Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Work took me to LA for a few days, and I managed to spend a few hours lineside. I thought I'd have a go at 'cracking' Cajon Pass, since I've never really got the appeal on my previous trips. This time was better, but still only partially successful. To get the best of it, you really need to spend a whole day on site from sun up to sun down, and do a considerable amount of hiking and driving. Now I've got a better sense of the place in person, I would be more confident of success on a subsequent trip. The weather was outstanding, hit 105 at Cajon Station on Saturday. I made the pilgrimage to Sullivans Curve, which is a really excellent spot, although I never got the shot I wanted here are some reasonable ones from the day. Totally gutted to discover that my prize shot of an SD9043MAC was ruined by a finger mark on the lens... Sullivan's Curve. A great location, you can walk in either from Cajon Station or by following the MoW road on the UP line from Highway 138. Either route is a bout a mile on foot, I know some of the US railfans drive all the way here but a) I don't feel comfortable driving along MoW roads even if they are allegedly public and B) I had a Chevy Impala - not recommended for rough roads! Now I know where the best shots are to be had, a subsequent rtip would see me here earlier in the morning to get the better light. UP8232 is an SD9043MAC and well worth a moment of anyone's time. Wish I'd cleaned the lens though... From the overlook looking back towards Cajon Station. A solid block of Automax racks heading upgrade on BNSF MT1 Over to Fullerton for a quick visit, The station was busy, with four or five stack trains, one manifest and two Amtraks during my hour and a half visit. I don't really like photting from stations though, as the sight lines are restricted and there are too many people getting in the way. There was also a bunch of sketchy characters hanging around, one of whom kept panhandling the passengers. Over fifty locomotives on the Colton dead line, the recession clearly still very much in force. Back in around 2008 or so, the deadline had a high proportion of second generation power and early dash 8 and 9. Those seem to have mostly gone, to be replaced by newer power which is a bad sign Over to Colton for sunset. I'm always on the lookout for older power, and Colton is as good a place as any to go hunting. Here's a nice block of SD60s waiting to enter the yard, not sure if they're being used as a switcher set or - more likely - power for locals or transfer jobs. UP has rebuilt a whole bunch of SD40-2s for dedicated yard service. Colton's are usually in three unit blocks, or two with an SD38-2. These units are designated SD40N and are numbered in the 15, 16 and 1700 series. modeller's detail #1 - scrap load in a gondola. modeller's detail #2 - scrap load in a gondola modeller's detail #3 - empty gondolas are never actually empty A very scorched ex-SP AC440CW is one of a DPU pair pushing a lengthy manifest through Colton UP3405 is an SD40-2R and UP1565 is an SD40N... esoteric maybe, but these little nuances add interest to the otherwise bland diet of GE tractors and EMD SD70 clones. These two are a remote control pair, as we shall see below. This chappy is running the remote control pair via his rc unit. UP3405 is the receiver unit, and carries orange flashing beacons - when these are flashing, the unit is under remote control. Working on his own, running the units from the stepwell... not too unpleasant on this fine California evening, but a hellish way to work in bad weather, or at night. As the evening draws in, a stack train comes in from the east with a single ES44AC in the lead and... a single SD70ACe bringing up the rear - strange to see so few units on such a log train. Looks completely wrong to my eyes... A general view of the yard after sunset and with the yard light fully on. The yard lights are so bright, it's like daylight on the ground. Although it looks huge to our UK-freight starved eyes, bear in mind that this is merely the trim yard (the departure tracks) The real meat of the yard, the receiving tracks and hump bowl, are more than a mile away towards the western skyline... A closer look at the locomotive lead tracks which go around the southern perimeter of the trim yard. This lets power direct access from the ready tracks and the servicing point to get onto the front of their trains. All trains - regardless of eventual destination - leave Colton and head east. Westbound trains then take the balloon loop, double back on themselves and take the through roads on the northern perimeter to head towards LA, Long Beach and the Coast Line. This is an operation I've long wanted to see, as the head end passes its own tail on adjacent tracks whilst heading in opposite directions! Finally, a slightly 'arty' shot of one of my favourite locomotives at Colton, the SD38-2. This one has a very cool provenance, it's the former McCloud River #39. There are ex-SP '38s here as well which are the original Colton Switchers that used to work in pairs splicing Alco slug units. So that's it - a very