Just out of North Little Rock, the 844 leads the Valley Eagle Heritage Tour towards Van Buren on the former Missouri Pacific.

UP 844 and the Valley Eagle has the hammer down in Hammond.

The Union Pacific Valley Eagle arrives in Ennis Texas and is greeted by a nice brace of Texas's state flower, the bluebonnet.

It was cold. It was windy. It was worth it.

I'm often inspired by the white picket fence photos of NS trains in Kentucky. Here's my best attempt at fulfilling that inspiration as UP 844 heads south into central Texas.

UP 844 poses for the photographers outside of Waxahachie.

UP 844 highballs south to its whistlestop at Navasota past some wildflowers at Millican.

UP 844 at Denman NE.

UP 844 leans into a curve as it approaches Mansfield.

UP special agents keeps a watchful eye out as the steam crew greases mechanical parts on the UP 844 during a service stop on the trip to Hearne Texas.

UP 844 is getting underway after stopping briefly west of Brady NE.

UP 844 roars down the Midlothian Sub through southeast Ft. Worth.

On its way to the Midlothian Sub, UP 844 meets gensets just south of Tower 55.

Took the whole family out for this train chase. It was my youngest son's first train watching experience. He's 4 weeks old.