Western Railroad Discussion > FXE 4029: So Close Yet So Far From Home

Last week I got word there was daytime southbound Daygo (Barstow to San Diego manifest) on the San Diego Sub.The train had a Ferromex SD70ACe in the company's new paint as the first out DPU. This was the first time I'd seen an engine in this paint, and supposedly was the first time an ACe in this paint made it to CA. It's ironic the maiden run of such a unit brought it to the border town of San Diego, because as far as the rail network goes, it might as well have been the Midwest! San Diego might be on the border, but the nearest home rails are over 120 miles away as the crow flies at the border town of Mexicali. The trip home would actually be hundreds of miles longer when one accounts for the circuitous route it would have to take across both class 1's to get there (or one very impressive, most likely physically impossible trip over the SD&AE). 

I got word of the train as it passed Oceanside mid-afternoon, and I decided to try for a shot on Miramar, I've wanted to get for a while, thinking the train would be along within a couple of hours and the light would cooperate. As things go on the railroad, the freight ate delay after delay, and I ended up getting chased all over the hill by the light. By the time the freight arrived the ROW was nearly entirely in the shadows. NCTD dispatchers often get a lot of hate for the way they run the railroad, but nonetheless the dispatcher did an incredible job weaving passenger trains around each other and the freight in an attempt to keep things moving. 

1) The top of Rose Canyon, on the RR East side of Miramar, is one of the last portions of the San Diego Sub that hasn't been heavily developed. Compass west of the 805 the canyon has been heavily developed by Suburbia, and Miramar/Sorrento Valley is now dotted with office parks. The only reason this small portion hasn't been developed is it acts as a buffer to nearby MCAS Miramar. Trails and abandoned "garbage", for a lack of a better word, are everywhere up here, like the car pictured. 

2) The one source of human encroachment is the new military cemetery at Miramar. Opened in 2010, it acts as overflow for the now full cemetery at Fort Rosecrans. Every time I'm in the area crews are hard at work grading a new plot of land for burials, which is now becoming visible even down in the canyon.

3) I arrived at my spot, set up, and realized by the time the freight arrived I'd be fighting the light. I decided to hike across the canyon to a new location in the light. It was the right call, by the time I got this back lit grab shot of Northbound Coaster 653 the light had moved to the opposite side of the tracks (hence the black and white). 653 is passing a relatively young grove  of Eucalyptus, which were introduced to San Diego County by Santa Fe (California Southern) as a potential source of lumber for ties. The wood proved to be too soft, but the trees have thrived in San Diego's (and much of CA's) climate. 

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/21 23:32 by suvart.

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4) Next up was Northbound Coaster 655, led by NCTC 3001. The train is entirely composed of equipment in the old paint scheme, something that won't be around for too much longer. The cab car is masquerading in the new paint scheme, but is actually just wrapped. If you look at the roof, it's still painted in the old scheme with primer showing through. It still retains it's mechanical bell, which is being replaced with an E-bell as the cab cars are rebuilt. On the right are the foundations of the cantilever signals that once protected Selwyn, a CTC controlled crossover used by Santa Fe in the days of manned helpers over the hill. This was part of a WW2 improvement project which moved the ROW off the canyon floor onto higher ground and double tracked from Miramar to Elvira at the bottom of Rose Canyon. The agent at Miramar (Linda Vista until the 1950's, named after a settlement founded from grant lands sold by the Santa Fe) controlled Selywn until the agency was closed. At some point the crossover were de-powered and the signals removed (unsure exactly when). The crossover sat unused for decades, and NCTD removed it earlier this year. 

5) Southbound Amtrak 580 heads for Old Town and then Downtown San Diego. I missed the show, but listening to the radio 655 met the Daygo at CP Scripps, a 2014 era LOSSAN/SANDAG capacity improvement project halfway down Sorrento, and met 580 at Sorrento. 580 then crossed over and ran around the Daygo. 

6/7) At long last, just as the shadows were getting a little too long for comfort, BNSF 7385 East came into view. He was rolling along at near walking speed, expecting another fancy meet with two more Coasters at Rose, near the location of old Elvira. 

 

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7) BNSF 7385 East 

8) By the time the DPU's reached me the ROW was almost entirely in the shadows. All I could get was a grab shot in the last bit of light still shining on the equipment. 

9) As the freight came to a stop at down at Rose, Southbound Coaster 660 ran around on the other main. Northbound Coaster 657 was also waiting at Rose, staring down the Daygo nose to nose. 

 

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10) The mishmash of paint schemes on the equipment comprising 660 will be the new look of Coaster for the next few years. F59PHi 3002 is powering the train. Many San Diego foamers lament the retirement of the Coaster F40's, but I always prefered the look of the f59's anyway. 

11) After meeting two Southbounds (RR Eastbound) at Rose, Northbound (RR West) Coaster 657 quietly rockets toward Sorrento Valley and eventually Oceanside. 

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Nice series - first time to see the new paint scheme.

Bismarck Bill

That was probably the 2nd time newly-painted FXE 4029 visited SoCal.  Pictures of it heading east up Cajon Pass taken on Sept. 18 are at
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5328547,5328547#msg-5328547
GK
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/21 08:10 by TheNavigator.

TheNavigator Wrote:
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> That was probably the 2nd time newly-painted FXE
> 4029 visited SoCal.  Pictures of it heading east
> up Cajon Pass taken on Sept. 18 are at
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,
> 5328547,5328547#msg-5328547
> GK
>  

Doh, I even remember looking at that thread! Chalk that up as another example of "don't believe everything you read on the internet". That's why I put asterisks on most e-rumors I'm perpetuating with language like supposedly! 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/21 12:39 by suvart.

Here was the train eariler that day in Corona, as it was leaving Porphyry Siding.

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