Wendell1976

On 12/01/2022 at 01:31, Johann Marsbar said:

Only US photo was in the "how to identify landmarks from several thousand feet" category....

 

Nice picture of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Johann.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

8 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

There’s a chapter dedicated to the Bush Terminal in Bernard Kempinski’s 2008 Kalmbach Book: “Mid-Size Track Plans for Realistic Layouts”.  Kempinski also references a 2003 N-scale Model Railroad Planning plan for a small shelf layout (marginally less than 3’ x 4’).  I only have the book, and the 10 pages of the chapter show a good selection of historical photos - when compared with the Google map links @melmerby has given above it shows how much the area has changed.

Yes indeed, Keith. I had forgotten about the Bush Terminal layout that Bernard Kempinski had talked about.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

15 hours ago, Regularity said:

That dock is essentially a switching yard with detachable fiddle yards (the floats) at one end, and the line disappearing between city blocks to what may as well be off-scene staging at the other end. Although hoppers and boxcars appear to be in use on the line, for anyone who likes gons and making loads for them as well as slow speed switching, this is an interesting prototype for a modern day model.

In the October 2021 issue of Model Railroader magazine, Lance Mindheim built a N scale Brooklyn Terminal layout with some street running of First Avenue. You can also see this 1940's themed layout on the www.lancemindheim.com website. The February 2018 issue of Trains magazine has a detailed article on the present-day New York New Jersey Rail system. 

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

Thank you for sharing all the beautiful pictures, Jamie. The United States is one big, beautiful country. I have been to 43 out of the 50 states. There are many parts of America I haven't seen yet. 

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

Here's a picture of a New York New Jersey Rail train in the Brooklyn section of New York City. The train is moving down First Avenue and heading to the 65th Street Yard. This is the only mid-street running freight operation in the Big Apple.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/780940/

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 02/01/2022 at 05:18, jamie92208 said:

We finally stopped at Wendover, a strange town with Mormon Utah at one end, the state line in the middle then the casinos of Nevada at the west end. 

Jamie, there are technically two separate cities in the Wendover area. On the Utah side of the border, it is the City of Wendover. On the other side of the border, it's the City of West Wendover, Nevada where the casinos are at.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

Here's a picture of a Altamont Corridor Express(ACE) commuter train in Sunol, California. The eastbound train is traversing Niles Canyon on the way to Stockton. Sunol is a suburb in the Bay Area(San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose). Happy New Year to all of you!

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/791350/

Wendell Parks 

Idaho, USA 

Here's a picture of a Union Pacific Railroad train in Coal Creek, Colorado. This manifest train is traversing through the snowy Flatirons from Grand Junction. Coal Creek is a suburb of Denver. Merry Christmas to all of you!

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/764382/

Wendell Parks 

Idaho, USA 

18 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Then down to the side of the Mississippi.

You probably meant "The Missouri." Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs, Iowa is on the Missouri River.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

Here's another picture of a Union Pacific Railroad train on the Joso Bridge in Joso, Washington. The 150th Anniversary Passenger Special is crossing the Snake River.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/403233/

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

21 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Next morning we were straight round to the Golden Spike Tower where we paid our entry fee and went up to watch action in what is claimed to be one of the largest marshalling yards in the world.

Union Pacific Railroad's Bailey Yard in North Platte, Nebraska is the largest railroad classification yard in the world according to Guinness World Records.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bailey_Yard

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 26/11/2021 at 02:06, jamie92208 said:

We then pulled off at Buford to get a coffee but found that the diner was closed.  This was the town sign as we pulled off.   

I had mentioned to the UP track gang boss at Hermosa that we were going to visit Buford, population 2 .  He said, "It's only 1 now, he got divorced."

Buford is also the scene of of an incident in the 50's.

There is no one living in Buford, Wyoming today. The last person that lived there is a widower and sold the town.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buford,_Wyoming

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 15/11/2021 at 02:08, jamie92208 said:

Apparently Mr Young was rather miffed that the UP went north from the bottom of Weber canyon rather than south via Salt lake City.

