Western Railroad Discussion > Crescent Mills, Ca

I was camping in the FRC this weekend and made my way to Crescent Mills, on BNSF's Gateway Subdivision. I noticed 3 locomotives on a side track. Bnsf 8300, 5191 and NS 8963.

Any idea what they were doing there? How long have they been sitting? Is there a point to having 3 units there?

Thanks!

Also, I've been coming up here for as long as I can remember, and have never seen the Gateway Sub so busy. Saw 5 during the daylight hours and heard 4 more at night, but couldn't tell if they were UP or Bnsf. Good show!

Posted from iPhone

There was a mysterious power-shuffling move around 1730 hours on Friday evening that left the 3 locos sitting in Crescent Mills and a northbound ending up with mostly NS power. And then there are the 5 tank cars that have been there since mid-week.

Saturday was very busy with 5 daylight trains in about 7 hours. One of the northbounds had an old Geep in transit that looked as if it were headed to an industrial user. Among the trains, there was a Grinstein, some UP, NS and CSX too. Variety!

Tom Y



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/14 08:22 by icancmp193.

Could the tank cars be for water? Maybe wildland fire support?

Maybe the power was a stranded local, when they get busy the Local may be getting stuck on the wrong end of the District and having problems with hours of service.

Doodle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> ... but couldn't tell if they were UP
> or Bnsf.

I don't believe that UP normally operates (or even has trackage rights) on the Gateway Sub.

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Could the tank cars be for water? Maybe wildland
> fire support?
>
> Maybe the power was a stranded local, when they
> get busy the Local may be getting stuck on the
> wrong end of the District and having problems with
> hours of service.

Well, one is placarded 1075 (LPG) and the other 4 are 3295 (Hydrocarbons). Is that oil?

Well, it ain't water for fire support.

> -----
> > Could the tank cars be for water? Maybe
> wildland
> > fire support?
> >
> > Maybe the power was a stranded local, when they
> > get busy the Local may be getting stuck on the
> > wrong end of the District and having problems
> with
> > hours of service.
>
> Well, one is placarded 1075 (LPG) and the other 4
> are 3295 (Hydrocarbons). Is that oil?

More info.......

Engines; BNSF 8300 & 5191 and NS 8963.
Only one engine running the NS 8963
Interestingly enough, the NS unit arrived about 17:30....all alone.

Tanks; UTLX 953460 and DBUX 303902, all the tanks appear to be empty.

Info as of 12:30pm 07-13-14

DaveL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/14 12:55 by DaveL.

---

DaveL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> More info.......
>
> Engines; BNSF 8300 & 5191 and NS 8963.
> Only one engine running the NS 8963
> Interestingly enough, the NS unit arrived about
> 17:30....all alone.
>
> Tanks; UTLX 953460 and DBUX 303902, all the tanks
> appear to be empty.
>
> Info as of 12:30pm 07-13-14
>
> DaveL

Thanks for the pic Dave. I was too lazy to walk down that far. I think they are picking them up as this is written.

Tom

The Santa Fe paint job looks pretty cool.

BNSF has done a great job improving the tracks of the Inside Gateway.

Now just imagine if the Feds had given them the D&RGW from SLC into Denver....

Probably a train tied down in Moccasin siding a few miles south of Crescent Mills. It's a pretty short siding and common practice is to leave the train there and run the power up to Crescent Mills if they need to park one.