Audio Output from Hotbox Detector of the UP Monster Train

For those of you who are curious, here is an audio recording of the IDILBF-08 (UP’s Monster Train) going by the hotbox detector at MP 657.2 on the Yuma Subdivision. Never heard an axle count even close to this one before.

News Segment for NBC LA Channel 4 Featuring Our Video

In case you didn’t see it, here is the news segment that shows the UP Monster Train video that we allowed NBC to use.

Video of UP Monster Train (IDILBF-08) at Ontario, CA (Longest Union Pacific Train Ever)

Continued from previous post…

I began to have that moment where you reflect on the day’s events.  What if I had left earlier in the morning to get a better head start?  Perhaps I could have met the train further to the east.  Was there a better spot?  How did my photos turn out?

We decided to eat lunch trackside so Deb made sandwiches and I checked out the photos and videos from the various cameras we used throught the adventure.  Obviously some photos were crappy and some were OK.  A few were even good, but lunch was awesome.

I thought we were heading home from a challenging yet rewarding time chasing the monster train across the western edge of the Yuma Subdivision so I eased the pace as we got back on the Interstate 10 and headed west.  I even shut down my various train tracking devices and the GPS.  We drove home.

I expected to see the train stopped at the West Colton facility waiting for a crew change.  As we passed the Pepper Avenue overpass I could see all of the railfans hanging out.  “The train must not have made it to West Colton yet!”  I thought to myself.  Perhaps there is a chance to get one more photo opportunity!

We had to get home to drop off some guests that we had taken on the trip with us.  I took that opportunity to refresh the camera batteries and myself a bit.  I decided that we could run up to the Mountain Avenue overpass and shoot the train from that vantage point.  I just didn’t know for sure which subdivision it would be traveling on as it headed for Long Beach.  I suspected that it must be the Alhambra Subdivision.  The chase was back on.

I convinced my wife to saddle up one last time and we got into position at the Mountain Avenue overpass once I had confirmed that the train was in fact on the move now after the crew change in West Colton.

Here is my photo of the train as it blew by the overpass:

The IDILBF-08, UP Longest Train Ever Run, passes through Ontario, CA at the Mountain Avenue overpass.

Fortunately Deb agreed to go with me and she shot the following video:

Now the trip was over and I deemed it successful.  Not so much because I got the shots I had hoped for but rather for the experience and the good shots I did get!

Thanks Union Pacific!

Video of UP Monster Train (IDILBF-08) at Fingal, CA (Longest Union Pacific Train Ever)

Continued from previous post…

We slipped, slided, and slung our way through the parade of other railfans on US Highway 111 and raced to beat the train to the grade crossing located at our next turn on 62nd Avenue.  Well, I lost.  I was trapped at the crossing.  I waited for the beast to clear the crossing and then I headed north on Highway 86 towards Interstate 10 to head west.

My next preplanned photo spot was to be near the end of the Highway 62 and the tracks just west of Palm Springs, CA.  I missed the intended exit due to heavy traffic volumes which made me late to get in postion before the train arrived.  I motored on.

Thankfully the train began to slow as it began it’s ascent of Beaumont Hill west of Palm Springs.  That gave me the extra time I needed to try a few off-ramps and see if I could get into position in time.  Fortunately I was able to.  It ended up being a location known by the railroad as Fingal, CA.

We watched in amazement as the train struggled to climb out of the basin in which it currently traveled through.  We were captivated to see such an awesome sight.  So much so that I almost forgot to take photos.  At this point I had a spare video recorder handy so I placed it in position and turned it on just in time.  As the train approached our location I began snapping off frames.  Here are a couple of them:

Wow.  Again I was lost in watching this train climb the grade at 18MPH.  It took nearly ten minutes.  I lost track of the fact that I had set down the other video recorder.  I ran over to take a look at what it captured.

Here is the video that I edited to remove gaps and mind lapses:

The trip was over and I deemed it successful.  Not so much because I got the shots I had hoped for but rather for the experience.

Turns out it wasn’t over.  More to follow…

UP Monster Train (IDILBF-08) at Bombay Beach, CA (Longest Union Pacific Train Ever)

Our effort to see the beast paid off!

We did manage to get into position to catch the Union Pacific’s longest freight train ever ran near Niland, CA.  Using all means of tracking the trains we were able to establish where we wanted the chase to begin.  Turns out, after factoring in the sunrise, our position and that of the train, the location would be near Bombay Beach, CA.

I heard the train before I could see it.  I think that had to do with the fact that the train noise was echoing off of the higher elevation behind it.  I climbed atop my Lance Camper to see if I could see anything.  Holy Smokes!!!!  There it is.  The train was MASSIVE!  It stretched out far beyond what my naked eyes could see.  I believe that haze and distance from the train where against me.

