Sights - Photo Ops? SL/TE Maricopa - Alpine

The Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle mashup leaves LA after dark (10 PM), so there's not much to see until daybreak.

May 4, 2017 I'll be on the SL/TE between Maricopa (MRC) and Alpine (ALP).

This will be my first time on this train route, though i have driven I-8 and I-10 numerous times. I’ve looked at YouTube videos and Google Maps too.

On May 4 sunrise is at about 5:38 AM and the train is scheduled to reach MRC at 6:30 AM.

Sunset will happen about an hour before the train reaches Alpine, if it's on time.

I'm putting together a shot/video clip list for that day.

If you know of anything I might want to add that I don’t mention, chime in.

I used to live in Tucson so I know there is little of interest west of Maricopa. Gila Bend doesn't count, but I probably won't be up and about until we get to MRC anyway.

I'll make stills, a video clip, or both when we go through Casa Grande.

I'll get video out the railfan window of going under I-10 soon after leaving Casa Grande.

(Is the last car on the 2/422 a coach, or a sleeper?)

Next I'll get stills/video of Pichaco Peak.

We’ll running right next to I-10 after Eloy so I might get some video/stills of traffic on I-10.

I'll get video of pulling into Tucson.

Since Tucson is a service/refueling stop I’ll get off the train and shoot some video and stills while were there.

I am thinking about trying to shoot the Port of Tucson's, 2.5 mile, double loop Inter-modal train car facility.

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.1242866,-110.8331142,1856m/data=!3m1!1e3

I’ll try to catch were the 2 tracks split just after Houghton road since they don’t join up again for about 20 miles. If we luck out and are on the north tracks we’ll get some nice scenery as we go along Pantano Wash and Cienega Creek. There is a nice 180°, 1500 foot wide switchback after Davidson Canyon, but tracks don’t come back together until just north of Mescal.

I’ll get some shots/video as we negotiate Benson and we start climbing out of Benson heading for Dragoon Pass and the Dragoon Mountains Benson so there are some nice curves that should make some nice video. The Dragoon Mountains is where Cochise was able to evade capture for several years - Cochise Stronghold.

On the other side of Dragoon Pass and after the little town of Cochise the tracks go for 3 miles across a dry lake bed before we go through Wilcox.

After Wilcox I hope I can get some shots of the Large Binocular Telescope on Mt Graham in the Pinaleno Mountains. The sun should have the side of the dome facing the train lit nice and bright if it’s not cloudy.

Six miles or so into New Mexico there’s another dry lake bed the train and I-10 cross for about 6 miles.

We stop briefly in Lordsburg and Deming.

After that it’s routine high desert until about ½ way between Akela and Santa Teresa when we rail by the Arden Lava Flow.

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.0522132,-107.0066548,14292m/data=!3m1!1e3

UP has a nice new inter-modal yard just outside Santa Teresa that’s worth some shots.

https://www.google.com/maps/@31.9087564,-106.7423022,4133m/data=!3m1!1e3

Then after Sunland Park I’ll be able to get some shots/video of Mexico as the train gets as close to it as it gets.

Soon after that we’ll be entering El Paso and I should be able to get some shots of UTEP before we get to the El Paso station. Out of El Paso we join up with I-10 again about 10 miles southeast of Tornillo.

At Sierra Blanca we veer away from I-10 and head southeast to join up with US-90 some 7.5 miles south of Van Horn. At that point we are 90 miles from Alpine. It’s worth noting that this 90 mile segment has a 40 mile dead straight section of track I'll probably shoot some video of out the railfan window..

The Bhutanese style of the UTEP campus is unique, in the classic meaning of the word: the only one of its kind in the world.

But also look in the other direction, where Our Leader intends to build a wall, to replace the chain-link fence along the Rio Grande, the short concrete wall topped by another chain-link fence, then Paisano Drive and above that more chain-link fencing, a concrete-lined irrigation canal, railroad tracks, more fencing, and an Interstate Highway. And still they come.

The train station in El Paso was designed by Daniel Burnham, who also did Union Station in Washington, D.C. The El Paso building is a completely different style but quite striking. Some of the interior survives pretty well for its age. I doubt if you can get into the Harvey House space, but give it a try.

The last car of 2/422 is the 422 sleeper. The last car of 1/421 is the 421 sleeper. The sleepers and DC of 1/2 are up front.

Just prior to arriving at ELP, you are within 50 feet of Mexico. The houses you see on your right eastbound are in Mexico.

the_traveler said:

The last car of 2/422 is the 422 sleeper. The last car of 1/421 is the 421 sleeper. The sleepers and DC of 1/2 are up front.

Click to expand...

Where in the consist is the 2 sleeper?

Or better yet, what is the entire consist of the 2/422 aft of the transdorm.

The AU page that shows consists isn't current, and even back when did not show the consist of the 2/422 from LAX to SAS.

I'm in the 2 sleeper to Alpine. It was 1/2 the cost of being in the 422 sleeper to Alpine.

the_traveler said:

Just prior to arriving at ELP, you are within 50 feet of Mexico. The houses you see on your right eastbound are in Mexico.

Click to expand...

Or even closer, about 25 feet, if we are on the southern most of the 2 tracks.

The Normal consist from LAX-SAS for #2/#422 is: P-42s(2)/Bag Car/Transdorm/#2 Sleeper/Diner/Sightseer Lounge/ LAX-NOL Coaches(2)/#422Coach/#422 Sleeper

I usually watch for the Cienega Creek Bridge...Main Track 1 passes over the Main Track 2. That's between Tuscon and Benson and you will be on one or the other main depending on what the dispatcher does. I'm usually at the rear window of the 421 or 422 sleeper when we pass there.

IMG_0508 by John, on Flickr

Here's hoping you have a great trip. I used to think I had to get photos of all the great sights along the way, but, I really enjoyed my trip to NOL earlier this year on the SL because I put the camera down and took it all in rather than missing most while looking for something else. That said, I knew someone would come along and take the shots I was much too lazy to look for.

Looking forward to yours.

anumberone said:

Here's hoping you have a great trip. I used to think I had to get photos of all the great sights along the way, but, I really enjoyed my trip to NOL earlier this year on the SL because I put the camera down and took it all in rather than missing most while looking for something else. That said, I knew someone would come along and take the shots I was much too lazy to look for.

Looking forward to yours.

Click to expand...

Yes, indeed! Sometimes we give so much attention to recording an event for later enjoyment that we fail to enjoy the moment we are there.

Thanks for the consist Bob.

I saw the Cienega Creek Bridge cross-over on Google Maps.

I earned my living doing photography.

I think I actually see a lot more than the average person does.

I'll have lots of time to just watch and enjoy whatever is going by.

I'm putting a written shot list together now, 6 months before I'll be on the train.

Consequently I think I'll get to enjoy more of the 'moments we are there' than most of the other train passengers.