Welcome to Eric's Adventures and Expeditions, where the emphasis is on action and adventure! It had been a year or so since I'd had the opportunity to railfan the Tehachapi/Mojave area, so I was ready! This trip was very successful, as the weather was perfect, and the railroad action was continuous and non-stop. Combine those ingredients, and you have the recipe for a successful trip!
Click on the thumbnail below to enlarge and read about my trip, as each thumbnail is in chronological order and is fully captioned. Enjoy, and I'll see you by the tracks!
|
|
BNSF 5312 leads a westbound manifest at Sandcut, east of Bakersfield. |
|
BNSF 5473 is on the point of a "mixed bag" of foreign power, in the hole at Caliente. |
|
|
U.P. 4669 east passes BNSF 5473, with the strange lash-up at Caliente. |
|
U.P. 4183 leads a train of emties, eastbound at M.P. 377.0 on the Mojave Subdivision. |
|
|
When you railfan the Mojave Subdivision, it helps to have a capable vehicle. |
|
Click on the thumbnail to read more about BNSF 4608 eastbound near Mojave. |
|
|
U.P. 5750 leads an easbound manifest under the signal bridge at Warren, west of Mojave. |
|
BN 977 leads an eastbound trailer train at M.P. 370.0, west of Mojave. |
|
|
How often do you see a C.N. unit leading a westbound manifest in Merced? |
|
It's after sundown, and U.P. 9152 grinds up the 2.33% ruling grade west of Mojave. |
|
Yes, I'm quite aware that Union Pacific uses the nomenclature of "Northbound" and "Southbound" on the Mojave Subdivision. However, after railfanning for 40-something years, I can't quite bring myself to use that terminology. I guess I'm a traditionalist. Although I have a digital camera and use it about 98% of the time, I prefer to use my trusty old Canon AE-1 for railroad photos, as I have the benefit of using a 135mm telephoto lens for dramatic effects, and the shutter fires instantly, without the short delay, depending upon the lighting conditions, that the digital camera is prone to experience. |
