Today at Cajon

[chad thomas]

This morning I decided after a long week I needed to get a train fix. So I headed to Cajon pass. I left San Diego around 11 under a mostly cloudy sky. I figured it would be about the same on the hill but was pleasently suprised to find sunshine twards the top. I didn't see anything as I rolled up old 66 till I got to Cajon where I found three trains in the zone. There was a BNSF TOFC heading down tward San Berdoo and a UP stacker going up through Sullivans while UP manifest was comming down out of the same curve on the cutoff. After a few minuets there I decided to get a bite to eat at McD's and make my own tracks to Silverwood and catch the UP again. Right as I turned onto the 138 a CHP cut me off and blocked me to allow about a hundred Harley Davidson riding LA fire department guys to head up the hill. After watching all those cool hogs pass I got my lunch and headed up to CP Silverwood. Again I found myself in the middle of three trains going past me at the same time. That would be the trend of the day.

After I watched them dissapear from sight I perched myself on top of the hill west of where the two mains split (someone else got the best hill in between). It was quiet for about a half hour, then trains started comming at me from every direction. The BNSF security also was moving in on me. I was thinking here we go, I'm about to get the boot, but I was wrong. He introduced himself as Ralph and asked if I was enjoying myself. He was very friendly and told me I was just fine where I was at. After a brief conversation he went on his way. Of course he distracted me from the three way meet.

Not to worry though. The three way meet would repeat itself several times in different variations throughout the afternoon. It was almost as if they were doing it on purpose. It would be dead for an hour or so then all the sudden there would be three trains going by. then dead again and the cycle would repeat itself.

Most of what I saw was typical except that every other BNSF train had NS power in the consist. Oh, and I caught a SD70ACE on one of the UP trains. I decided to leave around 7pm but before I did I got one final burst of action. A UP grain train came around the curve at the top then right next to it a minuet behind was a BNSF trailer train. The grain train took the Silverwood connector to the Palmdale line while the BNSF overtook him on the downhill track. While all that was going on another UP train came up the uphill track and had to stop while the other UP cleared the connector.

All in all it was a good day. But I'm beat. I am going to hit it soon. Goodnight everyone.

[daveklepper]

Thanks for the report. Did you take any photographs?

[chad thomas]

No, Unfortunatly I moved from northern Cal. a few months back and all my gear is in storage, including camera and scanner.

[coborn35]

Wish i could get up to Cajon, the only railfanning ive been able to do lately is catch 1 BNSF coal train en-route from Powder River to Allouez. (they run about 5-7 trains a day-loaded and empty)

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: The BNSF security also was moving in on me. I was thinking here we go, I'm about to get the boot, but I was wrong. He introduced himself as Ralph and asked if I was enjoying myself. He was very friendly and told me I was just fine where I was at. After a brief conversation he went on his way.

Nice report, especially in light of some of the other threads we've been seeing.


Regards

Ed