7mm US model dabblings

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Early start (0430) to catch the sunlight, headed east and eventually found it (160 miles away).

BNSF 4547 heads up the grade from Amboy 35 miles away in the valley below and under the (now closed) route 66 highway bridge at Essex. It's actually steeper than it looks.

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Further down the grade at Danby BNSF 3727 gets away after a crew change, it should of been needles but they ran out of time and stopped here for a new crew, all around was sunlight except this stagnant black cloud over Danby. An interesting lash up, standard BNSF on the front followed by an Executive BNSF SD70MAC and a FXE SD70ACe....making all the smoke.

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Because the above had stood for ten minutes on the main other trains were stacked behind, six in total, one by one they came, one by one the clouds moved and came, almost in perfect harmony. Boy was I getting ticked off, fortunately the last one broke the sequence and arrived in full sun,

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AS the day warmed up then the clouds thickened, as predicted so I headed back and picked off what ever came by. Like last Friday, Transcon2 was very busy. Here BNSF 8269 is swinging to wrong road at East Siberia, once clear and only a few minutes later a Z train blasted by right rosd to overtake the stacker.

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Trains kept crisscrossing and swapping to let faster higher priority one past. BNSF 8991 had come to a stand on the grade up to Ash Hill, once getting the clear and with a full load hanging down the hill, managed to get away with little fuss.

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Back to Barstow, Lenwood in fact, finds UP 7741 charging out of the yard limits and south toward Cajon, in fact he never stopped at Cajon and ran right through, I'd seen him at Dagget but beat him along the I-40.

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Further west at Hinkley Road crossing (said I'd be back) BNSF 7770 heads west with a manifest, naughty boy has no ditch lights or full beam headlight, behind me is the road crossing and as soon as he saw that he must of realised and on them came, back to regulation running.

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Big Train James

Western Thunderer
In the last photo, was there an opposing train somewhere behind you? It's pretty normal practice, possibly even by rule, that ditchlights are out and headlight goes to half bright when oncoming trains are facing each other. Around here, they seem to go to this condition well in advance. Then turn everything on for the grade crossings, and then turn it all back off after clearing.

If there was an eastbound behind you, and you were positioned on the other side of the grade crossing, I'd expect you would have seen the lights go back out. If no other train was in the vicinity, then yes, all lights should have been on.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Jim,

No there was no opposing train and he came all the way up the grade with them out. BNSF seem to run to a rule that once the train is stopped then ditch and main beam go off, UP do the same at Dagget, once they get clearance then the lights go on, one blast of the horn and then move off. I've seen this dozens of time these last two weeks. The Manifest had been stopped in Barstow only a few miles back, so I expect they simply forgot to switch on the running lights, only the advent of the approaching grade crossing prompted them I expect.

I've not seen them turn off on opposing meets either, as 4547 came up to the Essex overpass another was coming down grade, given one was doing 20, the other 60 or more and both left their respective departure points, (in the case of 4547) hours ago as I passed him at Lugo around 0600 then the odds of them meeting almost to the second under the bridge is very small.....unless of course you're me and it seems to happen all the time.

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As can be seen, full running lights are on.

I have however seen them turn off at night when going up Cajon pass, I went to do some night shots, too cold and windy so blurred, more my freezing fingers that the wind I expect, but all opposing meets turned off the ditch lights and headlights to low beam.

One thing I have noticed, the ditch lights do not oscillate, seem to recall all CSX trains I saw in Florida oscillated the ditch lights at crossings as a minimum or more generally all the time. BNSF and UP seem not to, certainly on all of the last two visits.
 

Big Train James

Western Thunderer
The oscillating ditchlights seems to be an eastern thing, or at least CSX and NS. It's clearly not a regulation, like you I never saw them oscillate when I lived in Colorado. I think it may tied to the activation of the horn or bell at grade crossings? Clearly there are different operating rules or best practices for different roads, nothing new there.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Started off at Cajon depot with bright blue skies, not what was predicted or viewed out the window at 06:30 (raining). I had two choices (signals at Cajon depot), catch something on Main 1 in so so light angles or Main 2 in perfect light angles, I opted for the second and as a consequence missed a very late running Southwest Chief on Main 1, gutted.

