The Short Order

The rise of long-haul trucking essentially killed the localized rail industry in the 70s and 80s. The Class 1s were not exempted from this war on the freight distribution sector. Towns that once had several sidings, spurs, and rail-to-truck interchanges saw most of their rail activity dwindle or disappear entirely, and even larger cities saw a shrink in local rail traffic. The local jobs were toast.

Here, a UP short-order transfer from Wichita arrives in Hutchinson, Kansas on the Herington Sub with a meager 4 boxcars and a center-beam loaded with lumber. The two Helm Leasing Geeps are headed towards the small way-yard in town to tie-up for lunch and shoot the shit with the dispatcher (just to the left of the frame).

Canon EOS 30D
Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8 L IS USM
ISO 200 @ 1/500, f/8