Western Railroad Discussion > A Father’s Day Surprise

Returning from a weekend getaway in the mountains, I took the fish hatchery road into Oakridge (Oregon) and noticed a red signal as we crossed the tracks.  Mrs. Hank agreed to a brief pause at the yard, just to see if anything came down the hill.  (and she knows how lackluster foamin’ the Cascade Line can be)  Surprise!  A 72-car manifest came off the hill after only about 5 minutes! 
 
After giving it a roll by, we beat the train to Lookout Point Reservoir and I pulled over midway along the lake to drone it.  Arrrr!  Technical difficulties: the compass demanded calibration, but would not cooperate!  The 2nd try also failed.  And here came the train, cruising along the lake.  Sigh.
 
We beat it to Dougren and set up there.  More technical difficulties, but this time I got to fly. 
And just as the train passed us, here came another one up the siding for a meet!!  Surprise! 
 
But wait!  There’s more!  After packing up our gear and turning the Van around, here came a long stack train up the siding!  And it was facing a red signal, so it had to wait for Amtrak.  Another meet! 
 
We waited about ½ hour, and almost missed it!  Amtrak gave no warning of its approach, and was by us in a flash.  I barely got the drone off the launch pad, even though it was on standby and ready.  Dispatch gave the stacker a green light even before Amtrak passed the end of the siding.  The stack train only had 2 units on the head end; it’ll be slow up the hill.
 
We saw 4 trains and 2 meets in just 53 minutes!  That’s probably the most trains I’ve ever seen on the UP in one spot in a whole day.  What a great Father’s Day surprise!
 
1. UP 8139 rolled into Dougren before I was in position; I was most concerned with avoiding those wires!
2. Mrs. Hank was shootin’ at the same time.
3. The first meet.  After pivoting the bird and following the train, I finally noticed the opposing manifest approaching.  Surprise!
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Hopmere Hank
 

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4. The tail end of the first train rolls by as UP 6625 waits briefly in the siding for a green signal to start up the hill.  photo by Mrs. Hank
5. and Mrs. Hank caught this nice SP bulkhead flatcar (509154) that I missed, about 7 cars ahead of the DPUs.
6. the DPU’s exit the siding.  Hwy. 58 crosses over the train in the background.
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7. you’re looking NW (toward Springfield) as a stack train waits for Amtrak at Dougren.  Note: inverted flatcar to the right of the locomotives.  Hwy. 58 at upper left.
8. 2nd meet.  (drone shot, right off the launch pad)
9. with very little delay, UP 6386 is rollin’ by the green and back onto the main.
the end.
 

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Ah, a fresh place to see.  Pretty country.  You guys make a good shooting team.
JB - Omaha



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/20 13:18 by Copy19.

Nice shots HH!. Is that your white van in no.7?

BB

bmarti7 Wrote:
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> Nice shots HH!. Is that your white van in no.7?
Yessir.  And I'm flyin' from inside, out of the sun, where I can see the display.

HH

Great group of photos from you and the Mrs.!

Rich