I began to have that moment where you reflect on the day’s events. What if I had left earlier in the morning to get a better head start? Perhaps I could have met the train further to the east. Was there a better spot? How did my photos turn out?
We decided to eat lunch trackside so Deb made sandwiches and I checked out the photos and videos from the various cameras we used throught the adventure. Obviously some photos were crappy and some were OK. A few were even good, but lunch was awesome.
I thought we were heading home from a challenging yet rewarding time chasing the monster train across the western edge of the Yuma Subdivision so I eased the pace as we got back on the Interstate 10 and headed west. I even shut down my various train tracking devices and the GPS. We drove home.
I expected to see the train stopped at the West Colton facility waiting for a crew change. As we passed the Pepper Avenue overpass I could see all of the railfans hanging out. “The train must not have made it to West Colton yet!” I thought to myself. Perhaps there is a chance to get one more photo opportunity!
We had to get home to drop off some guests that we had taken on the trip with us. I took that opportunity to refresh the camera batteries and myself a bit. I decided that we could run up to the Mountain Avenue overpass and shoot the train from that vantage point. I just didn’t know for sure which subdivision it would be traveling on as it headed for Long Beach. I suspected that it must be the Alhambra Subdivision. The chase was back on.
I convinced my wife to saddle up one last time and we got into position at the Mountain Avenue overpass once I had confirmed that the train was in fact on the move now after the crew change in West Colton.
Here is my photo of the train as it blew by the overpass:
The IDILBF-08, UP Longest Train Ever Run, passes through Ontario, CA at the Mountain Avenue overpass.
Fortunately Deb agreed to go with me and she shot the following video:
Now the trip was over and I deemed it successful. Not so much because I got the shots I had hoped for but rather for the experience and the good shots I did get!
We slipped, slided, and slung our way through the parade of other railfans on US Highway 111 and raced to beat the train to the grade crossing located at our next turn on 62nd Avenue. Well, I lost. I was trapped at the crossing. I waited for the beast to clear the crossing and then I headed north on Highway 86 towards Interstate 10 to head west.
My next preplanned photo spot was to be near the end of the Highway 62 and the tracks just west of Palm Springs, CA. I missed the intended exit due to heavy traffic volumes which made me late to get in postion before the train arrived. I motored on.
Thankfully the train began to slow as it began it’s ascent of Beaumont Hill west of Palm Springs. That gave me the extra time I needed to try a few off-ramps and see if I could get into position in time. Fortunately I was able to. It ended up being a location known by the railroad as Fingal, CA.
We watched in amazement as the train struggled to climb out of the basin in which it currently traveled through. We were captivated to see such an awesome sight. So much so that I almost forgot to take photos. At this point I had a spare video recorder handy so I placed it in position and turned it on just in time. As the train approached our location I began snapping off frames. Here are a couple of them:
Wow. Again I was lost in watching this train climb the grade at 18MPH. It took nearly ten minutes. I lost track of the fact that I had set down the other video recorder. I ran over to take a look at what it captured.
Here is the video that I edited to remove gaps and mind lapses:
The trip was over and I deemed it successful. Not so much because I got the shots I had hoped for but rather for the experience.
Longest Train, 
