Rail Fanning out west

[Anonymous]

Sometime this spring ( 2005 ) I want to do about a week to ten days of rail fanning out west, in Arizona, New Mexico, from the Colorado/ Texas borders on towards California. Does anyone know where I can find frequency of trains so I don't waste time along seldom used rails? I've heard that Raton Pass is not used much anymore. Is that true? Where are some good areas to go where trains can be seen? Thanks[

[spbed]

TomCritter I think I have some good suggestions for you.

The UPRR Sunset Route from Lax to Tucson has easy access & lots of traffic if you just like to see trains moving.

If you like to see "real railroading" then you have to get to Riverside, Colton & Daggett, CA

If you want super of views of trains going up or downhill Cajon Pass (the summit or Hesperia hill) is the ticket.

It is all good so whatever you pick I am sure you will enjoy. BTW all but the Sunset Route are both UPRR & BNSF action

[dldance]

Check the Amtrak schedules for the areas you want to visit. Last spring I crossed Raton pass and saw an Amtrak / BNSF meet - so there are still some trains there. I also like Clovis to Ft. Sumnar - the BNSF transcon.

dd

[TheS.P.caboose]

If you're able to make it out to Southern California, travel along I-10. From the east, when you're at Pepper Avenue exit there and turn left going over the yard tracks. This is West Colton Yard. The way the yard is set up everything moves from west to east. If the traffic is at the same levels, there should be about 60 trains a day. Heaviest freight traffic on Sunday mornings. I've seen 6,000 ton hot shots to 14,000 ton drags roll by. The Sunset Limited, I believe passes by here as well.

There's also some traffic on the BNSF that travels in and out of Hobart Yard. Some to and from San Diego, however that's usually night running. Across the street from Hobart is Union Pacific's East Los Angeles Yard. Traffic here does come from Victorville as well as points north and east that travels over the trackage right thru Cajon Pass.

If you go to Tehachapi, BNSF has trackage rights over the UP between Mojave and Kern Junction (Bakersfield). BNSF runs during daylight hours and UP run during the night hours.

There is a fair amount of traffic that heads north from Long Beach as well.

[TheS.P.caboose]

Another thought I had, is you're interested in BNSF along I-40, it passes thru Barstow where BNSF has a big yard. Heading west out of Barstow, towards the north the traffic winds up on trackage rights over the Union Pacific between Mojave and Kern Junction (Bakersfield) and on to Richmond, CA. West towards the south, the traffic travels thru Cajon Pass into San Bernardino, Los Angeles and San Diego. Towards the south east the trackages travels thru Needles and onto the Seligman Subdivision. Towards the northeast, Union Pacific enters/exists the trackage rights at Daggett headed towards Yermo, Las Vegas, NV and Salt Lake City, UT.

[Anonymous]

DeLorme Topo USA makes maps for your computer which allows you to print out every railroad track in the country. You can minipulate each page with just the area you want to visit . I use it for every trip away from my local area and it really helps. I crossed the country following the Union Pacific all the way to Wisconsin from Neveda....never missed a road or railroad highlight. Check it out on the web......

[TheS.P.caboose]

Good heads up sponthetrona2. Thanks for the info!!

[spbed]

All the places you mentioned are A1 in my book. [8D]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheS.P.caboose

Another thought I had, is you're interested in BNSF along I-40, it passes thru Barstow where BNSF has a big yard. Heading west out of Barstow, towards the north the traffic winds up on trackage rights over the Union Pacific between Mojave and Kern Junction (Bakersfield) and on to Richmond, CA. West towards the south, the traffic travels thru Cajon Pass into San Bernardino, Los Angeles and San Diego. Towards the south east the trackages travels thru Needles and onto the Seligman Subdivision. Towards the northeast, Union Pacific enters/exists the trackage rights at Daggett headed towards Yermo, Las Vegas, NV and Salt Lake City, UT.

[TheS.P.caboose]

As a footnote concerning Tehachapi, the BNSF tends to run their trains during the day. UP tends to run their trains overnight.

[spbed]

Well when I was there I saw 6 BNSFers & 6 UPRRers. Guess I was lucky & that is like in about 6 hours of railfanning. [:D]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheS.P.caboose

As a footnote concerning Tehachapi, the BNSF tends to run their trains during the day. UP tends to run their trains overnight.

[TheS.P.caboose]

spbed, you've done better than anybody I know. Even talking to the Metrolink managers, they're impressed in a good way.

[Anonymous]

I live near the Tehachapi area, eat lunch in Mojave a lot, and train movements are based on what's happening in Stockton and Colton primarily ( excluding lumber shipments ). I have seen up to 20 consists in a six hour period and also no movement at all in an eight hour period. I think the BNSF moves a tad more freight than the UP but the UP has yard action in Mojave, so it's a toss up.....

[Anonymous]

how far west do you have to be for [out west]? west of the mississippi river? west of
fort worth, okla city, wichita, or omaha? west of denver and el paso? or just in one of
the states on the pacific ocean?


theo sommerkamp [e-mail]

[spbed]

You know that is a very good question. I took "out west" to be AZ or Calif [8D]

QUOTE: Originally posted by sommerkamp

how far west do you have to be for [out west]? west of the mississippi river? west of
fort worth, okla city, wichita, or omaha? west of denver and el paso? or just in one of
the states on the pacific ocean?


theo sommerkamp [e-mail]

[bowlerp]

You mention Arizona. If going as far west as Flagstaff, there are many superior vistas with great mountainous backgrounds of very busy BNSF trunk line. There is also the Grand Canyon Railway in nearby Williams, running daily steam trips the 60 miles to the Canyon, with many open vistas for great photography both morning and evening, since it lies roughly on a north-south axis unlike the trunklines.

Further west, there is some very photogenic canyon areas near Kingman, again on the very busy ex-ATSF mainline.

The river crossing of the Colorado still further west at the border of Arizona and California, is also nice. AMTRAK travels this line, but not always in daylight.

Cajon is great, if you find your way around. Barstow is very interesting, with several great elevated vantage points for the yard and station.

People do fan and travel the entire distance from the border to Cajon in one day sometimes, but it is a grind. If you have 2,3, or 4 days, you can do all these places in one intensive trip, but it is less tiring to stay in a spot longer.

[espeefoamer]

I was in Tehachapi Monday,and saw lots of both BNSF and UP trains.

[TheS.P.caboose]

I live closer to the ols SP Saugas Line. The UP, because of Metrolink, runs over night. There's definitely more action in and out of West Colton.

The people I know that go to Tehachapi more often than I do usually don't see much UP. I do enjoy getting a meal at Carl's Junior. sponthetrona2 is right about the action at Mojave yard.

[spbed]

Yes I agree with you on Colton. Nice hot spots. I will be there for my 3rd year in a row in lalate August. If you have not go down to the UPRR/BNSF juncture @ Riverside you can get what I think I think is sper shots of both UPRR & BNSF trains moving thru the interlockings there [:o)][:o)]

Originally posted by TheS.P.caboose

Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR  Austin TX Sub

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