Through the viewfinder, 2011

UP 4760 brings a westbound manifest through Missouri Valley, IA - a surefire antidote to those short, chilly days of winter.

Coal trains in this region are nearly as prevalent as flies at a summer picnic. This outfit#is proceeding through the west leg of the wye at Missouri Valley and will head north towards Sioux City.

UP 5713 drifts downgrade through the Boyer River valley near Logan, IA.

UP 7686 looks good at the head of a westbound manifest departing Fremont, NE.

BNSF 4710 snarls up the grade from Belen. I couldnt omit the classic Santa Fe cantilever. Perhaps the EPA could preserve it, owing to the bird nest that has been there for some time?

BNSF 8260 leads this colorful set of power on coal cars ascending the grade between Scholle and Kayser, NM.

It is the hour of the long shadows as BNSF 4175 chases the setting sun towards the summit at Yampai. Darkness will bring no let-up in the activity, however.

BNSF 5251 provides the rear-end oomph against BNSF 5444 West departing Winslow.

The spirits of trainwatching smiled this afternoon as activity at Yampai was fairly steady. In the days of 251 (current of traffic) dispatching , the speed trains made over hills was valuable information in determining their future location in relation to following hotshots. On UP we would use their speed over Creston to determine speed over Tipton and, later, on the climb from Spring Valley to Altamont. BNSF 5279 comes chugging up the grade from Pica to Yampai. Dispatchers would use information about speed on the hill here to determine what a train would do climbing west from Needles.

Why does it often seem the interesting power consists are going the wrong way? The 5337 is working hard as a manifest crests the grade at Maine.

going away, midday.

Boom! As the 5279 passes westbound, BNSF 5405 comes howling through in dynamic and slack bunches-up as an eastbound manifest descends toward the valley at Pica.

BNSF 5493 does DPU honors on the 7817 West.

BNSF 6662 drifts down to the West Winslow signals as BNSF 5444 West leaves town.

BNSF 6674 cruises into Winslow as a grain train begins its long ascending climb.

...is to get a train. Now, some sites would say the sun is too high and blah blah blah. The 7233 looks good to me as it rolls through Maine and I hope you enjoy it as well.

There is plenty of it at Canyon Diablo; good country for the loner in one. BNSF 7573 traverses the heart of the Transcon where only the wind and hum of steel wheels break the silence.

You can see eastbounds way out in the distance, threading their path off the Arizona Divide. Eventually a headlight pokes above the horizon and another intermodal outfit comes sailing past - surprisingly fast after watching it approach for so long.

BNSF 7644 is in charge of empty stack equipment and chasing the 5279s block.

Not far behind the 7644 West comes BNSF 7817 with another manifest.

Yet another one out of the sun at Marcel in the late afternoon. At least the view exhibits the manner in which the railroad gains altitude through this narrow, steep ascent towards Tehachapi.

All of the traffic was southbound and coming out of the sun at Marcel. Not a northbound to behold. BNSF 5307 still looks good leading a hard-working set on a UPS hotshot.

Yep, the warbonnet is certainly nice, but that blunt BNSF lacks the appeal and glorious heritage conjured up by "Santa Fe". Two DPUs assist BNSF 9237 South through Walong.

As peaceful as this scene might appear, make no mistake - those GEs are working with everything they have got to lift a Barstow-bound manifest through the Tehachapi mountains.

The shadows are getting long at Walong as yet another in a long procession of southbounds coils through Tehachapi loop.

UP 7828 does rear-end honors on a UP intermodal outfit at the south switch of Marcel.

Mid-train DPU units on BNSF 7819 North. Two more on the rear.

After a southbound fleet of trains has moved through the area, BNSF 4377 shows with a northbound manifest. Nevermind those communication and power wires; I miss their lineside presence at too many places to complain about them here.

Actually, a crummy intransigent overcast and, naturally, with the clouds came many manifests from each direction. As the old saying goes (as I recall it), when the weather hands you a lemon, tweak the ASA. BNSF 4382 has negotiated the curves and is almost to the central California valley.

The 4733 is promptly on the tail of BNSF 4930 at Walong.

BNSF 4930 is among the parade of southbounds on a Friday morning at Bealville.

It was a good morning to be trackside. BNSF 4930 has a southbound intermodal outfit coming through Tehachapi loop at the south switch of Walong siding.

BNSF 4377 North with distributed power on the rear end is patiently waiting for this heavy southbound behind the 5259 to clear the path.

The afternoon skies at Bealville were bright and sunny for two or three southbounds coming out of the sun. When it came time for a northbound or two - crummy overcast. BNSF 7819 has its train in tunnels 3 and 5 with the head-end starting through the south switch at Bealville and the rear-end leaving Cliff.

This is eivdently some kind of heavy refuse train in 3+3+2 configuration.

The SP heritage ACe, a pleasing combination of black widow and daylight schemes, rides again - charging through Bealville with a West Colton-bound manifest.

As the mid-train power passes at Bealville, one turns and can see the 1996 exiting from Tunnel No.5 at Cliff. The grade is almost incredible.

The roar is incredible, the locomotives working at capacity as UP 1996 leads a manifest through the loop.

Behind a pair of southbound BNSF intermodal trains there is a whistle at Woodford and UP 1996 comes snarling up grade - poking its nose out of Tunnel No.9 in a delightfully pastoral setting.

The coolness of this location is not to be underestimated.

Three units are deep in the lengthy consist of UP 1996 South at Bealville.

Some tewo-thirds of the way back in the train come a trio of mid-train units, roaring past and into the cut approaching Tunnel No.10.

A beautiful day is in store as UP 5365 eases through the tight arc at Caliente with a northbound manifest.

Of course, the really cool aspect of Caliente and Bealville is that one can catch the same train at both locations by virtue of the short roadway vs. railroad distance between these points. The classic Union Pacific wings lend a striking appeal to the most consistent of railroad paint schemes.

Once UP 5365 North has cleared, the 7693 gets the railroad to head up grade and wastes no time getting with the program.

BNSF 4936 is at the rear of BNSF 7704 South at Walong. UP ssems to prefer its DPU power mid-train, whereas BNSF likes them on the rear.

BNSF 7283 noses through the control point at South Walong, and past the classic searchlights. Rather than impediments, the code line now provides a clasnic flavor to the scene.

Even witi locomotive sound muffling, the roar of a southbound coming through the Loop is still on of railroadings premier sight and sounds.

BNSF 7555 leads a southbound intermodal outfit through the Loop.

Nothing like a big ole manifest and mountain grade.