Another hideous errror. Gimme credit for correction, okay? Dome was Silver SOLARIUM, as noted above and seen in the pictures. Silver Lariat was on the steam excursion.
Tehachapi: The Report
- Thread starter WhoozOn1st
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How do you pronounce Tehachapi?
Tuh-HATCH-uh-pee, pronounced quickly.
MrFSS, you're not the first, and probably not the last, to ask that.
Its definitely not Irish!
Not Irish by a long shot. Native American.
I would rename it "Galligan's Grade."
Filla-me-ooo-ree-ooo-ree-ay, working on the railway.
NOT A SECTION
Just some random Tehachapi notes before firing up the grill on this 4th of July.
Rookie sleeper attendant Lindsay confessed to me at one point that she felt overwhelmed. I thought she was doing a fine job, and told her so. She reminded me that I was gone most of the time, and noted that she had some very demanding non-railfan passengers on her hands, and I can vouch for her on this. Several serious gripers, which I didn't really know until the camera battery had died and I was siting in the roomette waiting on the recharge.
Is it really necessary to make life difficult for the attendants? Maybe I'm too easy, but I don't need much. Try to make myself inconspicous anyway (try that when wearing a fez!), and as long as there's coffee and juices I'm pretty happy.
And when walking the train I wear a smile and give the right of way to oncoming passengers and crew. A matter of common courtesy, as I see it.
Amfleet cars are much more stable for trainwalking than Superliners. Lower center of gravity and all. When walking Superliners I keep one arm extended to the ceiling, like a trolley, for stability. Getting thrown from the aisle into somebody's lap by a jolt on bad track is no fun for anybody.
Just some random Tehachapi notes before firing up the grill on this 4th of July.
Rookie sleeper attendant Lindsay confessed to me at one point that she felt overwhelmed. I thought she was doing a fine job, and told her so. She reminded me that I was gone most of the time, and noted that she had some very demanding non-railfan passengers on her hands, and I can vouch for her on this. Several serious gripers, which I didn't really know until the camera battery had died and I was siting in the roomette waiting on the recharge.
Is it really necessary to make life difficult for the attendants? Maybe I'm too easy, but I don't need much. Try to make myself inconspicous anyway (try that when wearing a fez!), and as long as there's coffee and juices I'm pretty happy.
And when walking the train I wear a smile and give the right of way to oncoming passengers and crew. A matter of common courtesy, as I see it.
Amfleet cars are much more stable for trainwalking than Superliners. Lower center of gravity and all. When walking Superliners I keep one arm extended to the ceiling, like a trolley, for stability. Getting thrown from the aisle into somebody's lap by a jolt on bad track is no fun for anybody.
Joel N. Weber II
Engineer
Maybe now that you have broadband you can provide us with an audio recording of you pronouncing Tehachapi?
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the_traveler
Engineer
Joel "My name is not John" must be reading pretty closely, because I only mentioned in passing that I've advanced to broadband. That's a GOOD thing. Glad to have careful readers; they keep me relatively honest.
Hope everybody had a fine 4th of July. I used the party opportunity to regale my guests with my non-coast Coast Starlight rant. It wasn't long before they started saying ""Just shut up and cook."
I retorted, "The railroad rant is the price of your meal." Nobody left. I make a mean burger.
SECTION 7
There will not be a Section 8. We know what that means, so after this we'll skip to Section 9.
The descent to Caliente after the Tehachapi Loop was nothing short of spectacular. You couldn't write a better script, or get better photo angles. Scanner guy informed us even before the Loop that 11 was waiting at Caliente. Big News!
It was like descending into an airport for landing. Magnificent. Shortly after meeting the last BNSF freight on the hill, 11 came into view. We were far overhead, and it was obvious we'd have to lose some serious altitude for the meet.
The final run, northbound, into Caliente is the biggest, fattest horseshoe I've ever seen. In some ways it's more impressive than the Tehachapi Loop. Serious!
A clearer sense of the way you're changing altitude via 19th century engineering. Those guys did good.
Then the battery died. RATS!!
Nevertheless, it was a beautiful approach from above, horseshoe and all, and a fine meet with Train 11. Many railfans on hand, and PV tacked to the end of 11.
Then the run into Bakersfield. Somewhat puzzled by the rail route. Wondered why we were climbing a major grade when there appeared to be an easy way around it. Does anybody know about this? Dropping into the valley it looked like a flat shot, but the train took a hill. Maybe works better southbound, giving freights a running start? I don't know.
NEXT: Trouble At Bakersfield.
There will not be a Section 8. We know what that means, so after this we'll skip to Section 9.
The descent to Caliente after the Tehachapi Loop was nothing short of spectacular. You couldn't write a better script, or get better photo angles. Scanner guy informed us even before the Loop that 11 was waiting at Caliente. Big News!
It was like descending into an airport for landing. Magnificent. Shortly after meeting the last BNSF freight on the hill, 11 came into view. We were far overhead, and it was obvious we'd have to lose some serious altitude for the meet.
The final run, northbound, into Caliente is the biggest, fattest horseshoe I've ever seen. In some ways it's more impressive than the Tehachapi Loop. Serious!
A clearer sense of the way you're changing altitude via 19th century engineering. Those guys did good.
Then the battery died. RATS!!
