Western Railroad Discussion > An Hour, and Seven Trains, at Siberia

The section of the Needles Subdivision between Siberia and Ash Hill, California, is among my favorite pieces of railroad in California, if only for the vistas that can be found when the two mains separate before coming back down together just east of the summit. Yesterday that split was on full display, as a series of seven trains (three westbounds and four eastbounds, a lot even for the usually busy subdivision) tackled the grade separation. Complicating the matter was a westbound train with only two engines that was making, according to the crew, about 5 miles an hour up the hill, stacking up westbounds behind it and allowing for a lot of photo opportunities with eastbounds. Without further ado, the photos.

-We had basically raced this eastbound from Barstow out to Siberia and we still barely had any time to set up before it appeared. Behind it was another hotshot and two trains waiting at Ash Hill for it to run around them.
-All the while a westbound with two engines and a mix of general freight and stacks was struggling up the hill, barely making walking speed. The three GE's on the eastbound pass by in the foreground as the westbound continues towards Klondike.
-The rear DPU's pass as the westbound has barely made any progress.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/19 19:51 by z-trains.

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-Another eastbound passes by with the westbound slowly working its way upgrade.
-A wider view of the same pair of trains.
-Another eastbound drops downgrade behind a Tier IV/H1/CREX combo.

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-As the eastbound manifest drops downgrade, it meets a westbound intermodal running the first westbound's blocks.
-Not 5 minutes later, another eastbound curves through Klondike with the westbound finally on the approach to Ash Hill.
-The rear of the westbound is still passing by as the eastbound eases downgrade.

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-As the second westbound heads upgrade, the eastbound continues downgrade.
-As it curves into the distance, another westbound can be seen around Trojan.

We ditched the Needles sub at this point as the clouds were building up to try and intercept a Tier IV ACe leading a westbound stack train through Afton, but it came just after dark. Still, for an hour 7 trains certainly isn't bad!

-Zach

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Nice Series!

SouthWest RailCams
CA, NM, CO, TX, AZ
https://SouthWestRailCams.com

The Mojave Desert...an appropriate place to grind the guts out of two units, barely moving. 
Too bad.

Outstanding  bunch.
JB

Neat photos. Just made my first trip there last week. Alas, could not linger in this very interesting location.

Great series, really like shot #10!

Nice pics!!

Nicely done.