Western Railroad Discussion > Modoc Northern woes

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (July 24-26) an old friend from California and I decided to photograph the Modoc Northern's operation, and also follow the Modoc Line to Flanigan. When we checked in at MN's headquarters at Tulelake we were told the train was on the way to Alturas from Lakeview. We headed to Alturas and intercepted the train about 8 miles north of town. The power was MN B30-7 #7780 (ex-SP7780) with 17 loads and their caboose. The first two photos show the train on the old Lakeview Branch.

We followed it into town, including filming the train passing the old N-C-O depot, and into the yard. After some switching problems the train departed Alturas with a fresh crew. We filmed it at places like Juniper and Canby and all looked well. When it approached our location on the grade up to Ambrose we saw that the crew had cut their train in two to double the hill. All seemed well as it passed, but as we "raced" ahead for another shot we found the train stopped on the grade. As soon as we stopped the train started rolling again. We followed it for another quarter mile and it stalled again. It was apparent the unit was not loading properly. The tried numerous times to bunch in the slack and then start, all with limited success.

They got their 9 cars rolling again and so we went ahead to Ambrose and waited, and waited... and waited. After 30 or so minutes we went back and found the train about a mile from the summit... stalled again. This time - after numerous attempts to get rolling again - they tied down the last two cars and tried moving with only seven cars. It didn't work. We left the train and headed back to our motel at Alturas.

The next day we railfanned the Modoc Line from Alturas to Wendel, and then to Flanigan, so we didn't know how the MN train fared. On Wednesday we left Alturas for Klamath Falls and we found the same train very dead about one mile north of Tulelake. The battery box doors were open on the engineer's side; a blue flag on the main was protecting the train, and no one was around. The MN's B-23-7 was still sitting dead at Tulelake so we assume it's also got problems. With their increasing carloads they are going to need some more dependable power. We both enjoyed seeing a real caboose in service on a freight. - Tony J.

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I'm sure the only reason they got those locomotives was because they were dirt cheap... and now they know why. I wonder if a couple of former SP Cadillacs (SD9E's) are available... probably also inexpensive but infinitely better locomotives. If not maybe GP40's.

Good photos Tony. Always nice to see some of the old stuff continue to survive. Photobob and I might have to venture that way next time we get together.

Sam Reeves
—
http://www.samreevesphoto.com

Thanks for the photos and report, Tony.

From what I've read the Modoc Northern ownership seems to have a real soft spot for GE's. I cannot quite fathom that loyalty myself...but they do at least profess to be true believers.

There is a Yahoo group out there on the MNRR, named JSS2. Drop on by.

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

The Modoc Northern guys are trying their best to hold it together. With old engines, Murphys Law is applied all too frequently. A while back, I watched them try to conquer the hill to Ambrose.

http://www.withmy2hands.org/graybeards/modocodyssey/note1.htm

Thanks for the report, Tony. I don't think I could bear to drive from Alturas to Flanigan ... too sad.

Those MN trains look real nice ... nice paint job on the units. To bad they don't run.

Stan

sagehen Wrote:
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> Thanks for the report, Tony. I don't think I
> could bear to drive from Alturas to Flanigan ...
> too sad.
>
> Those MN trains look real nice ... nice paint job
> on the units. To bad they don't run.
>
> Stan


I hear you Stan. This was the first time I've followed the Modoc Line south from Alturas since the rails were removed. For our next local slide-video night session here in Medford I've put together a video showing a few of the abandoned sections and then train action on the same sections. This will give some of the guys a better understanding of what was once there.

One thing about Wendel, it hasn't changed much over the last couple of decades. While we were there a company was sorting section rails and loading them into old MoPac and UP gons. At Flanigan another company was loading ties into hazmat containers on flatcars, as well as chip other ties into fuel for a local power plant.

Tony

Guess I just missed all these events. On Tuesday I had to be working in Lakeview and didn't see
anything of the MN, but was glad to shoot the Lake county's "new" geep, I think it is ex SJV.
On Thursday I was working Klamath Falls and drove out to find the train shot you posted just as
you saw it. So it hadn't moved in a day. They are going to have to get a leaser or something or
the two roads are going to just come to a stop.

Keith A

The Lake County is now operated by the Modoc Northern under a haulage agreement, so all the movements up in Lakeview are actually MNRR trains.

A couple of rebuilt SP Cadillacs perhaps could have solved the MN problems, but how much work was done on the two GEs they have now? Was is just paint, or did they get an overhaul? Even if they work well, is two B-B units enough to operate the MN and the LC?

> One thing about Wendel, it hasn't changed much
> over the last couple of decades. While we were
> there a company was sorting section rails and
> loading them into old MoPac and UP gons. At
> Flanigan another company was loading ties into
> hazmat containers on flatcars, as well as chip
> other ties into fuel for a local power plant.

It is too bad you didn't check out the old Susanville Branch. As of about 2 weeks ago it was totally gone from about 1/4mi out of Wendel to Mapes Road. That is about 4 or 5 miles of track. The loading you saw in Wendel, right where the old Depot used to be, is the Susanville Branch stuff. So again, at least for a few more weeks, there will be some traffic out of Wendel. The traffic at Flanigan is for the power plant in Wendel. A little birdie in Flanigan told me it is illegal to chip old RR ties in CA but not in NV. So they chip in NV and truck them to the plant in CA for burning.

Mike Leland

mleland Wrote:
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> It is too bad you didn't check out the old
> Susanville Branch. As of about 2 weeks ago it was
> totally gone from about 1/4mi out of Wendel to
> Mapes Road. That is about 4 or 5 miles of track.
> The loading you saw in Wendel, right where the old
> Depot used to be, is the Susanville Branch stuff.
> So again, at least for a few more weeks, there
> will be some traffic out of Wendel. The traffic at
> Flanigan is for the power plant in Wendel. A
> little birdie in Flanigan told me it is illegal to
> chip old RR ties in CA but not in NV. So they chip
> in NV and truck them to the plant in CA for
> burning.
>
> Mike Leland


Thanks Mike. I hadn't heard about them pulling the Susanville Branch yet, so we didn't bother to check. I am wondering if the tracks will remain in place to the old Army Ordinance Depot at Herlong. A new rubberize crossing was installed on the road leading to the gate. - Tony J.

Why are the SD9E's called Cadillacs by the SP??

southern_steam_nut Wrote:
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> Why are the SD9E's called Cadillacs by the SP??


Reportedly the crews related their smooth riding to that of GM's "Cadillacs". - Tony J.