted my last shots of winter, and I lamented how much I was going to miss winter and it's austere beauty. Last Friday it got up into the 70s. Then, on Saturday it hit 84 degrees here! I sweating mightily in the heat. And now today, the first of May........it snowed again! 
Not just a little bit--all day, and about five inches! Hey, it's the month of May in South Dakota. You never know what's going to happen. I saw those big gorgeous flakes coming down this morning, and just felt sick! I called my boss and told him about the snow, and how the trains were really running. He said, "You don't sound too good on the phone. I think you have diesel fever! Better take the day off." 
I told him half a day would probably do. So that's what I did. I headed down into Iowa a little ways and got into the thick of it, and snagged a few shots! First shot, n/b BNSF grain train nearing Sioux Center, IA. Second shot, same train passing behind a feed lot on the outskirts of Sioux Center. Third shot, a n/b manifest passes a "dead" local train at Alvord, IA. Final shot, a portrait of the local train. The crew was just leaving it as I pulled up, to go run another train. I asked if anyone would care if I stuck around and took some photos of the Geeps. One of them replied, "No problem. Keys are in it." (It's a guy I know, and was kidding around.) So, winter gave me an encore! Is this the end of winter for me? Maybe. I'm keeping my snow shovel by my front door for awhile longer yet. This is South Dakota!
Kent in SD
