[ Gorge Week: Day 7 ]

In Search of Sunset

The shadows seem like they are moving at a walking pace in the late day sun as BNSF 5147 and its H2 siblings, 5208 and 4404, glide through Maryhill with no time to spare. In the 110 seconds it took the train to pass by, the shadows claimed the rails where the head end is seen here, leaving only a pocket of light back where the curve starts. This ain’t no Santa Fe, but a clean cigar band is about as close as I can ever hope to get.

G SIDLVW9 10H
October 13, 2024 - 5:37PM
Maryhill, WA // BNSF Fallbridge Sub

Tags:   BNSF 5147 Columbia River Gorge Fallbridge Subdivision BNSF Maryhill

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[ Gorge Week: Day 6 ]

Books on a Shelf Title (1 of 3)

“UP detector milepost 1 0 7 point 6 - no defects, total axel 6 8 4, train speed 4 9 MPH, temperature 5 0 degrees, detector out”

14,724 feet of international containers work their west at milepost 99, the head end officially entering the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area the moment it crossed the mouth of the Deschutes River about 15 wells back. The 2x4x2 monster fits perfectly within frame, the end of the train directly above the cab of the leader. Combined with the CP grainer in the background from yesterday’s post, there is more than 20,000 feet of train visible in this scene. Follow along for a look at the whole train.

IG4SE 11
November 15, 2024 - 1:13PM
Celilo, OR // UP Portland Sub

Tags:   UP 5713 Celilo Columbia River Gorge Portland Subdivision Union Pacific

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[ Gorge Week: Day 6 // In The Field ]

The Train Within The Train (2 of 3)

Four middies picked up along the way are probably a bit overkill for this train, even at 14,724 feet. UP 8357, the first of the four, was added in North Platte. Both 5648 and 9043 were added in Pocatello. UP 7770 and the two end units, 4459 and 6899, were added in Hinkle. Only the head end units—5713 and 4024—have survived since the train left Joliet 4 days prior. I didn’t stick around and wait, but as far as I know, this train sat in The Dalles for quite some time waiting for a couple to go east. There isn’t a single siding on the entire subdivision that can house this train.

IG4SE 11
November 15, 2024 - 1:15PM
Celilo, OR // UP Portland Sub

Tags:   UP 7770 Celilo Columbia River Gorge Portland Subdivision Union Pacific

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[ Gorge Week: Day 6 // In The Field ]

Along For The Ride (3 of 3)

The two end DPUs, both of which were added in Hinkle, give the train a symmetric look—assuming you were able to actually see the entire thing all at once. Despite only being 1:17 in the afternoon, the shadows are already swallowing the tracks at milepost 99. Two more trains will make their way west before the sun sets in 3 hours and 17 minutes to round out another day in the scenic Columbia River Gorge.

IG4SE 11
November 15, 2024 - 1:17PM
Celilo, OR // UP Portland Sub

Tags:   UP 6899 Celilo Columbia River Gorge Portland Subdivision Union Pacific

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[ Gorge Week: Day 5 ]

Quintessential Fall

It’s midday at milepost 69 on the Portland Sub, the temperature now peaking into the high 40s, just enough to make up for the stiff breeze in my face. Low, broken clouds and an aqua-blue sky scream Pacific Northwest during the fall, the fractured cloud ceiling behaving rather favorably for mid November, putting me on the winning side of what is almost universally a losing battle with the weather gods. It’s only about 20 minutes or so after solar noon, the sun sitting just a few ticks above 20 degrees on the horizon, a far cry from the nearly 65 degrees it would be suspended at right now during the summer solstice.

In addition to the favorable weather, the train counts are solid. It’s once again reasonable to expect about a train an hour on the Oregon side of the river, a drastic difference to what was observed just last year. With 6644 out of the way, it is now CP 8948’s turn to run the 22.2 mile section of effectively single track from Meno to Crates. It’s 9.5 miles in so far and will continue rolling along for another 33 miles before coming to a stop at Biggs, the destination for day 6. Until tomorrow.

GSKAET 15
November 15, 2024 - 12:13PM
Mosier, OR // UP Portland Sub

Tags:   CP 8948 Columbia River Gorge Portland Subdivision Union Pacific

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