Anyway, a half decent desktop or calendar shot on Main 2 was a small consolation prize as he came down put of Sullivans curve and about to cross over Cajon creek trestle.

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I'd had my eye on a lofty perch to try and get all of Sullivans curve in one view, whilst climbing I nearly stood on this critter, hard to tell how big he is but I was closer than a meter and I reckon about 6-8" of him is out of the burrow, I jumped back and he didn't move, nor flicked his tongue so probably still cold from the winter and the recent weather here. I think it's a young Western Rattlesnake so just as well he was cold and slow. Anyway I gave him a few more metres and moved on.

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Finally at the top, a stacker crawls up around the lower section of Sullivans curve.

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Followed moments later by a manifest coming down, nearly an opposing meet, the tail end of the stacker is just going around the gap in the middle of the picture.

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THe clouds then started to roll in a light mist arrived so I headed down to grab this stacker coming down out of Sullivans curve.

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Eventually it clouded right over so I moved on, as I came out of Cajon depot I spotted a hiker I'd seen earlier, he was all done in and flagged me down, could I take him to a pay phone so he could organise transport, no problems so drove him down into Glen Helen. On the way back I decided to try and find the route all the commuters were taking the other day when I-15 was log jammed and came upon a lovely spot to take photos, I'd never have found it if it were not for offering the hiker a lift, funny how things go around.

UP rolls down the Palmdale cutoff through Glen Helen with a huge long manifest, all brakes were set and he was barely doing 5 mph when he passed, took nearly seven minutes for the DPU's to pass so I could cross and take photos on the BNSF lines.

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Huge on power, low on stock, I think only the first three or four units were powered, the GP's at the end were not. BNSF 3756 leads a manifest through Glen Helen out of the sun and mist/smog.

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Followed shortly by 5265 and two NS stallions coming down the grade.

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A little further up are some nice reverse curves, but by now my hole in the clouds was ever shrinking, in very watery sun BNSF 6799 comes out of Glen Helen and is heading toward Keenbrook. Unusual to see an uphill train on Main 2 unless it's being over taken or is over taking, Possibly the manifest but that had long gone 20-30 minutes before.

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Followed later by another stacker on Main 3, the head end was socked in with 100% cloud, but it broke just enough for the DPU.

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Big Train James

Western Thunderer
Amtrak has a train status page, where you can check arrival times for various stations. Much the same as what the airlines have for flight status. You'll want train #3 in the morning, #4 in the evening (due into Victorville tonight at 9:24, 32 minutes late). If you are interested in catching some photos, it might be worth a check to see just how late things are running. It's not really a question of whether the trains will be late. Only how late :oops::rolleyes: ?
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Well after processing and writing up all of the above I looked outside and it was 100% clear, go figure. I still don't know how it can clear so fast around here, from 100% thick cloud to nothing in 20 minutes.

So headed up to Parker Ranch road crossing, there was one shot I wanted and can only be got late in the evening.

First up a Manifest comes up around the bowl toward Parker Ranch road crossing.

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With a nice Dash 9 DPU waking the wildlife, lovely to hear one barking away up the hill.

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And then the downhill shot I wanted, UP 2659 coming down over Parker Ranch road crossing into the sun.

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Once the sun went down a UP manifest stopped in the siding near drawbar flats. It's an impossible place to take photos with no cutter, so added it in and made it a feature.

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A while later two BNSF trains pass on drawbar flats, I think when I get home the telegraph pole will go, the rest can probably stay.

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mickoo

Western Thunderer
Amtrak has a train status page, where you can check arrival times for various stations. Much the same as what the airlines have for flight status. You'll want train #3 in the morning, #4 in the evening (due into Victorville tonight at 9:24, 32 minutes late). If you are interested in catching some photos, it might be worth a check to see just how late things are running. It's not really a question of whether the trains will be late. Only how late :oops::rolleyes: ?
I've been using this one.

