Modoc/ Lakeview happenings from South to North

The number of stored center beams in Alturas is down to about 100-120 whether GL (Goose Lake) is feeding off them for Collins Lumber or the UP is putting them back in service is unknown. There are about 10/14 misc. boxcars stored there also. An 11 car N/B load for the UP was on parked powerless at the north end of the yard (3 chip cars and 8 covered hoppers).-CHIPS ARE BACK! I saw no empty chip or hoppers for GL to pick up. There was no UP or GL power in Alturas which I ll get back too later in this update

Driving to Lakeview I encountered a tied up S/B GL train at an area called ‘Surprise Station” which is about 4/5miles north of the 299 turn off. I made note to check it out on my return trip from Lake view.

I passed the nearly completed Red Rock Biofuel refinery as I entered Lakeview. I drove straight to the north side and found roughly 15 covered hoppers staged in and about Cornerstone Materials (the perlite shipper) Collins lumber had three center beams for load out and 8! Chip cars were positioned by the chip loader. Just north of the Hwy 140 grade crossing were 10 more hopper cars parked. The GL yard had all three HLCX units (3847-3852-3854)coupled together with caps stacked. Their time has passed. GP7 926 was also in the yard shut down.

Although fenced in I could see within the Red Rock Refinery their TrackMobile. The switch and track into the refinery are about 1000-1200 feet south of the Kadrmas road grade crossing. I do not know of the official opening and/or shipping date.

It should be noted in and around Lakeview Goose Lake has considerable an amount of MOW equipment including a couple of late model tampers plus the usual spike pullers, tie ejectors and ballast regulators. If they get funding they certainly have the equipment to upgrade the line.

On my return to Alturas I stopped and checked out the tied up S/B train with GL 106. It was healthy train of 6 loaded center beams, 2 chip cars and 10 covered hoppers (add those to the train in Alturas and you have 18 hoppers-5 chip and 6 center beams) That is not bad if that is one weeks worth of traffic!

I have never seen a train tied up in this area. They usually tie up near Bowman Road grade crossing which is about 4 mile north of Alturas. Additionally with no train for Goose lake to return with I am unsure as to what schedules are being run by both UP and GL.