Nostalgia & History > Under the storm at Stronghold

Today is another rainy day here in southern Oregon so I've been working on catching up on long overdue projects, which I know I won't finish. While cataloging more of my slides I found a few Modoc Line shots I took at the SP-BN diamond at Stronghold, CA. Rainy days are one thing, but there's something special when the afternoon sun gets under the storm clouds while standing trackside.

This first shot if looking south from the diamond on BNSF's ex-BN, ex Great Northern "Inside Gateway". I love those old upper quadrant semaphores. - Tony J.

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Looking south on the Modoc Line towards Newell, CA. - Tony J.

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Again looking south on the Modoc, with the hill near Newell with one of the few SP signals in the distance. - Tony J.

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Panning the camera to the right again on the BN line. - Tony J.

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Not an "under the storm" shot, but sunsets are nice, too. Here's the sun setting on Espee's ex-Rock Island yard at Liberal, KS. in 1991. - Tony J.

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On last shot of a sunset; this time looking down the UP main at Cozad, Nebraska in 1991. - Tony J.

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TonyJ Wrote:
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>
> This first shot if looking south from the diamond
> on BNSF's ex-BN, ex Great Northern "Inside
> Gateway". I love those old upper quadrant
> semaphores. - Tony J.


Yeah, I borrowed a car from the fireman on my job years ago and headed south from Klamath Falls to catch the BN local. Great spot and thanks for sharing your storm light shot.

Great 'stormlight', not the day to be walking around with an extended metal tripod in your hands. Understand that the Modoc Northern RR is running out there now, not sure of the schedule but they seem to like to run trains and even rumored to have cabooses.

It would appear that you should have your slicker suit ready from the looks of those clouds Tony. If I remember correctly, we went out there in 1996 too.

The Liberal yard has changed, someone removed most of those poles.

They took out the BN Semp. and replaced them with light types. The SP had a "D" or distant signal on the approach and an interlocking at the diamond. I was weird to be on a helper and go by the distant signal and it was yellow, not red.

Nudge

Was always fun heading south out of Klath on the BN. Just abotu Merril you would be side by side with the SP. Many time we would racing a SP frt to the diamond. Sometimes you had an idea that you were going to hit the circut before them. Other times you weren't sure. Those were the days that you had them in run 8 with a set in them just as you hit the approach circut. If the semaphore started to wiggle up wards you kicked of the air, if not well....drop the anchor.....that'll do...

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
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> It would appear that you should have your slicker
> suit ready from the looks of those clouds Tony. If
> I remember correctly, we went out there in 1996
> too.
>
> The Liberal yard has changed, someone removed
> most of those poles.


Harold,
I don't think we made it to Stronghold during your visit, but we should have. It didn't rain on me that day at Stronghold, but it did when I got back to K. Falls. - Tony J.

TCnR Wrote:
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> Great 'stormlight', not the day to be walking
> around with an extended metal tripod in your
> hands. Understand that the Modoc Northern RR is
> running out there now, not sure of the schedule
> but they seem to like to run trains and even
> rumored to have cabooses.


Nothing more exciting that being a ground rod for lightning, although there wasn't any that day.

I plan to catch the Modoc Northern in a few eeks as they're running more frequently than Uncle Pete did, plus they are getting a caboose. - Tony J.

> ----- caboose


Any idea of heritage? SP type? BN type? They have a Lakeview run as well, that would be interesting.

Need to do some 'shopping' in KF, maybe I can get that neighbor with the new-fangled digital camera to tag along.

TCnR Wrote:
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> > > ----- caboose
>
>
> Any idea of heritage? SP type? BN type? They have
> a Lakeview run as well, that would be
> interesting.
>
> Need to do some 'shopping' in KF, maybe I can get
> that neighbor with the new-fangled digital camera
> to pay for the gas.
> Ya, right. Bah,ha,ha.
>
>
No idea. There was a recent thread (or news release) about the railroad getting a caboose to make operations easier, but I can't recall where I saw it. - Tony J.

TCnR Wrote:
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> > ----- caboose
>
>
> Any idea of heritage? SP type? BN type? They have
> a Lakeview run as well, that would be
> interesting.
>
> Need to do some 'shopping' in KF, maybe I can get
> that neighbor with the new-fangled digital camera
> to tag along.
>

I believe it is a well proportioned and attractive ex-D&RGW (which is redundant, of course) model.

One prevented derailment (or significantly lessened impact from such) easily pays for the extra operational costs of running with a caboose. Or so goes the thinking on the Modoc Northern.

> -----
> > > ----- caboose
> >

>
> I believe it is a well proportioned and attractive
> ex-D&RGW (which is redundant, of course)
> model.
>
> One prevented derailment (or significantly
> lessened impact from such) easily pays for the
> extra operational costs of running with a caboose.
> Or so goes the thinking on the Modoc Northern.


Good info, thanks.
An ounce of prevention some would say. Suppose it's the cost of a derailment or grade crossing incident vs any medical claim from the rear-end crew. Maybe shorter trains and less slack action as well.

It's also f'ing cold up there. For example, the Canadian National would equip thier cabooses for the crew to survive a few days if something happened and they couldn't get 'out'. Lakeview may not be the end of the world, but if you climb a tall hill you can certainly see the edge.