Railroad Photos

[MinorDamage]

Well, I managed to get in a couple days with one of my lifelong hobbies...railfanning. I drove down to the high desert between Mojave and Bakersfield, California. Tehachapi, Caliente, and Bealeville are railroader's paradise. Below are a couple photos from the area. Seriously, if you ever happen to get in the area, have kids, or both...make a stop. It is one of the most intriguing places I have been to in awhile.

From Bakersfield the rails head east through Caliente where the climb begins. The trains gain over 2500' of elevation over about 18 miles.

Tunnel 10 on the east side of the loop. Train headed toward Marcel. Double Stack intermodal with 13,200 horsepower in the lead.

The famous Tehachapi Loop. This consist entered from the West through tunnel 9 and is looping back across itself. You can see the 4 locomotives to the right and above the tunnel entrance. This is a TOFC (Trailer on Flat Car) intermodal.

Tunnel number 9. This is the tunnel on the famous Tehachapi Loop (same loop as above from opposite side). I got lucky and caught the three lead units crossing over at the same time the three mid train helpers were entering the tunnel. This is all one consist.

Ending my day at Caliente. Union Pacific SD70M (flare) and SD70M in the lead of a hotshot intermodal at the bottom of the Caliente Horseshoe headed West into Bakersfield.

Josh

 

[LegioX]

Re: Railroad Photos

Awesome pics Minor Damage! If you ever come to Alaska you should check out the Alaskan Railroad. The paint on the engines is blue and gold (colors of the state flag) and the surrounding scenery is cool too, winter and summer.
I read the book "Nothing Like It In The World" by Stephen Ambrose. It's about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Ever since, I've wanted to explore parts of the TC railroad that still exist. Old railbeds, towns, tunnels etc. Have you ever found any of the old stuff or do only the modern trains appeal to you? Do you know of any maps or books that might aid a person in finding the TC railbed?
Thanks.
LegioX

 

[khronoscide]

Re: Railroad Photos

Cool pics Minor. My brother is a big railroad fan (lives up in San Jose) and has got into running the rails on the rail speeders. Here is a link you might be intrested in http://www.railspeeders.com . Says he has a blast on the outings he's been on and probably the closet he'll ever get to running the real thing.

 

[MinorDamage]

Re: Railroad Photos

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LegioX</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Have you ever found any of the old stuff or do only the modern trains appeal to you? Do you know of any maps or books that might aid a person in finding the TC railbed?
</div></div>

I definitely find the old steam engines appealing. There are a couple that have been restored by various historical societies that still make a run once or twice a year. Some of my favorites are Union Pacific 844, Santa Fe 3751, and Southern Pacific 4449. As much as I like them there is something about the massive amount of modern power on display slowly making its way up the climb at around 15-20 mph in full run.

A lot of the Transcontinental railroad is still in service. You don't need to try to hard to find the roadbed. The internet is a great source of info in this case.

BTW, the Alaskan Railroad has one of the best paint schemes of the modern day.

Josh

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Railroad Photos

My Dad and his both worked for Southern Railways. I worked around the switch engine a little at work. I think this fall we are going to take the grandkids on a steam engine trip through the mountains.

 

[Cut]

Re: Railroad Photos

I've always liked the Winston Link b&w photos of the steams engines in action. Great photos on large format cameras.

Cut

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Re: Railroad Photos

FWIW, we still have the "Prairie Dog Central" running up here for tourist trips. About 30 minutes north, then back again. Old Steamer, for sure.

Also, regarding trains... we only have two that run the country. CN and CP. I'm told that they only cross once, and that is right here in Portage la Prairie.

(Few trivial points for ya,,,,)

And in P.laP. is where my bro learned the hard way, when he was 8....not to play on the tracks.

 

[MinorDamage]

Re: Railroad Photos

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My Dad and his both worked for Southern Railways. I worked around the switch engine a little at work. I think this fall we are going to take the grandkids on a steam engine trip through the mountains. </div></div>

Victor,

I am an East coast boy at heart. This is probably some of the most intense railroading out here, but the east coast has quite the heritage. My uncle worked for Seaboard Coast Line not long after the merge of Seaboard Air Line and Atlantic Coast Line. He was the one who got me started in railfanning. I really wish the days of many different roadnames. There is definitely something to be said for Southern's famous green paint scheme as well as Atlantic Coast Line's Purple, Silver, and Gold and Seaboard Air Line's Citrus Scheme.

If you are at all interested in heritage you should check out Union Pacific's Heritage Fleet. They received a shipment of SD70ACE locomotives and painted them in the schemes of the major railroads they took over in mergers. The following is a photo I pulled off the net of the Southern Pacific Heritage Locomotive. It is road number 1996 because that is the year which Union Pacific took them over.

Josh

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Railroad Photos

Thanks for the nice picture of a SHARP looking locomotive.

I remember that brake shoes for the old 1957 GE Switchengine they ran at work were like $8,000 for a full set. I can't imagine the cost of rebuilding one.

 

[Sumpter Steve]

Re: Railroad Photos

Ever since I was a kid I have always loved trains. Always wanted to be an engineer but for some reason I never actually tried to get into the profession. Thanks for the pics.