Western Railroad Discussion > 9/14 highlights: Altamont Starlight, CCT, STE

I'm a couple of days late with this, but what the hey - here's the highlight reel from a mis-spent September 14th. I'll post two versions: higher resolution 1280x720 and standard definition 720x480.

I failed to get any video of the southbound Coast Starlight on Altamont Pass when the detours ran for a couple of weeks earlier this year. The brown hills of late summer aren't quite as attractive as the green of spring; nevertheless, here's Amtrak 129 and 469 hauling Train 11 up the west side of the pass.

The Starlight was the special passenger move I knew about. One I didn't know about was an Operation Lifesaver special running up the San Joaquin Valley on the ex-SP. The special held the main at Calla (just south of the town of Manteca) as the Starlight rolled past around 12:30pm, then departed for Galt with officers on board and in pursuit. There was evidently yet another UP special that ran westbound over Altamont later in the afternoon, but I didn't know about it until I got home and read shed47's report.

I had planned to spend the second half of the day following the two shortlines that serve Stockton, CA. The Central California Traction goes on duty on weekdays around noon, and by the time I arrived at their timeworn carbarn-turned-enginehouse, the crew had lashed together ex-Reading GP18 1970 and ex-CNW GP7 700 (wearing Harbor Belt Line paint) and were switching in the small yard out back. The clip shows the geeps departing southward to interchange with BNSF and the other local shortline, Stockton Terminal & Eastern.

Speaking of the noble STE, the final clip shows their ex-Reading SW1200 678 puttering west down Roosevelt St. to the UP interchange as dusk settles.

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IIRC the GP18 is ex-Rock Island (no Reading GP18's).
And did you try the Tacos?

Tom Y

Sorry about that - yes, you're right, CCT 1790 is ex-Rock Island 1343. I wish I could blame it on the tacos, but I didn't try them. The patron crossing himself as he walked away after making a purchase made me wonder if surviving the cuisine required divine intervention.

Correct, GP18 1790 is ex Rock Island. Thanks for posting the videos, Evan.

Mike Derrick
http://www.shortlinesusa.com

Very nice video! Thanks for sharing!

Chris

Is the CS still doing that crazy Wye move before heading south?

lodich Wrote:

> Is the CS still doing that crazy Wye move before
> heading south?

Still went around the wye at Lathrop. It would be even crazier if they didn't...somehow I just can't see the Starlight outfitted with a cabcar and operating in push-mode all the way from Lathrop to LA.

Nice videos, Evan. Thanks for sharing. I understand CCT is to get some Gensets. Any truth to that?

SantaFeRuss

SantaFeRuss Wrote:

> Nice videos, Evan. Thanks for sharing. I
> understand CCT is to get some Gensets. Any truth
> to that?

Brookville has painted up their former demonstrator BL20CG in CCT paint with the number 2101, but so far as I know the unit hasn't been delivered yet:

http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2011/sept11/sept11green.htm

It's supposed to replace the geeps on the job I shot, and that's the main reason I broke off the Starlight chase around noon and headed for Stockton. See also:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2559477

Very interesting variety of trains and locations. Enjoyed the video, the Leslie S-3L, and the Nathan P3 very much.