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ROAD TRIP
DAYS 3, 4 and 5

Day 3, Saturday 09/09/00

Continue playing phone tag with BNSF Conductor. Finally talk to his wife and find out he is on a run and will be back in late tonight. No trains today. High school reunion bash tonight.

Day 4, Sunday 09/10/00

Finally hook up with BNSF Conductor at 0800. Have reunion brunch and head east. Run into #6 in De Beque Canyon. No time for pictures as I am trying to keep up with a '34 Ford coupe and have to turn off I70 in a couple miles.

Day 5, Monday 09/11/00

Wake up call, 0530. Finish packing truck and check out. Head to the local greasy spoon for coffee and B&G. Fill up and head west on I70 for Mack. Get off I70 and catch the old US6/50 and head for the state line. Need to get a picture of the old RGW "Y" on top of the hill at the border.

Hop back on I70 at Harley Dome and head for the Cisco turn off. Turned off and headed north to revisit the site where I worked 39 years ago. At the time I was working there, I did not realize that the road was the old RGW ROW that ran right by the site. There were still a couple of working well on the site along with several capped off well heads.

Headed back under I70 and off to Cisco and parts west staying on the old roads. Checked out Sagers and got a shot at mile post 522 looking west.

Headed west to Thompson and got a picture looking north toward Sego Canyon. The tail end of the old "Y" at Thompson was the start on the Ballard & Thompson RR. They hauled coal from Sego to Thompson.

Back on the road again. No action until north of Green River where I caught an east bound BNSF "M" and #6. Was overcast so no pictures. Pulled off at Woodside and finally found the road to the top of the hill on the north side of the tracks. There is an old cemetary on top. From the edge of the hill, you can see parts of the old RGW ROW and where the yard was. I have been told there was a turntable somewhere. Too much brush to see the old pit. The light was bad, but wanted a picture. Will get a better one someday.

Headed back up the road to Banning/Sunnyside Junction. Wondered where the Dirt train was. Headed up the road to Columbia Junction. Big mistake. Seems there was road work going on and no place turn around. Fifteen minutes later was on my way. Found the power at the far end. Aaaaah, all Rio Grande. Due to the road work, no place to pull over for pictures. Finally get turned around at East Carbon and headed back to the highway. Traffic was stopped there also. Darn, stuck again.

Finally got into Price and checked into the motel, grabbed a bite to eat and off to Helper Yard. Everything was quiet there and also at Martin. Sounds like a good time to take a nap.

The scanner went off and woke me up. Off to Helper again. Still not much happening. Was a slow Monday. Decided to head up to the top of the hill overlooking town. Got a picture of a lonely, sick T-2. Seems it was on a help up the hill Thursday and throwing flames about six feet in the air. Looks like it will be the next one going to Denver Diesel.

The scanner went off again. This time it was a UP coal on the CV Spur asking for a track warrant. I had spotted some units sitting behind the depot earlier.

The help in waiting finally pulled out from behind the depot. Aaaha, there are seven of them. Don't pay any attention to the lead unit. That is just 5412 in camo.

The west bound UP coal finally pulled into town. when they passed the detector between Maxwell and Spring Glen, mile post 624.3, they had a real large axel count. Come to find out, 101 cars.

While the UP coal was pulling up to stop for the cut in, the Dirt train pulled into town. A few minutes later, an east bound UP MT coal pulled through town. The loaded coal, dirt, help and the MT coal all moving at the same time. A busy time in Helper in the late afternoon. The dirt train dropped off the cars and headed to the pit. The help was cut in and ready to head up the hill. Jumped in the truck and headed west. The only problem, no sun light in the canyon. Some times you do not win.

Back towards Price to call it a night. Decided to finally stop in at Grogg's for a burger. Only one thing to say about it. Outstanding. Got to the motel for Monday Night Football and put in for a 0530 wakeup.

Last Update 01/28/01

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