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elminero67
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Posted: Mon Jun 28th, 2010 04:39 pm |
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I was passing through Lakeview, Oregon on the way to a long motorcycle ride accross the Black Rock desert on the Applegate trail. Plans changed quickly when I heard a diesel horn at 5:30 am from the motel room. I'd been through Lakeview on several occasions hoping to catch some action on one of the last remnants of the Nevada California Oregon, but there is very little railroad activity in the isolated town of 2500.
0600- Early morning at Lakeview, crew gets ready for a long shift
0615 Engine 2809 switching a load of pipe at Lakeview. Locals have saved gthis shortline from abandonment twice in the last 20 years. The main industry in the past has been logging, but since the late 1980's logging has declined. The Lakeview-Alturas branch also hauls perlite.
After handling the switching duties at Lakeview, Engine 2809 (I believe is a relatively new GP49, but I'm no diesel expert) headed south sans freight to Alturas. This photograph is in the tiny hamlet of New Pine Creek, which straddles the California/Oregon border, I believe the fence is the actual border, which makes these well fed young bulls Californians. It has been a very wet and cool spring and the smell of fresh cut hay filled the air.
A little further south engine 2809 heads through the "ghost town" of Willow Ranch, where a shay powered shortline once hauled logs for a large lumbermill.
Last edited on Mon Jun 28th, 2010 04:41 pm by elminero67
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elminero67
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Posted: Mon Jun 28th, 2010 05:15 pm |
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The scent of fresh cut hay is quickly replaced with sage after leaving Willow Ranch,. For the next few miles the Lake Railway hugs the base of an ancient lava flow above the flats of Goose Lake.
Wide open sage country between Lakeview and Alturas
Fields of hay and green pastures return at Davis Creek.
The broad valley floor of Goose Lake narrows between Davis Cr. and Alturas as the former narrow gauge follows the Pit Rver
d its share of derailments despite the slow speed, which rarely reaches 15 mph over the 50 mile branch. Here a string of hoppers lie abandoned along the Pit River. Another short train of derailed freight cars is abandoned south of Davis Creek.
Just north of Alturas the basaltic walls of the Pit River Canyon open and the river widens.
Shortly afte noon the crew of 2809 couples onto a string of hoppers at the wye just outside of Alturas. Unfortunately they were headed west from Alturas rather than Lakeview, so I was not able to follow the train on the next leg.
Last edited on Mon Jun 28th, 2010 05:20 pm by elminero67
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W C Greene
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| Location: | Dallas, Texas USA |
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Posted: Tue Jun 29th, 2010 03:54 pm |
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Duane-wonderful photos! The old N C O's locos ended up on the NCNG, SPNG, and some other lines. Great scenery and those derailed cars in the ravine show that narrow gauge is not the only thing to have such happenings! This is a railroad that begs to be modeled-a modern short line operation with diesels and beautiful scenery...and those derailed cars..If you have more photos, please post them.
Woodie
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elminero67
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Posted: Wed Jun 30th, 2010 03:15 am |
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| I wanted to ask the engineer of 2809 a few questions about the operation, and about the derailed trains that were just left there. Unfortunately he was on his cell phone when I caught up with him at Alturas, and he didnt want to talk
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