Hi All,
We live near the Union Pacific Main Line near Victorville, CA. Tonight we saw about 20 passenger cars on a UP train going north. The cars were not the standard Pullman type. They all had a bright side light at each end of each car. Maybe each had about five windows per car. We have not had any passenger cars for the past year; only freight.
Any information about this would be appreciated.
That would be the Ringling Brothers Barnam and Bailey red train (the circus train). It was down here in San Diego this last week and left here sunday evening (I think). It went through Cajon pass yesterday and headded for Tehachapi via the Palmdale cutoff. Not sure where it’s going (went) after that. It’s more then just 20 cars though. It’s just under a mile long!!!
Hi Chad,
Thank you for your reply!
That makes sense. I knew it was long, but I didn’t count and I did not want to inflate the size. There were some freight cars behind. I was just surprised with the bright lights hanging at each end of the cars.
We live in Phelan and there is one siding and another two mile switch for the freight trains to wait for a clearance to the main line; usually waiting for traffic from Palmdale (Southbound). Some times they will wait for 10 to 12 hours. Most have three engines in the front and several in the rear. They keep the generators running so we get familiar sounds. BTW our property is just 50 feet from the UP line.
Until the first of the year we lived in Anaheim for 35 years near the BNSF main line. Once in a while we could hear the whistle of a steam engine going by. So the noises are not annoying. We spent a lot of time on our desert property before building, so we can appreciate the train traffic. And, this coming from an Air Force veteran of 10 years. We lived near the flight line and enjoyed the noise of B-52’s and KC-135 aircraft. Now, I can hear the air traffic from the Palmdale sector and any UFO’s crossing over :>).
My favorite aircraft (yes, I like aircraft also). Hopefully I will be able to make to the Edwards airshow this year and get my yearly B-52 fix (too bad Castle closed).
It sounds like you must have been in SAC.
Not that I want to drag this further off-topic, but I can’t resist- does the B-2 make a guest appearance at that airshow?
//been lucky enough to make a paid company visit to Edwards and climb into a B-2 cockpit
Actually is that not he BNSF mainline in Victorville & the UPRR has trackage rights over it?
NO, as usual you are wrong.
I grew up near Beale. The places we used to hang out as teens, we were able to watch U2s, and SR71s take off. Watching the SR71 take off at night was pretty cool.
And back on topic, when the circus train came to Sacramento (a couple of years ago), they pulled on the siding next to the UP main under 80 and they paraded to their site (it was pretty close). It was a cool event, and a neat train.
Dave
OFF TOPIC!
Great Scot, Dave, it’s a small world!
The flightline noise I was referring to was at Beale AFB. I helped open the base in 1960 when we brought in the B-52’s and began operations there. The movie “The Gathering of Eagles” was filmed at Beale while I was there. (I can fill you in on this later, if wanted: amej@ix.netcom.com) Later, I was a civilian contractor at Area 51 with the CIA version of the SR-71; A-10. Night take-offs were always spectacular. The best was when the aircraft were retired, a Lockheed test pilot flew one out and as he was gaining altitude, he rolled the article. It was at daybreak and the rumors said he would do it. The batteries and some other equipment were not designed to do this, so it was a big thing; but beautiful!! He was told “if you ever try this again, you are fired”.
On topic, the BNSF has seperate tracks through Cajon Pass and the BNSF head to Barstow while the UP goes to Palmdale and the San Juaquin Valley.
Have fun,
Area 51? Where’s that?[alien][alien][alien]
Its a small world. It was always awesome to see. I never saw one landing though, only taking off. Have you been sworn to secrecy too. I have known a couple of civilian contractors who have worked out there (area 51), but have never divulged what they have seen (no matter how much alcohol was involved).[:)]
Dave
It appears that one will do some flying, no static display though.
http://www.edwards.af.mil/openhouse/showinfo/scheduled_acts.html
Yep having been in Victorville & knowing it is on the way to either San Berndo or Barstow is the reason I said that is the BNSF line & that the UPRR has trackage rights over. In fact I watched as helper engines went by me while I was there & then I saw them pushing a UPRR train up Hesperia hill.
OH, MAN…
what I’d give to attend that show- and it starts with a big bang, too![sigh]
Saw what?
Oh my, all I can say is that I was a rock-hounder and being with the company that supported the airborne communications, we had use of a weapons carrier. I used it to travel all over the site looking for rocks. I found plenty, including arrowhead chips where the indians made their arrowheads. No one ever stopped me, so I figured the site was clean, except for our project.