brief look at some California hot spots. Hope you enjoyed the pics, and if I'm lucky I'll get more next year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugsley Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 UP8232 is an SD9043MAC and well worth a moment of anyone's time. Wish I'd cleaned the lens though... Very nice, although I'm more interested in the Dash 9 behind - it's good to see that traces of the SP still remain. It'd be better if is was a grubby tunnel motor though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 Just for you, Pugsley! Former SP AC4400CW #317, built in July 1995. I haven't seen a tunnel motor on the mainline since 2007... mind you, Cargill Grain have a spiffy one to switch their terminal down the road at Verdemont.... It's the (rather larg) replacement for the old GP thats still parked on the lead there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 A few videos for your enhanced viewing experience: - a Long Beach stack train rolls by, entertaining doppler effect on the bell. - approaching from Colton Old Yard direction. I'm particularly pleased to have caught the lights changing from green (normal, or straight route) to yellow (reversed, or curved route) on the turnouts. - a trim herder pushes back into the trim yard, SD38-2, SD40N, SD40N. Great freight car noises - a BNSF stack chugs up grade towards the Mormon Rocks. - a downhill BNSF TOFC speeds past in dynamics Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Ah, Fullerton, where the best Fender Guitars were thrown together in the '50's and early '60's........ Beautiful shots of the mainline trackage - I keep telling everyone that listens that US mainline track is as good as UK/European. Btw I think NS had their best year ever last year in terms of income but I cannot lay my hands on the data right now. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 Beautiful shots of the mainline trackage - I keep telling everyone that listens that US mainline track is as good as UK/European. darn right... in many cases, better considering the tonnage and speed of many US trains. Try pacing an eastbound Z train from Shawmut to Casa Grande watching two miles of stacks and flats ticking and whirring along at 65mph... it's thrilling. Also, seldom a wed to be seen unlike what passes for mainline trackage in the UK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 darn right... in many cases, better considering the tonnage and speed of many US trains. Try pacing an eastbound Z train from Shawmut to Casa Grande watching two miles of stacks and flats ticking and whirring along at 65mph... it's thrilling. Also, seldom a wed to be seen unlike what passes for mainline trackage in the UK. That's the truth. The crappy rotten tie/sunken joints/10 mph junk shot thru a telephoto lens is miserable secondary trackage. You can pace those trains with a bicycle. But I dare ya to try to pace an intermodal on the Florida East Coast or on CSX across eastern NC or on NS across northern Ohio. With the car windows down hearing the diesels roaring it should give anybody on this forum goose bumps. Ten days ago I watched Amtrak and NJ Transit trains slow to 90 mph for a curve. Which is not to say that the light rail secondary stuff and particularly shortlines don't have a ton of charm... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 It's true most of the critics of US Railroads have not actually visited - when they see the sheer awesomeness (local high schoolspeak) of a mile plus double-stack shaking the earth at even just 70 mph they quickly change their tune. Add the BNSF mainline alongside I40 in AZ to the list ('coz you can see them coming from freaking miles away)! Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted October 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 2, 2012 Tehachapi is also good for seeing the trains stacked up down the valley especially when they are a bout to close the line or have just reopened the line for maintenance. Although, like Cajon, I have been there waiting for hours to maybe see just one train! Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof Klyzlr Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Dear Dr G-F, Intriguied by the lights next to and between the tracks. I take it that - green = groundthrow, - yellow looked to = clearance point, - blue may = the same as a blue flag aka "people around equipment, do not move, protected spur"? Hmmm, looks prime for some LEDs... Happy Modelling, Aim to Improve, Prof Klyzlr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 Prof, I think you're right on the clearance point and the blue flag. The green ones alongside the turnouts are route indicators - green for 'normal' ie straight leg of the turnout and yellow for 'reversed' is the curved leg of a turnout. In addition, on the eastern side of Pepper Avenue is a 'tote board' which carried LED 3 digits to show trim herder crews which track they're lined up for. All these features are pretty cool aren't they? They would add so much to a layout.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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