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Alameda Corridor Trip to ICTF Page 1

Alameda Corridor Trip to ICTF

February 24, 2007
Copyright 2007 by Richard Elgenson

I accompanied Mr. Barnes through the whole train ending up in the Idaho car.  Inside the Idaho car, several crew members were catching up on work on their laptop computers, including (left) John Hedrick, Southwest Research Institure, Principal Engineer - Medium Speed Diesel Engines and (right) David Ducharme, GE Transportation, Manager, Global Product Safety and Regulatory Commpliance.  Relaxing behind were a Train Commissary staff menber and a smiling James Barnes.  Just before 5:00 PM, the Green Locomotive Technology Tour train was shoved out of Los Angeles Union Station, across the Sunset line bridge and up the east bank of the Los Angeles River. 

   

The train was stopped and the crew exited the "Idaho" and walked the train forward to the head end.  During that time, an unmarked SUV was nearby with a UP police officer.  After about 5 minutes, the train pulled forward along the east bank of the LA River. 

   

Not content with staying in the luxury of the Idaho car or riding in either dome car, I asked Mr. Barnes if I might take photographs from the Idaho car vestibule with its dutch door top open.  He accompanied me and while I took the pictures, I pointed out some of the (few) landmarks visible from the train.  Below right are support members taking video footage of the Tour train.

   

Above left, the Sunset Line track leading towards Los Angeles Union Station.  Below right, Amtrak Pacific Surliner train 784 has left Union Station with her destination being San Diego.

   

The first thing we saw (above right) was several emergency vehicles on the East Cesar E. Chavez overcrossing of the LA River.  There was smoke coming from the vicinity of the direction the train was heading.  It turned out to be a trash fire possibly started by the homeless residents who live in the area.

   

Above right, UP mow cars filled with ballast for local refurbishment jobs.  The next area of interest was the Amtrak yard on the west bank of the river.  Sitting there (below right) was a BNSF locomotive which had been used to bring in an Amtrak train earlier that day.  He was about to move towards his terminal and was spotted later.

   

Below right, the BNSF locomotive on the passenger flyover track.

   

After passing the last industrial units on the east bank, the train joined the UP lead to the Alameda Corridor and again crossed the LA River.  The lead tracks to the "J" yard had the suns late afternoon reflection on them.  The track descended into the Alameda Corridor trench through a left hand curve.

   

   

During the traverse through the trench, we did not meet or pass any trains.

   

   

   

Alameda Corridor to ICTF page 2

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