I’m going to be in LA early next week. Is there anywhere near LA Union Passgr Terminal where a railfan could catch either passgr or freight action w/o getting arrested, mugged or otherwise folded, spindled or mutilated?
Muchas Gracias, [:D]
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- Stack
Nope.
EDIT
Actually, if you have a car, I would recommend the Metrolink platform in Commerce California 7 miles to the East of LAUPT. You sit on the triple track main across from the Commerce Diesel Service facility, outside the Commerce Intermodal Facility, and just east of Hobart Yard, the busiest intermodal yard in the world. On the 17 tracks, you will see Metrolinks, Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliners and Southwest Chiefs, 100 car manifests to Barstow, the Ethanol train, the Monster Slab Train (highest paying job on the system), UPS Z trains and Stack trains from LA/Long Beach Harbor. You might also catch some RCL and GreenGoat action here too.
They are even running Union Pacific reroutes for railfan visitors this spring.
This link is a Google Satellite View of the area.
http://www.trainfoamers.com/phorum2/read.php?4,10790,10790#msg-10790
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I would avoid city at all costs. Go Railfanning in the country.
Allan.
I am leaving myself for California on the 28th but I fly to Ontario & I would suggest instead of LAUPT that you go 60 miles to W. Riverside merge/unmerge point for the UPRR & BNSF or Colton double diamond crossing point for the Cajon & Sunset routes of the BNSF & UPRR. Then further up the way is the Cajon Pass which is really terrific especially whne you see trains filling all 3 tracks at the same time. Then further up is Daggett the merge/unmerge point for the BNSF & UPRR. If you have not looked into my web site I suggest you do so to see the action at those places & in case you missed it here is the train chase my bro & I did east of Daggett in Nov 05
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4360162034832389620
[:)]
That ethanol train is quite neat I saw it going 1 day going WB loaded then EB empty the next day at Colton. You know it carrieis HAZ MAT red label warnings which are not removed on the return empty trip?
Why I just refanned in the cities of Saginaw, Temple & Austin with no problems whatsoever? [:)]
Well it depends on how street wise you are. I have fanned all around LAUPT and along the river. There are some rough neighborhoods in that area but I have never had a problem. And i use to go down there at night a lot too because my neighbor had a studio he worked in just south of the 4th st bridge off Santa Fe ave. (an area seen in MANY Tv shows and movies). Karldotcom had a good suggestion too in going to Commerce / Hobart. Another good spot is just up the road in Glendale at the depot. It’s clean and a lot better neighborhood. Fullerton is also a good place with lots of action.
I didn’t know that… Is that because it crosses a large number of districts or something? Somebody told me the Gemco Hauler was one of the biggest paying jobs on the SP. Not sure if that’s true.
BTW… I’ve stood right on the platform downtown and taken photos… Never was bothered. Maybe I’m just lucky.
Dave
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If on Aliso Street, look up to make sure somebody didn’t run out of track and took out the bumper.[:D]
Thanks much for all of the suggestions.
It is from the steel slabs, which increases the tonnage pay substantially. At least, that is what my buddy told me from his search of all the jobs in CA on the employee system.
The Gemco Hauler is an old SP job, which I believe had LA Basin Pay, Coast Line Pay, and switch pay for the engines they dropped off at Taylor Yard. That train has shrunk alot since UP started bringing loads down the Coast, and having nearly every manifest stop at Gemco to drop or pick up loads.