Nostalgia & History > A Bit of Santa Fe to Wrap Up this Series

Nearly all the photos in this Cajon series were taken on an overnigher camp out in the Spring of 1977. The "attendees" were today's (40yrs later) TO members Stevo_W, SP4360, and SP3204. The 4 of us had all crossed paths when we hired out with the American Freedom Train during the course of it's 1975-76 tour. At the end of 1976 we went our separate ways, returning to our homes scattered around California. A few months later we all met on Cajon for a reunion of sorts. 40+ years later we're all still in regular touch (I lifted a beer with Stevo & SP3204 last week at the Red Frog in Colfax, and I spoke to SP4360 a couple of days ago on the phone).
In the 2nd photo I had crossed the tracks to include out camp site in the scene. That's my 'ol 66 VW camper bus. I slept in relative comfort- others resorted to cots, or worse!
A good time was had by all, except maybe whoever it was who had their hamburger roll off the grill and head off towards San Berdo that night...
Bon Appetit!
SR

---

---

Love your head on power shots that you have been posting. They capture the feel of the approaching train better than any other angle.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

Thanks! Yeah, a few extra mm of lens, a curve, and you’re in business. (But, like anything else, there’s the inherent danger of monotony)
The biggest problem now, with digital, is the burn-flare of headlights- it didn’t seem as much a problem with film. I haven’t really found a reliable solution yet...
anyone have a fave trick?
SR

“Camped” on that hill in image 3 many times and loved the early morning arrival of the SW Chief as I was almost at the height of the upper level of the passenger cars. Found myself longing to be on board which many years later I was able to do to and from Santa Fe, NM several times.

Great memories of Cajon!!!

BB in Spokane

Posted from iPhone

Looks like you set up camp very close to the Silverwood "Island" close to the recently added crossover between the Santa Fe and SP Palmdale Cutoff track. Wish you kept the bus!

The bus was great in Southern California on the coast, but when I moved from Santa Barbara to Donner Pass in ‘82 the poor thing was in WAY over it’s head! Every trip up 3mi Grade out of Colfax was tempting fate...
SR

To each his own I guess; I prefer the digital star to the fuzzy white blob in photo one.  Hard to beat B/W tho on film.
RB

BoilingMan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The bus was great in Southern California on the
> coast, but when I moved from Santa Barbara to
> Donner Pass in ‘82 the poor thing was in WAY
> over it’s head! Every trip up 3mi Grade out of
> Colfax was tempting fate...
> SR

This is why the external oil cooler mod became so popular. 

That burger was recovered and was back on the grill, with a little extrra minerals and fiber.
By the way, that burger was scared off the grill by a UP Centennial with an air raid siren.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/19 21:36 by SP4360.

As I remember it, the guy only tapped the air raid siren- it made a kind of hilarious cartoon slide whistle sound.
SR

You ATE that burger?! Man, talk about “stems and seeds”....

Yup, it made a "whoop" sound and that burger jumped right off the grill. I think sp3204 ended up with it. It came with built in toothpicks.

BoilingMan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As I remember it, the guy only tapped the air raid
> siren- it made a kind of hilarious cartoon slide
> whistle sound.
> SR
>
> You ATE that burger?! Man, talk about “stems
> and seeds”....

Damn, I knew that burger tasted different...thank God for the beer! When he touched that air raid siren off,
I remember all of our jaws dropped, the response was what the hell was that from everyone!