Brigham Young and the Mormons had built a rail line that connected to Salt Lake City called the Utah Southern Railroad. The Utah Southern Railroad later became part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Today, the Salt Lake City Southern Railroad and the Utah Transit Authority's TRAX light rail runs on this rail route.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Southern_Railroad_(1871–1881)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Lake_City_Southern_Railroad

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 03/12/2021 at 12:40, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

And all the shortlines belong to the G&W orange conglomerate...

Not all of the shortline railroads are under the Genesee & Wyoming umbrella. You also have Watco Companies that own many railroads and some independent railroads such as the Salt Lake, Garfield, and Western Railway and the Oregon Pacific Railroad.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 07/11/2021 at 05:58, jamie92208 said:

 

 

Nice picture of Donner Lake, Jamie. I have traversed the Donner Pass area along the Interstate 80(I-80) freeway a lot of times over the years as a professional truck driver.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

Here's another beautiful picture of a train running alongside the Pacific Coast. This time it's the BNSF Railway in San Clemente, California. San Clemente is a suburb in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/783162/

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

Here's a beautiful picture of a Coaster commuter train in Del Mar, California. The train is running alongside the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Del Mar is a suburb of San Diego.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/786167/

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 20/10/2021 at 22:37, pH said:

Or should this be in the ‘When the Real Thing Looks Like a Model’ topic?

 

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/785190/

Nice picture of the Echo Canyon in Utah. I had driven through that area last week.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 31/10/2021 at 00:48, jamie92208 said:

 This view will all change soon as the line down to San Jose is being electrified. 

 

The State of California is planning on electrifying the Caltrain line for the proposed California High Speed Rail system that will run between San Francisco/Sacramento and San Diego via Los Angeles.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 09/10/2021 at 00:36, jamie92208 said:

I had to stop and photograph this.  I think it's a Joshua Tree.

 

You are correct, Jamie. It is a Joshua tree.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

6 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Then we crossed the amazing Alameida corridor, the 3 track trench that UP and BNSF, jointly built to get container trains out of the Long Beach area without snarling up the whole south of LA.

 

The Alameda Corridor is owned by the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority. The Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and the Pacific Harbor Line have trackage rights on the Alameda Corridor. This railroad line was owned by the former Southern Pacific Railroad.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alameda_Corridor

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 02/10/2021 at 03:48, jamie92208 said:

 I'd never realised just how big the LA metro area is.  

Right now, the Greater Los Angeles Area has over 13 million people including the suburbs. Only the New York City Area has more people here in The States.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

Here's a 1987 picture of a Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad train in Canon City, Colorado. The train is traversing the world-famous Royal Gorge next to the Arkansas River. The train only has three covered hopper cars and a caboose. Canon City is 37 miles(59.2 kilometers) west-northwest of Pueblo via U.S. Route 50(US-50).

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/469084/

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 28/09/2021 at 01:06, jamie92208 said:

Another light rail line 

 

These light rail pictures are the LA Metro L Line(formerly Gold Line). The L Line runs from suburban Azusa to East Los Angeles via Downtown Los Angeles. Much of the route is in the median of the Foothill Freeway(Interstate 210 or I-210). Nice pictures of the Greater Los Angeles Area, Jamie.

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

On 27/09/2021 at 00:53, jamie92208 said:

 I walked from the hotel up to the Green Line station. The line is in the centre of a freeway.

My train arrived.

 

Most of the LA Metro C Line(formerly Green Line) is in the median of the Century/Glenn Anderson Freeway(Interstate 105 or I-105). The route runs between the suburban cities of Norwalk and Redondo Beach. In November 2022, the new K Line will start revenue service and will connect with the C Line for passengers going to and from Los Angeles International Airport(LAX).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Metro_Rail

Wendell

Idaho, USA