Western Railroad Discussion > Busy Transcon

We rode the SW Chief to Flagstaff last week for a short vacation and got in on some slick dispaching west of Dalies NM.

1. We ran around this WB stack waiting to follow us west from Rio Puerco, 20 some miles west of Belen.

2. Crossed over 1 to 2 at Rio Puerco.

3. This EB stack train was waiting for us to vacate 1.

---

---

---

4.  Another EB was waiting behind the first one.  A manifest was behind the 2nd stack but I didn't get a good photo.

5.  Back to 1 at Suwanee.

6.  WB coal load was waiting for us to cross over at Marmon.

---

---

---

7. 1 to 2 for us at Marmon.

8.  Another EB stack waiting for us to get out of its way.

9. And yet another EB right on his butt. 

---

---

---

10. Signals and through truss approaching Laguna.

11. Another EB.

12. And the last one from this flurry of activity right at the Laguna crossover.

Thanks for looking!

Andy

---

---

---

Great bunch, never knew there was a through truss out there! Wonder if it's accessable?
JB

3rdswitch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great bunch, never knew there was a through truss
> out there! Wonder if it's accessable?

I've heard absolutely no photography allowed on the Laguna reservation so I wouldn't try it. but if someone's brave enough I'd like to see it from trackside.  Here's a closer photo from the train.

Andy

---

Good stuff Andy, thanks for posting.  

If that bridge is on the reservation, then it's NOT accessible.  Super C has detailed that
for us.  It's my thought you must have been running a little late.  I would have thought
you'd have been further west that late in the day.  I'm probably wrong about that.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Yes Nick we were probably 1 1/2 hrs late at this point acct. engine trouble, and lost another 1 1/2 hrs at Winslow to add a freight pumpkin to the head end making us 3 hrs late into Flagstaff.  Still a great trip though as that route always is!

Andy

With ATCS and a mobile radio to pick it up, you can log the train action as you go.  Later, you can replay the log to see the trains move into position.  In good conditions, you can pick up signals from 30 miles away.  Where there is server coverage, like Ash Hill near Barstow to L.A. Harbor, you can watch it all if you have an internet connection.

mapboy

Great Coverage. #10's location is known as Quirk. Your train was occupying the X-ing at the time you snapped that photo.

Posted from Android

AndyBrown Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 3rdswitch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Great bunch, never knew there was a through
> truss
> > out there! Wonder if it's accessable?
>
> I've heard absolutely no photography allowed on
> the Laguna reservation so I wouldn't try it. but
> if someone's brave enough I'd like to see it from
> trackside.  Here's a closer photo from the
> train.
>
> Andy

Here is a view of the bridge at Quirk from 1991.

---

qnyla Wrote:
>
> Here is a view of the bridge at Quirk from 1991.

Wow, killer shot!  Thanks!   Amtrak's finest era with the matched stripes and F40s.

Andy

Hey QNYLC,
x2 on the killer shot in '91. The scenery looks the same. I can't tell, but in the background, is that track that went to the Uranium plant still present? I can't remember when when it was ripped up. I know the Grants local used to run up there before the plant was dismantled,sold and shipped to the Japanese.

Posted from Android

Hookdragkick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey QNYLC,
> x2 on the killer shot in '91. The scenery looks
> the same. I can't tell, but in the background, is
> that track that went to the Uranium plant still
> present? I can't remember when when it was ripped
> up. I know the Grants local used to run up there
> before the plant was dismantled,sold and shipped
> to the Japanese.
>
> Posted from Android

Yes, I believe the track was still in at the time.