It would be very difficult to do anything about the vertical alignment of BNSF's Fort Worth Sub. main through this area since it's pretty much a steady 1% climb from the Trinity River bridge through Tower 55 all the way to Birds. Flatten it in one spot and you have to increase the
I searched the web and found that Birds is the place near Lipscomb and Capps where the trains sit and wait to pass. Do you know where the name Birds comes from?
Good question. Although I typed it as "Birds," I've also seen it as "Bird's." I don't have an answer, but I suppose the possessive form could suggest the possibility that someone with the last name Bird owned land near this area. It would be interesting to do some research in the deed records and see if there's something to that.
The tracks that curve to the west from the south end of the siding also used to cross the Santa Fe at this location and continue along the north side of Biddison all the way to what is now known as the Ney Bypass (the UP tracks due east of this area). You can still see this old railroad grade in places. This east-west route was part of the Fort Worth & Rio Grande Railway, which ultimately came to be owned by the Santa Fe and as John Roberts points out, is now owned by Fort Worth & Western.