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. 

Holiday Leftovers from LAUPT

Where Have I Been?

As the lack of recents posts atest to, I have been crazy busy lately. Not only have I been working a ton to finish a large project by year’s end at the office, but the holidays are upon us and we are entertaining out-of-state guests for a few weeks. As if that wasn’t enough, I have also spent all of my spare time learning a unique subject that has always interested me. Soon I will prepare a post on the topic and the byproduct of all my research and learning.

Until then, I was making preparations for the upcoming new year when I came across some images that I like which I had not worked into a post yet. Since I am feasting on, as many of you are I suspect, holiday leftovers (honey-baked ham with all the fixings) I thought I would put together a post with some “photo leftovers” until I finish my major effort previously disclosed.

LAUPT Leftovers

Here is a collection of photos taken in March of 2011 at Los Angeles Union Station or, as I prefer to say, LAUPT (Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal):

SCAX 860 & AMTK 135 - SCAX 860 (EMD F59PH) and AMTK 135 (GE P42DC) are captured here at Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT) on March 4, 2011.
[3/4/2011 - River Subdivision] Copyright © 2011 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

While researching the following sequence of images for caption information, I came across a YouTube video which explained the content photographed below. Here is the video taken by Rin Snuffy:

UP 5606 at LAUPT - Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT) sees a rare visit from a freight locomotive due to the fact that UP 5606, (GE C44ACTE) was dispatched to resuce a failing, and 8 hours late, Amtrak #11, the Coast Starlight, on March 23, 2011. Also in the photo is AMTK 54 (GE P42DC).
[3/23/2011 - River Subdivision] Copyright © 2011 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

Faces of LAUPT - The faces of three locomotives from three of the four local railroads serving Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT) pose at the end of the stub tracks. The rare visit of a freight locomotive to Union Station was the result of the UP 5606, (GE C44ACTE) being dispatched to resuce a failing, and 8 hours late, Amtrak #11, the Coast Starlight, on March 23, 2011. Also in the photo are SCAX 862, (EMD F59PH) and AMTK 54 (GE P42DC).
[3/23/2011 - River Subdivision] Copyright © 2011 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

“The Hostler”
[3/23/2011 - River Subdivision] Copyright © 2011 Joe Perry. All rights reserved.

On the Calendar

I have been on vacation from work for about one week now and I have a few more days before I must go back. I intend on making some preparations this weekend for a short trip to chase some steel that I have planned for early next week. I was fortunate enough to recieve some cool gadgets from Santa and I am looking forward to “playing” with them during the trip. I will let you folks know about them and what I think of them after I put them to the test.

I will also to continue my studies and work on my “project” as time permits. I hope to have something pretty slick and be able to share it you all soon. Until then, see you trackside chasing steel!

UP 844, a Mountain, a Mob, and Me

As I described in in my previous post, ““UP” for a Chase? 844 Comes to California,” Union Pacific’s famous steam engine, the UP No. 844, is in California and garnering quite the attention in the process. On Saturday, November 19, 2011, the UP 844 lead the Centennial Tour train eastbound from West Colton, California to Yermo, California. The route the train was scheduled to take was over BNSF rails up and over the scenic and challenging Cajon Pass. It was the making of a perfect photo opportunity and I headed out early Saturday morning, almost dutifully, to get in position.

I had settled on a location just south, geographically, from Cajon proper, where the rails round a bend at the curved bridge over Zuni Creek. I found a safe spot to park my rig and made sure that my radios (data and voice) where in working order and then watched the traffic flow as I cranked the heater in the cab of my truck. It was 5:00AM and the outside temperature was 40 degrees. 

The weather was not ideal as there was a low moving into the area and this brought low clouds and fog into Cajon Pass. I actually welcomed the the fog because it would add “atomsphere” to the photos but the lack of direct sunlight would make for less than stellar shots—at least from me.

I took a few test shots of a some passing BNSF intermodals and the westbound Southwest Chief to test out all of the possible spots and settings. As I did this I began to meet other folks that had come to see the train. During my discussion with of them I realized that I did not know which of four possible rails the train would be on. Three of them were side-by-side and didn’t present an issue, but the fourth rail did because it was obscured by a cut at my present location.

In a frantic fit, I posted a question on the Trainorders board to ask if anyone knew the exact route the special would take. Minutes turn into an hour and I began to second guess my prime spot. Ultimately I got a few responses that lead me to decide to move further up the hill, and I am glad I did.

As I drove east along SR 138, towards Summit, I passed one grouping of motorists after another pulled off onto the shoulder at every conceivable wide-spot in the road that might afford a glimpse of the train. It was quite the turnout for sure.

After learning the 844 was delayed leaving West Colton, I took a little extra time to find that “just right” spot. I didn’t want to shoot from some of the more obvious locations, for example at Summit. I eventually settled on Martinez, where the tracks converge from three main tracks to two. I leveled my camper and took my gear up to roof. The additional height was necessary to get me near the height of the grade at this spot.

Eventually the 844 began her assault on the hill and would be passing me within the hour. 

While I waited, and waited, the radio traffic betrayed the fact that there was a need for the 844 to “hold the main” at Martinez while a responder performed some sort of servicing. This was a surprise to both, the BNSF dispatcher and me. It also laid my plans to somewhat waste because the train would not be traveling at track speed as she came by my location. Oh well, so it goes, sometimes, when you chase steel.

Little did I know that it would get worse. Since the train was now scheduled to stop at Martinez, just west of me and out of view around a curve, that gave time for all of the folks, that so desired, the time to catch up with the train and continue the chase. This led to more than usual traffic that came along with the train and soon the area around “my spot” was filled with cars and people all over the scene.

The 844 eventually came into view and it was cool to see, no doubt. I took my shots, best I could because I found myself pausing to take it all in a little too long.

When I looked at my shots later that day at home, I was disheartened to see that many of my shots contained people in them right along the rails and on the right-of-way. Bummer. I could “remove” them in post-processing but, fortunately, my best-friend CJ was also on the hill chasing steel.

CJ gave me copies of his photos and I thought they were spectacular so I asked his permission to use them in this post. Of course he agreed. So, it is with great pleasure, and relief that I present the photographic work of CJ Hokanson of the UP No. 844 pulling the Centennial Tour train over Cajon Pass:

A short movie to set the mood…

---

---

Here are a few of my photos to round out the event: