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ROAD TRIP
DAY 2
Day 1, Wednesday, 01/16/02
Decided to sleep in this morning. I had in a wake up call in for 0600. Got going at 0700, grabbed some coffee and headed for the loadouts. There was one train at Savage about half done. Grabbed breakfast and headed for Helper Yard. Only three units on the Dirt Tain today. The scanner went off. An MT coal train was getting a warrant to head for Skyline. Not much going on down here so headed up the hill.
Made it all the way to Martin. WHAT is this?? Six UTAH units running lite heading for Utah Railway Junction. It was a mixture of SD 40, 45 and 50 types plus MK5000C's. The 45 is a lease unit in the blue and yellow livery of Santa Fe. The scanner went off again. The help was for a coal train. Is must be for the one that was loading at Savage. The help pulls out onto #1 main then heads east. Wonder where they are going to be cut in at. Head for the east end of Helper and wait. No help. Head back to Helper Yard and there they are. This is the first time I have seen them cut in help in the yard.
In the mean time, the coal train is waiting for a westbound BNSF to pass. Nothing happens for a day and a half then everything. Shades of an earlier road trip. The BNSF makes it through the yard and heads west over the hill. We decide to head for Utah Railway Junction and setup. I only plan on shooting the help on this one as the head end will be UP units.
After a few minutes the BNSF westbound "M" passes and heads up the hill. Finally hear it coming. Around the corner approching the Junction comes all UTAH head end power. I did not expect this. Hop out of the truck and take two steps. At that time, I am yanked to a stop. This is my first Road Trip since the doctor put me on O2. The tank is in the cab with the door shut and I am trying to move with the tubes still up my nose. I still get off three shots over the top of the pickup bed and through the polls.
I get all untangled and head on up the canyon. Decide to get some shots just west of Nolan tunnels. They are making good time with ten units on the train. I am ready this time. Get off some shots and head for Kyune. They are going to cut out the help at Colton but have to stop at the west end of Kyune due to a bad signal. We are parked on top of the bridge with the trailing MK5000C sitting under us. These units sure sound nice.
Next stop is the road crossing west of Colton. They are going to cut out the help but have to wait for a eastbond to come by. We decide to head up to Skyline so Tami can get up close and personal with a coal loadout. By this time they are about half way loaded out. Spend some time there and decide to head back to Colton and home.
This Road Trip has been a combo of the good, the bad and the ugly. The good, having a nice young lady along for the ride, four T-2's on the Dirt Train and the Utah RY coal train. The bad, weather on Tuesday and very few trains running. The ugly, learning to cope with O2.
Day 1
Day 2
Last Update 01/18/02
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