Western Railroad Discussion > Part 3 of the 2nd - A 4 x 3 x 2 "Earthworm" on Ash Hill

Like chapters in a book, we continue with part 3 of this past Monday' Needles Sub adventure.

If you missed Part 1: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2049862

If you missed Part 2: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2050915

After the last train crested Ash Hill Summit in Part 2, with the next train, I finally managed to get a good shot of an "Earthworm". Yes, I've seen and shot them before, but I never got a down-on, full train view.

After this guy went up and over the apex, I caught three more westbound Intermodals (nothing noteworthy, so I won't bore you with the shots), before the sun finally moved around to the west far enough as to leave unit noses dark when they entered the curve.

So with 6 westbounds from sunrise until 0845 hours, it was time to relocate.

After I finished packing the car and was on the move down from the hill, an eastbound Vehicle Train went sailing down Main 2, with a VERY CLEAN Warbonnet on the point! So, I downshifted to "abusive speed", as I would have to drive like a MADMAN to get a sunlit shot of him - without driving all the way to Ibis (or further east). That meant it would have to be BEFORE Bolo Hill. As I leave a dust trail that probably has yet to settle, I finally noticed that westbound number 7 was already passing him at West Siberia. Cr*p! Now I'll have to wait for HIM to clear before I can start the chase! When I get to the crossing, there were about a dozen more cars to go before I could get to it again.

I hit the pavement looking east, and the train is nowhere in sight. That meant he is just dropping into the swail approaching Bagdad, I figured. He'll be doing 70, and I have to beat him to the crossing at Amboy or I'm screwed!

To be continued......

As always, Thanks for looking!

Bob

ATSF100WEST......Out

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Hi Bob

Many thanks for posting.

It is photos like these that keep those of us trapped the wrong side of the Pond, but love US RR, very happy!

Cheers

CC
Truro
Cornwall

What a great set of photos! I have been to Siberia several times but never had the time to get up the hill and not in the morning anyway. thanks for posting.
Roger Beckett

I love the smell of an earthworm in the morning !!

Good shooting, Bob. Makes me wish all the more I was with you rather than tied to my work computer that day. You are right about that clear desert air after the morning zephyr sent the haze beyond the hills.

Kit Courter
Torrance, CA
LunarLight Photography

Very nice work! To me, this is one of the finest photo locations in the west.

Gary

Great stuff as always Bob. I enjoyed the whole series.

Darren Megowan

Still amazes me that the earthworms on the Hi-Line only get a 2x1 or a 2x2 DPU setup to go from Havre, MT to the Pacific Coast passing over several grades enroute.

Ted Curphey
Rochester, WA
Funnelfan's Railfan Website

funnelfan Wrote:
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> Still amazes me that the earthworms on the Hi-Line
> only get a 2x1 or a 2x2 DPU setup to go from
> Havre, MT to the Pacific Coast passing over
> several grades enroute.

The 3 midtrain units are added at Gallup, NM in order to depart Winslow with the required HPT for westbound tonnage. The Seligman, Needles and Mojave subdivisions have some pretty steep grades that last for several miles at a time.

Looks like you had a great day. Keep em coming.
JB

Does anyone know about how many cars that train is made up of not including the power. Thanks.

xx2472xx

xx2472xx Wrote:
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> Does anyone know about how many cars that train is
> made up of not including the power. Thanks.
>
> xx2472xx


it's been a few, but i seem to remember approx. 104(4x60x3x44x2) as we blasted up ash hill at approx. 25mph........

66



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/09 14:25 by goneon66.

Bob,
Another great set of pics! It's nice to see Klondike with the clear blue skies.
Thanks for sharing!

Nice pics Bob, I miss goin' out that way!

i saw one at vaughn nm a few years ago and it had about 130 cars with dpu mid and rear

bakersfielddave Wrote:
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> i saw one at vaughn nm a few years ago and it had
> about 130 cars with dpu mid and rear

Wow, six of my last seven years working the Gallup Sub and I have NEVER seen one east of Gallup with the midtrain DP already cut in! That would be very rare to see it like that in Vaughn, especially since that would have shut down Belen just to fuel it. I was called for several of these west out of Belen and I always stopped in Gallup to add the midtrain DP.

110 cars is the standard for these grain trains. Operating crews refer to them as "triple penetraters."

Great Shots!!! This man is way too modest!!

Calendar shots.