BNSF Gateway Sub

[zwspnby9]

I forget, How many BNSF trains operate on this Line each day?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I lived up In Chester, CA for over two years. If you are going to that area specifically, the BNSF main line runs right along Hwy 147 on the east side of Lake Almanor.

Also, you can go down Hwy 89 from Chester, south, to Greenville and Indian Valley. Beautiful locations in the valley through Crescent Mills and Indian Falls. You can also follow 89 all the way to Hwy 70 and the Feather River Canyon.

Have fun!

[andrewjonathon]

What is the traffic density like on the line these days?

[Anonymous]

I think you can listen to the radio traffic on railroadradio.net

Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by andrewjonathon

What is the traffic density like on the line these days?

As many as 6-7 each way each day.

zwspnby9,
I'm not that familiar with the line through Little Valley to Keddie but I know the line from Beiber up to Klamath. Between Lookout and Tulelake it's pretty much 4wd territory unless you go in late summer and even then it's a sketchy proposition. I could direct you to a few points of easy access along this part of the line if your interested in it that far north.

[zwspnby9]

Thank you king86 for your reply. It will be useful to me. Chester, CA. (Thats pretty awesome!)

Chad Thomas: Yea I am interested in going up north of Nubieber to Klamath Falls.

By the way, is the line still jointed rail with wood ties? Or is the Line actually equipped with concrete ties and welded rail?

Thanks again Chad Thomas and king86.

[chad thomas]

Well if you are going to explore the line from Bieber north you better equip yourself with some good maps as there really is no one road to follow. The toughest part will be between Lookout and the Lave Beds area (Tionesta). Many roads in this area are little more then two rut roads with no maintainance. You shoul be alright in the summer time though, even with 2wd. There is little civilization in this streach so be prepared. I recomend getting a USFS Modoc co. map available at any Forrest service office.

Once it gets into the Tulelake basin the roads are plentifull and paved and you can follow fairly easy up to Malin and along the base of Mt. Stukel. In Klamath Falls both the UP and BNSF yards are accessable for photography as both have roads nearby to take pics from and both yards have overpasses that cross above them.

Back in the 80s when traffic on the inside gateway was at is lowest the UP really let there end go. It was jointed rail and things got so bad they had a harmonic rocking rule that trains had to avoid the 13-17mph speed range because cars would rock themselves right off the tracks. But while the UP let things go, the BN kept there track in tip-top condition. I think it's welded rail the whole way from K Falls to Beiber but I'm not sure. The whole line has been good for 49mph for as far back as I can remember.
I don't know of any concrete ties being installed, but sience the BNSF got the UP segment down to Keddie they have done a lot of work to bring it up to snuff and they may have installed some.

If you have a scanner here are the freqs used.

Road
161.100
160.515

PBX
160.355 Keddie to Halls Flat
160.590 Halls Flat to Bieber
160.620 Beiber to Tionesta
160.665 Tionesta to Klamath Falls
161.490 Westwood

[zwspnby9]

Thanks. And I will get that USFS Modoc Co. Map.

[zwspnby9]

Wait a minute! Is there really 6-7 freights each way/24 hours?

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zwspnby9

Wait a minute! Is there really 6-7 freights each way/24 hours?

Yes, It's so busy that BNSF is ocasionaly detouring trains to the UP Shasta line. There are the Pasco-Stockton, Pasco-Barstow, Vancouver-Barstow train pairs and the bare tables. I think Klamath builds and recives daily trains for Stockton & Barstow too. They used to run the Swift road railer trains too but they quit that train and sent the equiptment back east. Quite an improvement for a line that was on the brink of death 10 years ago.

[zwspnby9]

WOW! This is very intersting Chad. THANKS! I would NOT have guessed that this line would ever be this busy this soon (2006).
Thank You. Funny, I was hoping to catch the Swift Roadrailer when I went down there.

Every little bit of information helps me out. So Thank You Chad.
Could you please inform me about any shifts or increases in traffic if it ever happens?
I would really appreciate that.