UP MAC on a gloomy day

Taken in February 2012

Inspiration of new pictures

I just spent some time looking over http://swrails.com/, and it made me think of how long it has been since I have posted a nice picture on here. Well, with the fact that I will most likely go on multiple railfanning adventures this winter break, San Antonio being a possibility, I decided something. Why not take both my video and digital cameras with me? Expect to see more beginning the 22nd of December...

Dayton, TX 7/29

And another

First two Rosenberg videos from 7/18!

Here they are!

One day left!!!

Vote if you haven't!

My June 2012 California videos so far!

New poll...Different format

A new poll has been added. However, this poll is different from other polls for three reasons. One of them you can probably see right off the bat. There are three choices instead of the usual four. Anybody notice anything else unusual? The boxes are square, meaning you may pick one, two, or all three of the choices. The third reason is impossible to see, but it's the reason I made it so you can select multiple answers. There is a possibility that we will only do first place, but there is a possibility we will do all three. It all depends on the number of days available:

One day available: We only do first place
Two days available: We do first and second place.
Three days available: We do all three.

Poll ends next Sunday the 8th at midnight CST.

Oh, and one more thing...

To people who ask to themselves "why hasn't he posted Trainz stuff in over a year?" I moved everything to Trainztalk, my blog devoted to Trainz. Well, I posted this to say that I am re-creating Lane-Seaside.

Some June California pics

Now here!

A UP track inspection car at Cajon.

A camera test photo after my first piece of crap tripod fell over.

A UP manifest on the Palmdale Cutoff at Swarthout Canyon.

Now we enter Fullerton... 6/8/12

The Amtrak Southwest Chief #4 waits to depart Fullerton:

Now Downtown San Diego(6/10/12):

Amtrak Cabbage unit 90208 soon to lead the amfleets out of San Diego

P42DC 84 on the other end...

Now Oceanside(6/11/12):

Coaster F40PH 2105 is getting ready to lead this...

METROLINK out of Oceanside?!

The past two days.

Yesterday, was a day in Riverside where I tested lots of stuff(my camera and tripod were just two of the things). It was a slow day after we saw the first three freights in 30 minutes.

This morning, we spent an hour in Pomona. We saw a total of four trains, one Metrolink, and three UP freights(one on the LA Sub, two on the Alhambra Sub).

Tomorrow is Cajon Pass, Friday is Fullerton, and the weekend is Carlsbad. Be back tomorrow!

Three days left now!!!

Yup, here is the final itinerary:

Tuesday: Our first day there. I will try to post an update when we are there and in the car. We might do Riverside if our moods are up, to test the new camera(pics of it to come later in the day).

Wednesday: Train-free day, will be spending time with family.

Thursday: Cajon Pass: Will do Cajon Station and/or Hill 582. The most dangerous trip, gotta look out for rattlesnakes! :D

Friday: FULLERTON!!! Fullerton on a Friday, great for trains, and railfans.

Saturday: Our train ride to Carlsbad from Riverside. We will be taking the Metrolink on this day. I will take video when we get to the scenic parts of the ride. In the afternoon, we might railfan at the Carlsbad Village platform if time allows.

Sunday: Nothing too much. May go to the station if time allows.

Monday: Our train ride back to Riverside in the afternoon. Will railfan the platform beforehand that day. This will conclude my 2012 June California trip.

Guess what...

18 MORE DAYS LEFT!!! Hurry up and vote, 18 days is shorter than you may think...

I know I've been inactive...

Because there is nothing to post. The only train I have been near in the past month is the Six Flags Fiesta Texas train:

Anyway, back to business: Finals are in two weeks, there will be nothing until then, and maybe nothing more until June.

On and off

As you may have noticed, I have not posted anything lately. That is because there is nothing to post, and most likely there will be nothing to post until May 12th*. National train day, and it will maybe be spent in Rosenberg.

* Not guaranteed. Plans may change, knowing my luck.

LAST California December trip video!

From the Carlsbad Poinsettia Coaster station.

New tab

If you have not noticed already, I have added a new page "Upcoming trips". It currently has California in June and Louisiana in July. Check it out! It is there, at the top. ^^^^^^^^^

The poll

GUYS, when you visit, please vote on the poll. It is right there, on the sidebar. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I expect almost all readers to vote. I don't want to end a 65 day long poll with five or less votes. If that ends up happening, I will make the choice, and every one from there on out.

Three more December California videos...

One from Riverside, two from Carlsbad, one more Carlsbad video to do, then I am done with December!

One from Riverside...