Amtrak Track Your Train Map

Its a live map, just click on the arrow of the train your interested in and it give virtually live info, every time I've checked it train 3 was on time, but I'll check everyday now, not so keen on a 0430 meet in Victorville, but if it's late then I'll grab it on Cajon or Hesperia, where ever the whether is better. I'll also try and pop to San Bernardino and try to pick up the evening #4 around 21:20 ish.

The other one gives a little more info like current speed etc.

Amtrak/VIA Live Map
 
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Rob R

Western Thunderer
Mick, how much longer are you here for? Just spent the best part of 24 hours getting here, will pick up the rental tomorrow (sunday) and go for a wander, probably to Perris. Fancy a meet up?

Rob ( off to bedlington now)
 

Focalplane

Western Thunderer
On Amtrak, the varied lateness of the Sunset Limited used to be legendary through Houston, even the Westbound from New Orleans could be hours late! We once took the California Zephyr from Salt Lake to Denver, an all day affair well worth the $100 plus* dollar first class ticket with meals included. Coming down from Moffatt into Denver the signaling was a problem and the engineer had to stop several times and phone in for permission to continue. As a result we had a free dinner on the train. What a bargain.

* in the 1990s
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
To put some meat on Robs bones, it was a slow morning before Rob arrived but did manage to pick this UP manifest up at Keenbrook coming around the bluff, another in the bag.

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Back at my perch near the pick up point BNSF 4041 comes out of the sun and through the cut onto Drawbar flats.

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Followed shortly by a grain train on Main 3 and a stacker on Main 1, both would arrive seconds apart and 200 yds apart, I'd coveted this spot on Main 1 for a whole so ditched the high perch and scrambled down her to get BNSF 3808 coming down Main 1 by the wash.

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As I picked Rob up we spotted the UP Heritage unit roll past on Main 2, a very quick dash down to Cajon depot after carving up the jam on I-15 we bundled out with a few seconds to spare. That speed board will go when I get home on the big PC.

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Then we headed up to Summit after dropping Robs car in the motel car park, it wasn't going to get through some of the trails or fords I'd got planned;). Picked up a down hill train in full cloud so bailed and went to Silverwood where it was respectably busy, six or so trains, can't recall and haven't process all the images.

Anyway this BNSF manifest was one of the first ones to roll down the hill.

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And Rob strikes the classic pose to capture the moment :thumbs:

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A UP stacker with a NS unit in rolled up grade followed shortly by another down grade manifest.

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Next it was off to Hill 582, the local red necks were present as were some more civil looking folks, missed one down hill but picked up two up hill and then it fell quite so we moved on to CP Walker and Parker Ranch Road crossing. It was quiet for an hour or so and then we basically missed a UP unit on the Palmdale cut off, it'd split a coupling so the local railfans informed us and when he signalled for the crossing we were too far away to run and grab. Another 50 minutes later we were in place for the second cutoff train, and then it basically just rained trains.

First off a heavyweight cola train crawls down the grade at no more than 5mph with the brakes set.

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And with impeccable timing met a BNSF stacker coming up grade.

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The coal train DPU were obscured by the stacker but once he had cleared we legged it down to Keenbrook, it was abit bumpy and I did let the horses run a little wild...sorry Rob, but we got there in time to grab an uphill stacker that Rob has shown, this is an odd train and it's a dual load and I've seen it several evenings now. Basically the front half (about a mile long) is all double stack, then two mid train DPU followed by another mile of tankers and either a single or double DPU on the back. With perfect timing the rear DPU cleared Keenbrook crossing to allow a poor back lit sun shot of the coal train still crawling down the grade, but it was the DPU we wanted.

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A more sedate drive up to the bottom of Sullivans curve, a UP on the cutoff then this manifest on Main 3, typically the pet cloud had arrived. A nice GP60M trailing was a bonus.

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There were a couple of other trains before moving down to the creek trestle crossing, perfect lighting and full sun, it wasn't long before we had one coming up the grade, and almost to the minute, the cloud played it's party trick. Concentrating on the rolling stock photos I kept check over my shoulder, the flange squeal is so loud that it totally obscure any other train approaching, just in time I spotted this eleven unit light engine movement and grabbed a shot.

