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Transcon obsevations
Author: Vance Pomerening
Date: 08-24-2007 - 13:20
For all those who live near the former ATSF main line, please forgive what may seem obvious below, but this northwesterner and former SoCal resident has noticed the following while taking in the streetcar like parade on the former ATSF across Arizona and New Mexico:
1. Precious little blue and yellow. I think that one can see more ex Santa Fe blue and yellow power while spending a day in Vancouver Wa., than one sees on the Transcon.
2. Oakway B-Units. BNSF is filling out Dash9 consists with a single Oakway SD60, either mid consist or trailing, some SD40-2s are also seen in the same role.
3. Red and Silver and BNSF BB power on locals. Saw this in ABQ, Gallup, Flagstaff, and Seligman (work train.) i.e. GP60Ms and 500 series GEs .
4. BNSF is operating an ethanol unit tankcar train. So add the energy costs of rail transport to the Bio-fuels hoax.
5. While sitting at a trackside watering hole in Flagstaff, experienced four consecutive instances of trains slamming through town in both directions at the same time with air horns blaring. All of this in about one hour, each time a WB would appear, and EB would hit the grade crossing west of the depot first, kept screwing up my plans to photo a WB going by the depot, but what a show!
6. Change is not neccessarily progress. Urban renewal has completely ruined Winslow, AZ, as a train watching location, hideous neo-yuppie urban planner gone amuck landscaping (with fence) line the tracks west of the depot, and access around the Harvey house is of course now limited by the redo of the hotel. The BNSF compound at the west end of the yard, looks just like a high securtiy prison. The major line relocation in Flagstaff has been completed, no more right of way right next to old Route66. The Gallup depost is now some comminity outreach center, and a fence lines the right of way here too. On a bright note, a motel can be had in both Winslow, and Gallup for $2O per night, yes they are the old seedy RT66 motels far away from I40, but hey!
Vance Pomerening
1. Precious little blue and yellow. I think that one can see more ex Santa Fe blue and yellow power while spending a day in Vancouver Wa., than one sees on the Transcon.
2. Oakway B-Units. BNSF is filling out Dash9 consists with a single Oakway SD60, either mid consist or trailing, some SD40-2s are also seen in the same role.
3. Red and Silver and BNSF BB power on locals. Saw this in ABQ, Gallup, Flagstaff, and Seligman (work train.) i.e. GP60Ms and 500 series GEs .
4. BNSF is operating an ethanol unit tankcar train. So add the energy costs of rail transport to the Bio-fuels hoax.
5. While sitting at a trackside watering hole in Flagstaff, experienced four consecutive instances of trains slamming through town in both directions at the same time with air horns blaring. All of this in about one hour, each time a WB would appear, and EB would hit the grade crossing west of the depot first, kept screwing up my plans to photo a WB going by the depot, but what a show!
6. Change is not neccessarily progress. Urban renewal has completely ruined Winslow, AZ, as a train watching location, hideous neo-yuppie urban planner gone amuck landscaping (with fence) line the tracks west of the depot, and access around the Harvey house is of course now limited by the redo of the hotel. The BNSF compound at the west end of the yard, looks just like a high securtiy prison. The major line relocation in Flagstaff has been completed, no more right of way right next to old Route66. The Gallup depost is now some comminity outreach center, and a fence lines the right of way here too. On a bright note, a motel can be had in both Winslow, and Gallup for $2O per night, yes they are the old seedy RT66 motels far away from I40, but hey!
Vance Pomerening
| Subject | Written By | Date/Time (PST) |
|---|---|---|
 Transcon obsevations |
Vance Pomerening | 08-24-2007 - 13:20 |
|
Re: Transcon obsevations
|
almo | 08-24-2007 - 23:36 |