On this video ^, I cut the third and last one at Cridge St. short because a bee had been attacking me, and I was swatting it like an idiot in front of the camera.

And two from Carlsbad Village...

New California trip!

You read it right, plans for a new California trip in June is now underway! Here is how it goes:

Thursday: There are many possibilities, and you will decide which one in the next long poll!

• Burbank International Airport Metrolink/Amtrak station.- I only added this because my mom will be there.
• Pomona, CA-A giant trash can, but great for trains.
• Cajon Pass-The busiest freight mainline in all of Southern California.
• Corona, CA-Closest to home, busy line, what else do you need to know?

Friday: Back to Fullerton again! I shot this video back in December:

Saturday: Back to Carlsbad again!

Spring, TX video

I took these Monday the 12th.

Videos from Rosenberg!

On the first clip on the first video, it is Richmond, TX. The rest are in Rosenberg.

On this video, in the last clip, the car is the FRA inspection car. I am not 100% sure what it does, but I think it inspects the track. There is only one of this kind, and I caught it COMPLETELY by surprise! 

Wayside horns for dummies

Boo!

First of all, seriously, wayside horns ARE for dummies. They are basically fake horns that are put in "quiet" zones, which are also for dummies. But, if they are going to put these up in a "quiet" zone, then they might as well not make it a quiet zone. They are no-good boxes of ear-pain. Little or no railfans come to crossings with wayside horns, here is why:

1. The sound quality is horrible. My cat could make a fake horn better than wayside can.

2. They are supposed to warn drivers, just like train horns would. And cause ear pain, even with all windows shut tightly? Yeah, right.

3. They don't even use the correct sequence. Regular trains do a crossing sequence of long, long, short, long. Simple. These just go HOOOOOONNNNNKKK, HOOOOONNNKKKK, from the time the signals start up until the train comes. I have even been to a few places where the horn even honked ten times before the train came, and twice after. What does it do when the crossing malfunctions? I don't even want to know.

4. They take away the joys of railfanning. This does not just pertain to quiet zones, either. Railfans want to hear real horns, not a tape recorder inside a megaphone. The K5HLL is my least favorite type of horn. I find it better then these artificial horns.

Stay tuned for our next episode: Quiet zones for dummies!

Rosenberg, TX

Tomorrow, I will be railfanning Rosenberg, TX. None of these videos are mine, they were filmed by YouTube user jrahrig:

A UP train in Rosenberg:

A BNSF train in Rosenberg:

The BNSF Rosenberg local in Rosenberg:

For those of you who know about the Sunset Route that goes through San Timoteo Canyon in California, this UP line is the same line. These videos were shot at the platform at the Rosenberg railroad museum. That is where I will be taping the trains, also. Wish me luck, and I will post my Rosenberg, Spring, and another Fullerton video tomorrow or Friday.

Fullerton, AGAIN again!

6,000 views!

Party!

Poll

Well, after a disappointing poll with only four votes, Beaumont won. I might give Rosenberg a second chance, though...

Fullerton, AGAIN!

New poll: YOU decide my next trip!

Yep! You decide my next day/multi-day trip coming up here in March!

Choice A: Beaumont, TX: I have never been here, I don't know what to tell you ,I just know that there has to be a busy interchange because many tracks spike out of Beaumont.

Choice B: Rosenberg, TX: Long-term readers of my blog know that I railfanned and took videos of trains at Richmond, TX. Well, here is the city where that BNSF line and a UP line meet!

Choice C: Spring, TX: I threw this in with an "Oh, what the heck" attitude. I don't think this would be the best trip, but this is the place I know the most about.

Choice D: Saginaw, TX: This puts the "multi" in multi-day trip. We live near 300+ miles from Fort Worth. Saginaw is about two or three miles north. However, Saginaw is also where the complete BNSF headquarters lies. When we went to the headquarters, I was hoping for a tour or more of a guest-type museum. We got a museum, but a very small one. I got myself a hat at the gift shop, though. Also, Saginaw is THE best bet if you need to catch a train to live.

Any more questions? Google it, or if it is small, ask me! The poll will run for 1 1/2 weeks starting tonight. It will end Wednesday, March 6th.

Through the passes Day ONE part 11

Getting back to that, yeah

Cameron Canyon Rd., Cameron

The relay box

A signal with a Western Cullen Hayes electronic bell

Fullerton!!!

Finally, a long video from Fullerton is ready for you!

La Mirada local in Fullerton

Watch the video in YouTube for the description.

Inactivity

Sorry for the lack of posting... I have not been really into making videos lately.

Last one from Hill 582

Last one before Fullerton!