Western Railroad Discussion > Lompoc Local Waits At Surf

I went out to Surf today to catch the hauler from Guadalupe and the Starlight when an unexpected visitor pulled up — the Lompoc local.

Here it is waiting on the north leg of the wye to the Lompoc branch, waiting for the Starlight to roll by. Once 11 went through, the local moved onto the mainline and headed back to the yard in Guadalupe.

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Only one picture?

Marty

Beauty! These recent above the scenes images have educated and answered decades worth of curiousities.

Mommy, I want a drone for my birthday! Next, walstib, try to get a photo under the Gaviota Trestle at the Starlight shoots above. Think you can do it?

Tor in Eugene

I would be very careful with one of those things next to a Military base. You could find yourself surrounded by MPs and the FBI with guns drawn.

Love the rusty rails that just sort of disappear into sand and weeds alongside the local. Certainly used to be more activity here, huh?

Nice pic!!!

If you really squint you can see the launch tower for pad SLC 4W in the distance

Gosh, two modern units now. When I was active duty in the USAF at Vandenberg AFB (1973-1977), I lived in Lompoc and remember the SW-1500's (?) that plied that line. In fact, I lived in two separate apartments that fronted the street running (I think North "S" was one of them), and loved to hear and watch as the Lompoc Local made its way to Surf with all the cars from the Johns-Manville plant. Mostly boxcars dominated the train then, but from the photo, I can see covered hoppers are the norm now. Just a memory brought up by the excellent photo. Thank you.

WAF Wrote:
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> I would be very careful with one of those things
> next to a Military base. You could find yourself
> surrounded by MPs and the FBI with guns drawn.

You're also right next to a Federal Prison too.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WAF Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I would be very careful with one of those
> things
> > next to a Military base. You could find
> yourself
> > surrounded by MPs and the FBI with guns drawn.
>
> You're also right next to a Federal Prison too.




Quite a few miles from the prison.


V

SLOCONDR

tronarail Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gosh, two modern units now. When I was active
> duty in the USAF at Vandenberg AFB (1973-1977), I
> lived in Lompoc and remember the SW-1500's (?)
> that plied that line. In fact, I lived in two
> separate apartments that fronted the street
> running (I think North "S" was one of them), and
> loved to hear and watch as the Lompoc Local made
> its way to Surf with all the cars from the
> Johns-Manville plant. Mostly boxcars dominated the
> train then, but from the photo, I can see covered
> hoppers are the norm now. Just a memory brought
> up by the excellent photo. Thank you.


J-M took 10 covered hoppers a day7 days a week for years, along with roughly 15 box cars.


V

SLOCONDR

Endless string now of CSX containers going back and forth LA to Lompoc via rubber tires and then intermodel from there.

SLOCONDR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tronarail Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Gosh, two modern units now. When I was active
> > duty in the USAF at Vandenberg AFB (1973-1977),
> I
> > lived in Lompoc and remember the SW-1500's (?)
> > that plied that line. In fact, I lived in two
> > separate apartments that fronted the street
> > running (I think North "S" was one of them),
> and
> > loved to hear and watch as the Lompoc Local
> made
> > its way to Surf with all the cars from the
> > Johns-Manville plant. Mostly boxcars dominated
> the
> > train then, but from the photo, I can see
> covered
> > hoppers are the norm now. Just a memory
> brought
> > up by the excellent photo. Thank you.
>
>
> J-M took 10 covered hoppers a day7 days a week for
> years, along with roughly 15 box cars.
>
>
> V
>
> SLOCONDR
Along with all the other business in Lompoc.