Red Ring Tupperware Party, Clown Hunting (21)

[Timphoto]

When we were in Europe about 5 years ago, we needed to get from Holland to Madrid. Airfare from Amsterdam to Madrid was like $400, but from Brussels to Madrid was 29 Euros. So we took the train down to Brussels (60 Euros) and flew the rest of the way.

It was a Ryan Air flight - a 737 with seating packed together like I have never seen before or since. I should have paid the extra 10 Euros for the Exit Row seat.

[Belmondo]

Originally Posted by thomascanty

My last visit to Flagstaff was in March 2006 when I spent most of a week there. Somehow I missed that burger joint Nick visited (if it even existed in 2006) during my wanderings around. What I remember most about Flagstaff was the trains. Lots and lots and LOTS of trains. Trains were going through the town all day long every day. And all night long, too. Driving from the hotel to downtown, a distance of about two miles, sometimes took a half hour as I just sat there at a railroad crossing while a freight train crawled along.

Dan, Tom and John would love it there!

Flagstaff is always busy train-wise. I can't recall a time when we drove through there and didn't see at least a couple of them. It's a lot like Cajon Pass out here.

[thomascanty]

Originally Posted by Belmondo

Flagstaff is always busy train-wise. I can't recall a time when we drove through there and didn't see at least a couple of them. It's a lot like Cajon Pass out here.

Or Mojave. There are always a bunch of freight trains moving around every time I drive through there.

[Timphoto]

I remember the train to Flagstaff winding through a pass down by Bakersfield, but I don't recall which one.

[Belmondo]

Originally Posted by Timphoto

I remember the train to Flagstaff winding through a pass down by Bakersfield, but I don't recall which one.

Trains out of Bakersfield would go east through Tehachapi Pass, and that's pretty twisty. That's where the famous Tehachapi Loop is.


It's a fun place to go train-watching. You can actually see longer trains passing over/under themselves, and you usually don't have to wait very long to see one.

[thomascanty]

A train looping itself in the Tehachapi Pass:

[thomascanty]

And a wider view showing the whole loop:

[Belmondo]

I don't really have a bucket list per se, but something I really want to do before I croak is to spend a whole day there, spend the night in town, then be back out just before sunrise. It'll probably never happen; Lois thinks train-watching is weird, and can't be interested unless there's a major mall nearby.

[thomascanty]

Originally Posted by Belmondo

I don't really have a bucket list per se, but something I really want to do before I croak is to spend a whole day there, spend the night in town, then be back out just before sunrise. It'll probably never happen; Lois thinks train-watching is weird, and can't be interested unless there's a major mall nearby.

That's what I did for my birthday last year. I rented a suite at the La Quinta in Tehachapi and spent a day and a half wandering around the loop. I think they were doing some kind of maintenance the first day, though, because I didn't see a single train the entire day. But the next morning that long one rolled through.

[Timphoto]

I was just browsing around that area on Google Earth and it looks like there are lots of good places to view trains. When you zoom down to road level on Bena Road a few miles out of Bakersfield, they caught a train right next to the road with 3 BNSF engines and one Sante Fe engine.

[Belmondo]

Originally Posted by Timphoto

I was just browsing around that area on Google Earth and it looks like there are lots of good places to view trains. When you zoom down to road level on Bena Road a few miles out of Bakersfield, they caught a train right next to the road with 3 BNSF engines and one Sante Fe engine.

The thing that makes it so busy is that two railroads use it. BNSF and UP. Cajon has the same two railroads over a single route, but mostly they have their own tracks running generally parallel to each other. At Tehachapi, they have to share the same rails.

[Timphoto]

The next motorcycle ride I take down to Death Valley, I'll have to plan some time for a photo stop in that area.

Since we're on the topic of trains Chief, have you seen THIS SERIES?

It's not all trains, but he has some nice shots in there. I like #13.

[Belmondo]

Originally Posted by Timphoto

It's not all trains, but he has some nice shots in there. I like #13.

I have seen them before. There's some very nice ones there. One of my favorites is the shot over the rusty nose of the GP-30 (#4). It sure takes the glamor out of railroading.

[thomascanty]

Originally Posted by Timphoto

I like #13.

It made me flinch and cringe.

I thought I'd conquered my fear of heights years ago, but sometimes I find evidence that says otherwise.

[Woolburr]

We have a bridge near here that there is no way on earth I could ever cross....looks to be made of rusty toothpicks.