Western Railroad Discussion > The Canadians over Altamont Pass

Yet again with another timely heads up, JMF1910 informed me that the CN No-Grainer was leaving Lathrop. Due to the still busy-broken-soggy track on the Union Pacific between Stockton and Sacramento, Union Pacific has been sending verious Northbound trains over Altamont Pass and up the Cal-P to get to Sacramento. There have been a couple detours every day since the derailment, but I couldn't pass this up. 

Wet and lush hillside. Check. Great lighting. Check. All foreign power. Check. Unit train over altamont. Check and rare! When JMF1910 told me it was leaving Lathrop I left my house in San Jose and had about 5 minutes to set up the shot before the train crossed Greenville Trestle that crosses the old Southern Pacific road bed. I then high tailed back on to the freeway and down to CP hearst by Pleasanton, CA. Then it was a mad dash through Niles Canyon (glad I have a sports car!) where I met the train at Niles Junction (Not happy I had a sports car) With the crappy bay area traffic I had to end the chase there. Great and historical moment to capture here in the Bay Area. 

1. Crossing Greenville Trestle, Altamont Pass 
2. CP Hearst, Pleasanton CA 
3. On the Wye, Niles CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/17 19:16 by SCUfoamer.

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Killed it! Great work, dude. Your first shot is f***ing sweet--rare train, even rarer power, good light, fresh green hillsides. Couldn't ask for much more. IOTD time.

Credit goes to fellow TO'er James Schlinger for the initial heads up--thanks for all of your help tracking these detours!

John

Posted from iPhone

I prefer these versions over the previous ones. Nice going with the chase, and great composition on all three.

Third shot (nice one against the light) reminds me of our run-in with the cool MOW guy, who said foamers (with camera) like us kept the riff-raffs away. FYI, he has since retired.

SCUfoamer ---
WOW!!  You NAILED it with the tgirst two shots!!
TALK about a SUPER-RARE! catch!!!  AND on
that trestle, too!  I absolutely LOVE the composition
in your second shot -- that almost-bare tree with the
very irregular-looking thin branches juxtaposed with
the massiveness and the straight lines of the locomotive
just is really, really perfect!

James Schlinger --
THANK you VERY much for telling jmf1910 about these
wonderful visitors fro Canada.  He told the OP and JimB,
and because of that, we here on TO now have a number of
gorgeous photos of some super-rare visitors from Cabada.
THANK you!!

hehehehe (since I know EXACTLY who you mean)...good news is there is another cool one around who has the same general attitude. I'll leave it at that. 

cchan006 Wrote:
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>
> Third shot (nice one against the light) reminds me
> of our run-in with the cool MOW guy, who said
> foamers (with camera) like us kept the riff-raffs
> away. FYI, he has since retired.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/17 19:08 by JamesSchlinger.

Love the shot on the bridge. Good meeting you today, James.

Jim B

Couple more

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Greenville trestle shot is real nice. All the others are also nice too. Way to go!

SantaFeRuss

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/17 00:05 by SantaFeRuss.

Not much out there can beat a solid set of CN in CA, especially with the draper on the point. Nice!!!

Mr. MRL

Great photos. I really like your trestle shots.

Ronda Thomas

Date please?

Yesterday (Thursday).

Ran too late through my area to catch it.

Gary

Posted from iPhone

As per the title I was expecting a long train of Built by Budd passenger cars on a unannounced detour.

GREAT photos by the way!

Perhaps saying "The Canadian Nationals"  may have helped.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/17 11:05 by 4489.

I wonder why the Dash 8 is leading?   As a railfan, I think it is neat, a "four (front) window" cowl unit on the point, but I know CN crew people find them rough riding and worn out.

Great Shots...and especially love that Green!..... when I look out the window here and all I see is White!

WHAT.

WHAT.

HOW DID I MISS A CN GRAINER OVER ALTAMONT?

I've been napping. Totally going to detour on my trip this weekend to catch a train there. Anyone know the timing for tomorrow late morning for movements?

The first photo of the trestle brings back memories!  I grew up in Livermore, CA in the 1950s-60s, my Dad working at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which we called The Zoo.  If you can believe it in these days, the Lab had an open house each year and let everybody on site.

Anyway, my Father was a train enthusiast and many Saturdays and/or Sundays we would chase the Western Pacific California Zephyr.  We would drive to downtown Livermore and park by the tracks.  You could see the wobbly headlight for miles as the train approached from Pleasanton.  When the Zephyr would pass we would race out to the trestle in the first photo and wait for the Zephyr to arrive.  Finally would chase it through the canyon of Altamont Pass until it crossed over the road and disappeared in to the tunnel headed for Stockton, CA.

Thanks for the memories!