Re: Almonds in the Valley - Railfanning BNSF
Author: Ted Benson
Date: 03-06-2007 - 10:49
The almond blossoms in the upper San Joaquin Valley are past their peak, too, Dave
but there's a chance of some luck around Hughson. The cold weather slowed things up a few days this year. Bridge-wise, virtually all of the river crossings have been somewhat compromised in recent years. The Stanislaus River span at Riverbank is probably the best one left and offers a number of good angles thanks to improvements in Jacob Myers Park on the north bank of the river and a housing development in the flood plain on the southwest side. Highway 108/120 overpass in Riverbank is a good one (no ghetto grill), but you'll need to shoot at least a 200mm or longer there.
One BIG plus for ATSF fans is the designated switcher at Sierra Grain south of Hughson. Ex-Santa Fe Geep 2260 (IIRC) has replaced the wrecked ex-GN unit at the mill and features a pristine unpatched paint job. She's also facing south, which means good light almost all day. Certainly worth a look.
TB