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After the Manifest passed we spotted another UP train going up the cut off, jumped in the rental and rally crossed the trails and creek, I-15 and hammered down the 138 to catch him at Mormon rocks, once again as can be seen, the pet cloud did his trick and then buggered off once the units had gone around out of sight.

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We headed back to the motel and transferred our gear and whilst doing that saw another three trains passing. When they roll they really roll, some trains barely minutes apart.

A great day out and I think Robs pulse has calmed by now, he wasn't a nervous passenger before....honest :p We covered a lot of locations in a very short period of time, some not ideal for sunny side up photography but it was a good day chasing, literally in some cases, trains :thumbs::cool:
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Better day today, even for a Monday.

Popped up to Barstow to take more detail shots and measurements of the SD40-2 and FP45, then to Mcdonalds for a light snack, in the land of fattening food, it's hard to be good, but I've tried....not as much as I'd hoped :p. Anyway whilst munching away a BNSF manifest rolled by with a FXE unit in the middle so I decided to head out to Lenwood, the sun was out, there was little else to do.

BNSF were doing MOW but the odd train was rolling so one or two shots before going home would be nice. Well contradictory to a usual Monday it appears MOW finishes around 13:00 and so Barstow started sending then West. I didn't change location much so will not post the most of the duplicate views of different trains.

BNSF 7984 gathers speed on the rising grade out of Barstow yard limits and up through Lenwood.

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There were others and then this UP manifest was simply charging out.

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Only to get slower and slower and eventually the DPU crawled by and came to a stand several hundred yards away, near the BNSF MOW crew!

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Drat, but it must of been donut time as they ambled off so I scooted up for some 'more' detail shots.

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In the mean time a trailer train had rolled by and came to a stand on the Mojave lead. The UP train had come to a stand to let a nine unit BNSF manifest roll by and swing into the yard lead which curves left and then dives down and right under the main lines.

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The pet cloud arrived, he's changes shape a little but the tenacity is still apparent.

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Luckily he broke enough for me to grab this rather special shot of a UP stacker coming out of Barstow, special because it's a SD70M on the lead, I've never seen a SD70M on point out here. I do like SD70M's.

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Then ten minutes later another SD70M on point, this time with a bare table, but oddly full of empty trailers on top, and Mr cloud was up to his tricks again.

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Barely had he passed when this UP mainfest rolled down out of the now fully clear sun, that graffiti will go when I get home, yes I know it's then not authentic, but I'd rather have it off and be done.

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He slowed and then finally came to a stand, with a SD70ACe as DPU, well that makes it a full suite for detail shots and the tape measure. Clearly a crew change as minutes after he stopped the engine was shut down. Sadly it was sunny side down.

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Now children and responsible adults, please don't do this at home. Knowing there were no trains coming (dark signals) I scooted across the lines and got one sunny side up shot.

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On the way out I took the alternative route out of Lenwood, the one that passes the I-15 truck stop, it's massive, I mean massive on a huge scale, easily 500 trucks and the same on the other side. It was full of big butch truckers who don't take kindly to tourists taking photos, sadly, but I did grab this one for Jordan and Col at one of the local garage/pit stops having some running repairs done by the look of things.

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I wish I could of taken more because some of these trucks are really special with chrome and paint jobs.
 

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
......... that graffiti will go when I get home, yes I know it's then not authentic, but I'd rather have it off and be done.

Put that on a model and we'd get slammed for it at exhibition ! :rolleyes:

Gracias por la foto del camión, mi amigo. :thumbs:

Col.
 
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Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
The thing about those US rigs is that a lot of the "chrome 'n' bling" on them actually comes as factory standard.

I'm getting a bit bored of these endless multi-lash-up, mile-long freights on billiard-table rails... any chance of some third-hand Short Line power wheezing & creaking along some Jordan-type track...?? :confused:

Tin hat on, sprinting to gates across school playground... :D
 
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