3/4/2022 None of us had been to Ash Hill for quite a while, so arrangements were made with Bill Compton, who picked Elizabeth and I up at 6:30 PM and after loading our gear into his truck, we left Santa Ana, taking CA Highway 55 to the toll lanes on eastbound CA Highway 91, then the car pool lane to almost Interstate 5 which we took over Cajon Pass and Victorville to Interstate 40, exiting at East Main Street. Upon arrival, we checked into the Best Western Desert Villa Inn for the night.
3/5/2022 Elizabeth and I met Bill at the truck at 7:15 AM and he drove west to Lenwood Road and the Black Bear Diner where I enjoyed French Toast and bacon for my breakfast. After that we drove east on Interstate 40 to Nebo Road and took National Grails Highway east to Newberry Springs, where we returned to Interstate 40 to Ludlow and exited onto National Trails Highway, taking that to Ash Hill and overlooking the cut. The wind was blowing really hard so I used the truck as a shield and stayed outside in my lawn chair reading magazines. Our wait was not long before the first train.
BNSF 3837 East as our first train.
BNSF CW44-9 669 was in the consist.
BNSF 6602 West was our next train.
BNSF 8510 east became the third train of the morning.
Mid train DPU 8079.
Rear end train DPU BNSF 5403.
That was followed by BNSF 3785 East.
Our final train at Ash Hill was BNSF 9204 West. We decided to relocate, so headed back west to the curve east of Lavic for more pictures.
BNSF 7075 East was our first train here.
BNSF 9204 West with mid-train DPUs BNSF 6944, 6388 and 4757. This was our last train at Ash Hill.
BNSF 4197 West came by our photo location.
BNSF 7131 East was our next train.
BNSF 3259 West with DPUs 6526, 5361 and 6804.
BNSF 8360 East then came through.
BNSF 8041 East at the curve.
Our magazine reading was interrupted by BNSF 3925 West.
BNSF 7500 East with rear DPU BNSF 4318. We started to head back but made it only to East Pisgah for one last train.
BNSF 4965 East at East Pisgah. We then made it back to Interstate 40 and outside Barstow, I took two pictures from the truck window.
CSX ES44DC 5333 at East Barstow.
BNSF C44-9W 685 at East Barstow. We continued to Interstate 15 then exited at Ranchero Road after traffic came to a stop on Interstate 15. We took this road to Summit Valley Road to CA Highway 138 back to Cajon Pass, and a still slowly-moving Interstate 15 to the next exit at Cleghorn Road. Our route took us on Cajon Boulevard all the way to north San Bernardino where we got on Interstate 215 and made it into the car pool lane which we took onto CA Highway 91 then the toll road through Santa Ana Canyon back to CA Highway 55 and our apartment. We both thanked Bill for doing all the driving and for an excellent day of railfanning.
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