A Short Seasonal Sojourn to Siberia

Cabin Fever

Despite being on vacation for nearly two weeks during the Christmas holiday, I had yet to venture trackside at any capacity. My time was filled shopping for Christmas gifts, preparing the house for the holidays and entertaining our guests. Eventually Christmas came and went, followed closely by New Years, and, at last, my time had come. It was time to chase some steel before I had to return to work and I began to consider possible destinations.

I ran through some of the options in my head. After considering Tehachapi Pass, Cajon Pass, and the Sunset Route, I settled on my favorite BNSF’s Needles Subdivision. It was NOT summer and the weather was beautiful — I couldn’t resist.  However this time I would try a new spot that has been on my list for sometime but I never had enough intel to attempt it. This was time to see if I could get there.

That place was between West Siberia and Klondike, on the normally westbound track as it ascends the grade of Ash Hill replete with the requisite s-curve to gain elevation. I checked the sun angles for the time period during my trip and it seemed ideal. My plan was set. I packed up my gear and got but two hours of sleep before my restless spirit took hold and I was off chasing the sunrise.

Siberia-bound

As it seems to be the norm these days, I missed being in a good spot for the sunrise. I must have messed up my drive time or the calculations thereof. Oh well, on to Siberia. After a steady push, and a refueling stop or two for me and my truck, I eventually reached the turnoff that lead to the summit of Ash Hill.

I spent a few minutes surveying the scene and checking the traffic on the computer. Nothing was in sight or would be for some time. This was the perfect time to get into position so I did just that. I returned to the pavement of the National Trails Highway and continued east towards Siberia.

Eventually I crossed the tracks at West Siberia and found myself on virgin ground, at least for me. I took the road that I had previously surveyed with the help of Google’s satellite map and arrived at my intended destination after a slow and deliberate drive. I had to drive as far as I could up a mountain, and then continue on foot, to gain elevation over the track otherwise my photos would show a whole lot of earth and not much else.

This photo, taken later in the day on my second visit to this location, shows the general lay of the land from my mountainside perch:

SIBERIA-KLONDIKE - The setting sun illuminates the s-curve of BNSF’s trackage near Klondike, CA.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

I decided to focus on taking some video first so I set-up my gear and I didn’t have to wait long for the first few trains to arrive:

SIBERIA-KLONDIKE 1 - A BNSF four unit intermodal train negates the s-curve as it climbs Ash Hill near Klondike, CA on January 2, 2012.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.BNSF 7478 West - BNSF 7478 (GE DASH ES44DC), BNSF 7395 (GE ES44DC), BNSF 5168 (GE DASH 9-44CW) and 6738 (GE ES44C4) are all in Run-8 as they pull this westbound hotshot intermodal consist through the s-curve near Klondike, CA on the Needles Subdivision.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

SIBERIA-KLONDIKE 2 - A BNSF three unit intermodal train negates the s-curve as it climbs Ash Hill near Klondike, CA on January 2, 2012.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

It Turns Out That I Am Not a Mountain Goat Afterall

After spending sufficent time to photograph and shoot video the trains through this area I sought a more level footing from which to ply my skills. I decided to take a short run further east to East Siberia and give my aching legs a break. Here is a panorama shot of the sweeping curves that can be found at East Siberia:

East Siberia Panorama
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

The first train to greet me at East Siberia was a massive grain train. I thought, ever so briefly, about chasing this behemoth back to the s-curve near Klondike which would make for a compelling photo. “Nah, not gonna do it.” As so, here are two shots of the mega grain train at, and only at, East Siberia, California along with a baretable moving east.

BNSF 5418 West - BNSF 5418 (GE DASH 9-44CW), BNSF 5013 (GE DASH 9-44CW), and BNSF 5229 (GE DASH 9-44CW) are up front of a heavy westbound grain train negoiating the s-curve near East Siberia, CA on BNSF’s Needles Subdivision on January 2, 2012.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

BNSF 5418 West 2 - BNSF 5418 (GE DASH 9-44CW), BNSF 5013 (GE DASH 9-44CW), and BNSF 5229 (GE DASH 9-44CW) are up front of a heavy westbound grain train negoiating the s-curve near East Siberia, CA on BNSF’s Needles Subdivision on January 2, 2012.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

BNSF 7228 East - BNSF 7228 (GE ES44DC) and another simliar unti are relagated to “baretable” duties as they bring a string of empty intermodal cars through the OS at East Siberia.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

Onward To Amboy

Eventually a lull in traffic developed that left me restless. I decided to head further east to seek out the trains. This effort brought me to the trains and to Amboy, California:
BNSF 7282 West - BNSF 7282 (GE ES44DC), BNSF 6755 (GE ES44C4), and BNSF 5507 (GE DASH 9-44CW) bear down for the climb out of the Amboy Sink with a westbound intermodal train at Amboy, CA.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

Westbound “California Coal”
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

I planned to shoot the sun setting over s-curve near Klondike so I opted next to back west to get into position. Along the way the traffic became plentiful once again and I took advantage of it by staging at the crossing just east of Bagdad, California:

Short and Stout - BNSF 7391 (GE ES44DC) leads six other units, and a DPU on the rear, on the point of this very short westbound manifest consist out of Amboy, CA.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

Three Trains from the Crossing Near Bagdad, CA - I caught three trains pass the crossing just east of Bagdad, CA. The second train in the video has a vintage warbonnet unit on the point and two more buried in the consist and the train is a manifest train to boot! Old school railroading again!
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

BNSF 528 East - BNSF 528 (GE DASH 8-40BW), BNSF 523 (GE DASH 8-40BW), BNSF 541 (GE DASH 8-40BW), BNSF 542 (GE DASH 8-40BW), and BNSF 160 (EMD GP60M), a rare lash-up these days, provides the horsepower to this eastbound manifest train through Bagdad, CA and reminds me of railroading from yesteryear.
[1/2/2012 - Needles Subdivision] © 2012 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

S-Curve Sunset

As previously stated I intended to shoot the sun going down behind the s-curve so I made my way there in sufficient time to do so. I set-up my tripod and made a series of shots and waited. However, no train showed up before the sun went down so I was left with the shot at the top of the post — sans train.

Next up I wanted to try and do some night signal photography so I went back to Siberia. When I arrived I started to set-up my tripod and I proceeded to pull one of the legs completely out of the tripod! Damn it! This is the third tripod that I have broken. What gives? Doesn’t anyone make a DURABLE tripod?

Without a stable platform, or a sufficient backup, I was forced to head home, which I did. I felt the day was productive and I, as always, was eager to do some post-processing and evaluate my efforts.

Until next time. 

Comments

[Christine]

enjoyed the pictures and videos. I will share them with Kyla when I get home. She loves to see them. Thanks for all your hard work in doing this. Your work is appreciated. I especially like the first photo.