Western Railroad Discussion > ZLCTM and Historic Depots (Northern California)

ZLCTM = LATC (Los Angeles, CA) to TacSIM (Tacoma, WA) northbound "I-5 corridor" intermodal train.

My goal was to catch the ZLCTM running past the ex-SP Stockton "Cabral" Depot, so I showed up early enough to intercept the train 45+ miles south near Delhi, so I can document the entire train in a reasonable time.

Why? Because ZLCTM will usually slow down at the Stockton Depot before diverging from Fresno Sub to Sacramento Sub at El Pinal. The video will show what I mean. While I record the entire train near Delhi, I only recorded small segments of the train at Stockton.

This early February ZLCTM also had the 40' "ONE" reefer boxes like the one I caught in January.

- More on the ex-WP Sacramento Depot, next post.
- Video of ZLCTM at two locations, Delhi and Stockton.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/25 22:48 by cchan006.

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While I could have nabbed the same ZLCTM in Sacramento, I bailed and went home soon after.

I planned a hypothetical scenario to nab the ZLCTM at the ex-WP Sacramento Depot, now an Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant, as part of a Capitol Corridor joyride to Sacramento. I could have walked the 1.3 mile, or taken a SacRT bus (Route 30 or 38). Riding the light rail would have been cumbersome, as the Gold Line went too far south, and walking was still required.

Bus stop is right near the Old Spaghetti Factory.

3 weeks later, I jumped at the chance for a joyride based on when the ZLCTM departed Edison (east of Bakersfield) after the crew change. I hopped on Capitol Corridor #724, then hopped on SacRT bus from Amtrak Sacramento Valley Station, and after some wait, nabbed the ZLCTM running past the ex-WP depot. No 40' reefer boxes on this Z, running 4x0.

Few minutes later, ZLCTM struck a trespasser fatally, and had to wait around for a while to let the investigation finish. I went in Old Spaghetti Factory for lunch, and watched a BNSF train from my table. That BNSF train stopped further north, to wait for ZLCTM to clear from the trespasser strike.

- Ex-WP depot, "Old Spaghetti Factory" sign angle.
- Northbound BNSF autorack empties followed the ZLCTM.
- Video of the entire ZLCTM.

That's it for the report.
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/25 07:50 by cchan006.

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Thanks for this report and viceos. 

Good report and video as usual.

Looked like plenty of Hub boxes on both of these ZLCTM samples @StStephen.

Nice videos; interesting narrative as always!
GK