In Gallup, NM now and getting dark. Tons of traffic on the Trans Con. Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
Just came up Ash Hill and still climbing toward Barstow. The dome was great yesterday to see the old blade semaphores coming where the are still in service between Raton and Albuquerque. Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
At sunrise! Sorry, I couldn't resist. Just after 6:00 a.m. would be my guess. That FP45 has seen better days. Well Russell, I didn't get down to Barstow to greet you. From Big Bear, where it's cooler in the summer's, a big HOWDY and welcome to our neck of the woods. Pullman green with envy. If I may ask what private varnish group are you traveling with? Have a safe return.
We are with the Gulf Coast Chapter, NRHS and the Rosenberg Railroad Museum Board of Directors. I belong to both groups. We are going through Corona now. Here are some photos from Cajon. Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
Thanks Rick. This was when we were climbing Ash Hill early this morning. Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
I take back what I said. Rails receding into the sunrise from an open observation car beats the dome.
That first photo brings back memories. Two years ago this Saturday I was standing on that very spot near the end of my trek back to L.A. from the Santa Fe convention in Temple.
Wow, what a trip. Back home and settled in after a whirlwind day. We were three hours late into Union Station in Los Angeles so my wife and I had to say a quick goodbye to the car crew and fellow travelers in order to catch a cab to LAX and make our flight back to Houston. But the extra hours on the train were a bonus. I woke up this morning before sunrise in Needles, Arizona and was able to greet the sunrise from the rear platform before we started weaving back and forth to climb up Ash Hill. Evidently they allow Amtrak to run 90 miles an hour on the Trans Con across New Mexico, Arizona and Eastern California. With our BNSF freight engine that was added in Albuquerque only good for 75 MPH we lost time on the schedule. However the ride was sooth as glass, unlike bone rattling crossing of Western Nebraska and Eastern Colorado. I did not get much sleep the first night as I was worried that I was going to get thrown out of my upper birth. I will post more photos as I load all the ones from my camera onto my computer here at the house. The camera in my phone just does not do justice to the subjects I photographed.
We waited on the main line at Sands, New Mexico for the number 4 to take the siding. Sands is about midway between Las Vegas, NM and Glorieta. We were on the back platform and looked down to see date nails in the ties. 1968 was when this tie was replaced.
One of these days I'm going to have to hitch a ride in a dome car like that. I'm too young to have done it when such cars were commonplace. To have a 360 degree view, to see the whole train easily on gentler curves. A real shame that with the Superliner's Amtrak doesn't provide such a thing in regular service these days.
Could you be looking at a 1989 nail upside down, looks in pretty good condition for a 46 year old tie.
I agree with you there, I was lucky enough to ride domes in regular service on the Capitol Limited and City of New Orleans in 1991.
Hmmm. Interesting point. I didn't think the companies were still using date nails these days, and that would be an old tie. But then 46 years is getting out there in age. Even in dry climate. The ties don't look to be plate cut, or other wear and damage.
