Western Railroad Discussion > USG Arriving Ocotillo Wells CA

Usually there is no way to beat the USG train from Plaster City to Ocotillo Wells (at least that's my experience). I suppose you might do it with a dune buggy of some sort, running along the ROW the entire way. But taking paved roads you end up driving many miles more than the train goes. We were absolutely shocked when we got to the mine only to see the train arriving on March 6, 2024. (I believe this was due to track work.)

 

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Yes, it can be done traveling on paved roads; we've managed it a time or three with a few minutes to spare. Don't know if track work was being done on those occasions or not, though. Good to see these recent USG pics, too.
GK

erielackawanna Wrote:
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> Usually there is no way to beat the USG train from
> Plaster City to Ocotillo Wells (at least that's my
> experience). I suppose you might do it with a dune
> buggy of some sort, running along the ROW the
> entire way.

Lightweight and small SUVs or crossovers can be used, as long as the road conditions can be confirmed beforehand. Drove a Ford Ecosport (AWD) all the way on one occasion, drove right over the sandtraps, didn't dig in. Jeep Renegade might be another vehicle that should do it without problems.

The road is a bit rough/rocky on the mine end, so a vehicle without high ground clearance will be unpleasant.

I haven't had any serious trouble keeping up with the train, heading from Plaster City to the mine and back again on multiple occassions, in my Tacoma. Maybe I've been lucky. Very nice combining a chase along this line with camping in adjacent Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

 A few years ago I drove the road in December and got concerned as it got sandier.  I eventually tried to turn onto the side (which was much harder) to turn around, but I got stuck in the process (it was a rental without even all wheel drive, let along a true 4x4.  It turned out good for me--there was cell service so I called 911, who hooked me up with a towing company that had a driver who liked to camp not too far away so he knew  the area.  While I waited for him a track crew came along but was unable to free me.  Then the train came heading to the mine and I got some good pictures from the sunny side.  Finally the driver came in a 4x4 pickup with a good cable.  He pulled me up onto the hard surface between the road and track, found a place for me to get back onto the road, and charged me a small fortune (as I had agreed before he came).  State Farm repaid me from my towing insurance, so all in all it was a good learning experience at no real cost.  I do miss my old International Scout, but I gave it up in my divorce over 40 years ago in exchange for the stove, refrigerator, washer, and dryer that I needed for raising my kids.