Flying the flag in the Depot.

The La Posada Hotel, truly Arizona's grand estate!

The Amtrak Depot where the Free-mo set-up took place is in the lower right of this photo of the La Posada Hotel Complex. Photo from the La Posada Hotel's website: http://www.laposada.org

The Depot sits on the eastside of the La Posada Hotel complex and is on the northside of BNSF's transcontinental mainline. Everyone inside the Depot operating trains were able to have a full view of the up to 120 trains per day that pass through Winslow.

Front view of the Depot, our home away from home for a fantastic model ralroad weekend.

Another view of the Depot at the La Posada Hotel complex.

Overall view of the layout from the northeast corner of the Depot waiting room.

Overall view of the layout from the northwest corner of the Depot waiting room.

Overall view of the layout from the southwest corner of the Depot waiting room.

Overall view of the layout from the southeast corner of the Depot waiting room. In the foreground is Kip Thompson (left) and Kevin Hughes (right).

Tucson Electric

Tucson Electric

Fred Fitzgerald operates on Plains Escalante Generating.

Jim Moore watches his Santa Fe Alligators transit Plains Escalante Generating.

Jim Moore's Santa Fe power turns Tucson Electric into "Gator Country."

Joe D'Elia operates a unit coal train across Thoreau, New Mexico. A new modules set, more scenery work and lineside details are coming to Thoreau.

A steady stream of BNSF transcontinental mainline trains rolled-by just outside the Depot 24 hours a day.

Left to right: James Moore, Joe D'Elia, Ed Ryan and Kevin Hughes operate model trains and watch the real thing just outside the Depot windows.

Sterling Moore talks with Depot visitors as he operates his train.

Coyote Crossing Corner

Left to right: Southern California modelers Tim Costello, Paul Federiconi and Tim Dickinson ham it up for the camera.

Southern Californian Don Golde in a corner of the Depot in a quiet moment of contemplation over the concept of bringing Free-mo to BNSF's transcontinental mainline.

Left to right: Sterling Moore, Paul Thompson (rear), Kevin Hughes and Dave Hussey. Which Hawaiian shirt do you like better?

Dave Hussey runs a train into El Campo Yard.

Paul Federiconi's BNSF power leads Tom Trodden's unit coal train past Paul Thompson's Santa Fe Super Fleet era intermodal train at Dalies, New Mexico.

The yard lead for El Campo Yard. The run from here out and back around the Dalies reversing loop was 330+ feet.

Left to right: Jim Morgan, Tom Trodden and Tim Costello.

Steve Emerson of SouthWest Free-mo enjoys the set-up.

Left to right: Conor Ryan, Ed Ryan and Jim Moore in the locomotive programming area.

New Tower 55 BNSF GEVOs pull an intermodal train. This photo is for Mike Nelson (inside joke).

Sterling Moore (back) chats with onlookers while Tom Trodden (left) and Jay Styron (right) chat about the Plains Escalante Generating control panel.

Ron Wixon and his son drove up from Phoenix for the event.

Sterling Moore (left) and Jim Moore (right) of Utah Free-mo get ready to head home on Sunday.

Coal rumbles over Paul Thompson's bridge module.

Kip Thompson (red shirt) guides Illinois Central power through the cut. Eric Hiser looks on in the background (blue shirt) while Kevin Hughes (Big Hawaii) passes behind Jim Morgan at Plains Escalante Generating.

BNSF coal rumbles across Wash and prepares to meet a Santa Fe manifest. Jim Moore watches with his DT400R. On the far right in the blue shirt is Eric Hiser from Phoenix. Eric jumped in and did a great job dispatching Dalies Tower and Tucson Yard on Saturday.

Tim Costello (left) and Kip Thompson (right) watch BNSF power pull a train across Algodones. Steve Emerson (far right) looks on. Algodones is an under construction work-in-progress two module set based on a section of the BNSF's Glorieta Sub.

Brian Kreimendahl hangin' in the Depot. Dave Hussey photo.

Tom Trodden talks Tower 55 GEVOs to the group. Dave Hussey photo.

Brian Kreimendahl runs a train! Dave Hussey photo.

Ed Ryan enjoying the ambience as he runs a train. Dave Hussey photo.

Conor Ryan with his DT400R gets help from Jim Morgan running a train on Plains Escalante Generating. Jim retired after 42 years as a Santa Fe conductor out of Albuquerque. Dave Hussey photo.

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express makes an appearance. Left to right: Tom Trodden, Jim Morgan, Paul Thompson and Kip Thompson. Tim Costello photo.

Some of the many visitors over the weekend to the Depot to see the layout. Tim Costello photo.

With his DT400R throttle in hand, Caleb Emerson guides the New Mexico Rail Runner Express into the short siding at Dalies, New Mexico. Fred Fitzgerald looks on. Steve Emerson photo.

Jay Styron's Southern Pacific Alco power cruises with a manifest freight through a cut in the New Mexico desert.

Dalies is one of the new under construction work-in-progress module sets from SouthWest Free-mo. Lots of scenery work and lineside details still to come.

Trackside late at night at the La Posada Hotel. Left to right: Kevin Hughes, Joe D'Elia, Steve Emerson, Brian Kreimendahl, Tim Costello (back to camera), Tom Trodden, Jim Moore, and Sterling Moore. Dave Hussey photo.

Dave Hussey (left) and Tim Costello (right) behind their tripods for night photography on BNSF's transcontinental mainline. The Depot where the Free-mo set-up is on the left with the light above the window.

Night railfanning outside the Depot. Left to right: Sterling Moore, Tom Trodden and Kevin Hughes.

The weekend included railfan trips to the nearby legendary Canyon Diablo Bridge. Left to right: Tom Trodden, Jim Morgan, James Costello, and Sterling Moore.

A BNSF manifest screams across the Canyon Diablo Bridge.

Joe D'Elia confronts the rare Western Rubberback Rattlesnake at the Canyon Diablo Bridge.

Tim Costello suffers a casualty loss to his favorite film camera due to windy conditions at Canyon Diablo. Dave Hussey photo.

Tim Costello picks up the pieces at Canyon Diablo. Dave Hussey photo.

Big game hunters Tim Costello (left) and Dave Hussey looking for action on the Transcon in Winslow.

Dave Hussey loads up in front of the Depot on Sunday afternoon as he and Tim Costello prepare to railfan the Transcon back to Southern California.

Tim Costello attempting to effect field repairs on Dave Hussey's bent drive shaft at Cosnino, Arizona. Dave Hussey photo.

Dave is under the vehicle this time signaling to Tim that he is numero uno. Tim Costello photo.

"Hello AAA? I ran over a rock while railfanning and bent the driveshaft on my SUV...can you send somebody to Winona?" Left to right: Ed Ryan, Dave Hussey and Conor Ryan. Tim Costello photo.

Sunday evening my cellphone beeps and I get a photo message from Tim Costello of Dave Hussey's Mazda Tribute lifted by a tow truck with a photo caption that says: "More adventure." Dave and Tim were offroad railfanning the Transcon near Cosnino, Arizona, and bent the Tribute's driveshaft on a rock. Not good. After getting towed and an overnight stay in Prescott and having the driveshaft hammered back into shape, Dave and Tim made it back safely to Southern California on Monday. Tim Costello photo.