The time seemed to stand still as it closed the distance between us.  Finally I was able to see, through the camera lense, what I thought was the entire train.  I snapped this photo:

My Whole Train Shot. (Click to open full-size version)

The train was quickly passing me up now and I was shocked at the speed at which it was moving!  Clearly it was doing timetable speed.  Quick snap a couple more:

The head end of the IDILBF-08: UP 7454, UP 7419, UP 7462 - all GEVOs

The Union Pacific’s Longest Train Curving towards East Bertram, CA next to the Salton Sea

We jump into the truck and race off to the west.  As we round the bend towards East Bertram, CA the train is NOWHERE in sight.  She was clearly gonna make us work to see her again.  I was up for the challenge but the traffic and speed limits were not in my favor.

I mashed the accelerator, I wanted more shots.  More to follow…

Chance of a Lifetime!

After our recent jaunt out to the furthest reaches of the Needles Subdivision, I spent the next two days refitting and refueling our rig, doing some anaylsis and post-processing of the photos from that trip.  I eagerly looked forward to spending the last four days of my vacation doing mostly nothing except getting caught up on the NHL games spilling out of my DVR and reading some.

Tonight I made the mistake of, or had the good fortune of, learning that the Union Pacific was running a HUGE test train (IDILBF-08) from Dallas, TX to Long Beach, CA (The outcome and net result remains to be seen).  It sounded intriguing so I took a closer look at the schedule and routing of the train.

Holy smokes!  The train is currently scheduled to leave Yuma, AZ around 5:00 AM tomorrow morning bound for Long Beach, CA over the Yuma Subdivision.  The details of the train are staggering!  295 Loads, 0 Empties, 15,498 Tons, and 18,061 Feet!  That’s over 3.4 miles long!

In the 30+ years that I have been chasing steel I have NEVER seen a train that long.  This I have to see firsthand.  I have since broken out the timetables, maps, and assorted planning tools to see what I can do.  Turns out I can chase this train and we should get good light throughout the run from Yuma.

“Deb,” I yelled to my wife, “pack up again.  We are heading back out!”  

“Whaaatt?” She exclaimed.  I explained the significance of the opportunity and she is now fully on board.  I am going to pack up the rig and head out as soon as I can.  I hope we have good luck and get the shots that we want.

See ya!  Yuma-bound!  More to follow…

Finally, The Needles Subdivision Again!

Well the holidays finally came and went.  As is typically the case for larger family gatherings, we were the hosts for the holiday activities again this year.  As such, the requisite holiday shopping and decorations coupled with preparing the home for the eventual army of family members consumed the entire first week of my year-ending two week vacation.

Now that the holidays were over and all the “joy” was behind us, my wife and I set out on one of our adventures to seek the peace and quiet of heavy tonnage and 25,000+ horsepower rumbling by at nearly 70 MPH amidst vast open desert landscapes and arduous grades that only the BNSF’s Needles Subdivision could provide.  (OK, I guess the UP’s Yuma Subdivision technically qualifies as well but it just doesn’t have the traffic density that I prefer).

The first night out we found a quiet patch of hillside upon which we planted our rig, and called it “home,” near Cadiz, CA.  The light was already gone at this point so photography was out of the question but we did enjoy witnessing the exchanging of cars between the BNSF and the Arizona & California Railroad which takes place at Cadiz six nights (at least in the winter months) a week.

Day two was all about finding “the spot.”  The spot is the place that I think would be good to camp at and just take photos morning to night for a day or two.  (As I am getting up in age my health seems to go down the other way so I am not as mobile when I railfan as I once was.  Go figure!)  I planned on the area near Ibis, CA for this trip.  As we drove around the area of Ibis, CA and looked for a good location that had the right lighting and was publicly accessible, I just wasn’t feeling it.  We continued on down the road.

Ultimately, we found a cool site that I liked at the southern end of the Dead Mountains range with the railroad name of Java, CA.  At this location the railroad line curves away from Needles and heads towards Klinefelter, CA.  The dogs seemed to enjoy the area as well.  We parked our rig and shot photos throughout the day and most of the next day.

BNSF 796 (GE DASH9-44CW), BNSF 8715 (EMD GP60), BNSF 4915 (GE DASH9-44CW), BNSF 4461 (GE DASH9-44CW), and BNSF 4198 (GE DASH9-44CW) lean into a sharp curve near Klinefelter, CA with an eastbound manifest in tow.Day three found us leaving the hamlet of Java and headed back west.  I had always wanted to fully explore the area around Klondike, CA (Ash Hill) and today I was going to make sure I did.  Near East Ash Hill, CA we found a easily-accessed public plot of land with considerable photographic potential and great winter lighting.  We took more photos.

Due to unforeseen issues at the Rancho de Perry, we had to cut our trip short and head home.  We stopped for the sunset, which was AMAZING, near Lavic, CA and then headed home with good memories and some good shots.

I uploaded some of the photos to my portfolio.  Let me know what you think of the effort.