Western Railroad Discussion > Railroading in an icebox.

All,

As you well know, Fraser and Tabernash, CO, sometimes get the “icebox of the nation” award. In any case, it’s commonly cold over there. When there is some moisture in the air, fog will form and a layer of hoar frost will coat everything at ground level. The boys out in Utah and eastern Nevada refer to the combination of the two as “Pogonip”.

In digging through my slides, I found these two shots from over that way. The first was as I descended westbound into Fraser and saw a fog bank. As well, I saw locomotive headlights. So, that’s the lead photograph, nice, diffuse light with a bit of fog in the background. For specifics, UP 7801 and 6166 led the train of eastbound unit-coal loads, with UP 7031, 5667 and 6944 as mid-train help, and UP 5776 and 7060 pushing on the rear of the CTRN bottom-dumps. The lightish-spot over the locomotive is sun on the fog; I didn't manipulate the image....

After bagging the first shot, I continued west toward Tabernash. The scanner caught UP’s MRONY (Manifest, Roper Yard to North Yard) highballing through the hamlet. I set up down in the weeds along the track and waited. The second shot is the result. More fog, and a good bunch of hoar frost. UP 5873 led 6525, 6764, 5869, 7217, 7089 and 7008 on the point; UP 6498 was pushing on the rear.

And yes, it was cold!!

Comments, thoughts?

Rich Farewell



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/12 08:53 by rcfarewell.

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Nice images, both. The second image particularly captured the feel of that cold when it settles in up there in the Middle Park. And the effect of the sun in the fog placing that glow over the top of the lead engine in the first image is nicely done. Those kind of lighting effects can be tough to capture, but add to an image. Well done.

The cold in Fraser can be brutal - I've experienced it a number of times, including the ice fog, which can be treacherous. Fraser used to have a certain pride about its "icebox" status, with a street named "Zerex" (after the automotive antifreeze, I presume), and a welcome sign to the town along US 40.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2275266,2275620#msg-2275620

Last time I visited before moving to the Midwest about a year ago with a new job, the welcome sign no longer celebrated the "icebox" status. I guess the town fathers decided that such notoriety was no longer desirable, what with all of the new condos and homes being built nearby. It's an area which has changed a lot in recent years, like a lot of places in Colorado and the mountain West.

MC
Columbia, Missouri
Former Coloradan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/12 09:11 by ironmtn.

That is such a cold place!!!!!! The freezing temperatures start in September. In the late 1980's I was doing contract inspection for a well drilling contract in a Forest Service campground on the east end of Lake Granby. It was January and the contractor had orchard heaters set around the drilling rig. Wool snow pants, long johns, and multiple coats helped, but it was still cold!

When I drove by Winter Park, I always stopped at the west end of the tunnel to check out the trains . . .

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/fullsize/176000/tunnel_3.JPG


Steve Utley
(also, a former Coloradan)
Salem, OR

Great shot, Rich! I've caught the hoar frost on the Front Range a couple of times (at Plainview) and you're right, it's cold! I hope you didn't have to wait long to catch those shots.

Those are both really nice images. The second shot literally makes one shiver. I think I have only been able to capturen one "hoar frost" photo in my life; in International Falls MN, another well known "icebox."

Nice shots, thanks for braving the elements to create these shots and sharing them.

Kent in Carmel Valley

I've seen this kind of frost in the Fraser Valley in late May!

Funny thing is railroaders often told me Tabernash would always be 5-10 degrees colder than Fraser! One told me of having to slam engines together to break one of the big steamer free from the ice that had formed around the running gear. He was talking 3600 2-8-8-2s!

Rob
another former Coloradoan
Corvallis, OR