Bill Compton picked me up at 6:08 AM and I knew that Amtrak Heritage Unit 184 was on the Southwest Chief this morning. We drove out to Corona, exiting the Riverside Freeway at McKinley Avenue, where we took Sampson Avenue west to Radio Road, crossed the BNSF mainline and parked in a lot.
BNSF 7724 East was sitting at May this morning awaiting a crew.
The Southwest Chief with Amtrak 184 trailing came west, after which we returned to the Riverside Freeway and when we reached Interstate 215, we found the freeway closed. It would have been nice if Caltrans had used their freeway signs to tell us about this well in advance. We exited at Center Street after creeping forward for twenty minutes, then went west on East La Cardena Drive back to Columbia Avenue, to Main Street which turns into Riverside Drive, which we took to East Slover Avenue to Pepper Street. Here we found Union Pacific's West Colton Yard strangely dead. We continued to Cajon Pass and Hill 582 but on the way, had a train approaching from behind, so we pulled over and stopped.
BNSF 7777 East at the location of the former Tunnel 1. From here we drove to Hill 582, parked and had a westbound train coming.
BNSF 4035 West.
California Highway 138 certainly has curves. We then heard a train climing three percent grade south track.
Union Pacific 7419 East climbing the grade.
BNSF 7873 East.
BNSF 5320 West.
BNSF 8061 West.
BNSF 8209 East.
BNSF 6528 West.
BNSF 1034 West.
This cumulus cloud had rotation in it which vanished right in front of me. We drove down to Keenbrook where we found the last train now sitting here.
BNSF 1034 West.
Union Pacific 8160 East. From here we headed to Cajon Boulevard and stopped near its south end.
BNSF 7243 East along Cajon Boulevard in San Bernardino, after which we drove over to Pepper Street.
GMTX MP14B 7000, Ultra-Low Emission Locomotive built by Motive Power Industries, ex. Mid-Michigan Railroad 1367 2005, exx. Southern Ontario Railway 1367, nee Canadian National SW1200RS 1367 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1960, at their plant in West Colton.
We returned home and I gave Bill one of my 2015 Train Travel calendars. It had been another great trip to Hill 582 in Cajon Pass.
| RETURN TO THE MAIN PAGE |