Nevertheless, it was a beautiful approach from above, horseshoe and all, and a fine meet with Train 11. Many railfans on hand, and PV tacked to the end of 11.
Then the run into Bakersfield. Somewhat puzzled by the rail route. Wondered why we were climbing a major grade when there appeared to be an easy way around it. Does anybody know about this? Dropping into the valley it looked like a flat shot, but the train took a hill. Maybe works better southbound, giving freights a running start? I don't know.
NEXT: Trouble At Bakersfield.
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SECTION 8
Not paying attention? I said no Section 8. Military folk will get the joke.
Not paying attention? I said no Section 8. Military folk will get the joke.
SECTION 9
Bakersfield, over 5 hours into the run, was a smoke stop. FINALLY! I'd prepared myself with packs of gum, but that just didn't quite get it. All smokers on the platform at Bakersfield, but we had barely gotten in a single stogie when we were told to reboard.
Short platform, meant for San Joaquins, so the Coast Starlight had to be respotted to allow coach passengers to alight. That meant us sleeper smokers were screwed, but I had an idea. Walk back to the coaches, wait for the respot, and light up again. Fellow smokers commended me on this bright thought, and we all walked back.
Problem was, the respot took forever. A gang of smokers hanging out in the stupid arcade area, lighters in hand, chomping at the bit to be let off the train. Don't know if that was funny or sad.
It was about then that we began to hear rumors of engine failure. I think it was Daniel3197 who posted that a P-42 HEP unit died around east Bakersfield. I wonder if Daniel3197 was the youngster who was referred to by other passengers as "that foamer kid." I'm around 50, but on that day I could totally identify with that foamer kid's exuberance. At heart I'm just a foamer kid too.
Turned out that we did in fact have a bad unit. But nothing to be done about until Stockton. That was okay, nothing serious for the flat Central Valley. But mountains after Sacramento, and a bad unit would not do. Problems developing.
NEXT: Run Up The Valley.
Bakersfield, over 5 hours into the run, was a smoke stop. FINALLY! I'd prepared myself with packs of gum, but that just didn't quite get it. All smokers on the platform at Bakersfield, but we had barely gotten in a single stogie when we were told to reboard.
Short platform, meant for San Joaquins, so the Coast Starlight had to be respotted to allow coach passengers to alight. That meant us sleeper smokers were screwed, but I had an idea. Walk back to the coaches, wait for the respot, and light up again. Fellow smokers commended me on this bright thought, and we all walked back.
Problem was, the respot took forever. A gang of smokers hanging out in the stupid arcade area, lighters in hand, chomping at the bit to be let off the train. Don't know if that was funny or sad.
It was about then that we began to hear rumors of engine failure. I think it was Daniel3197 who posted that a P-42 HEP unit died around east Bakersfield. I wonder if Daniel3197 was the youngster who was referred to by other passengers as "that foamer kid." I'm around 50, but on that day I could totally identify with that foamer kid's exuberance. At heart I'm just a foamer kid too.
Turned out that we did in fact have a bad unit. But nothing to be done about until Stockton. That was okay, nothing serious for the flat Central Valley. But mountains after Sacramento, and a bad unit would not do. Problems developing.
NEXT: Run Up The Valley.
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I thank the mods for moving posts that aren't really where they should be.
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SECTION 10
Smoke smoke smoke that cigarette
Puff puff puff, and if you puff yourself to death
Tell Saint Peter at the Golden Gate
That you just hate to make him wait
But you just gotta have another cigarette
Departed Bakersfield about 4:20, after standing on the platform smoking (again). Only about 110 degrees, and I found just about the only shade. Talked with a couple guys from the L.A. area, one of whom actually admitted to being an MTA bus driver. Told him "Don't say that too loud around here." HAHA!!
As we raced north, and it was getting toward dinnertime, it began to dawn on me that I had no diner reservation. Out on the platform stoking my habit I had missed the announcement that dinner reservations would be taken. Unlike Pacific Surfliner cars, Superliners have no externally mounted speakers for announcements.
So I left the camera battery still charging and walked back to the diner to try to get a dinner reservation. No dice. Main guy told me the only thing left was "last call." Replied, "That's okay, I just want the burger." "No burger." This came as something of a shock, so I grabbed a menu off a table, and the guy was right: no burger. Fish dish, steak, veggie option (lasagna), and chicken. Unhappy. I wanted a burger, and was afraid that last call would result in the diner being out of the chicken, which was my second choice. Then the guy offered another option: Food service in my roomette at any time, if I gave my attendant decent notice. Since I had begun jonesing for chicken I returned to my roomette and sought out rookie attendant Lindsay.
Now ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, I had never had food service in a sleeper before, and truth to tell the option made me pretty uncomfortable. Being served in a restaurant is one thing, but to ask somebody whooz already pretty busy to go fetch your food from the dining car? Kind of goes against my generally egalitarian grain. Don't like the feeling that somebody is waiting on me. Repulsive.
Returning to the roomette I sought out rookie attendant Lindsay and had a long conversation. I think it took her about 20 minutes to fully convince me that she didn't mind at all. I wasn't being one of the griper passengers. Just didn't feel right about it, and still don't. Lindsay took my order, the chicken, and asked when I would like to eat. Said about 6:30.
The fellow smokers I'd been yapping with at Bakersfield had a roomette on the lower level of my car, so went down to chew the fat with them. Main event was over, so more time for talking. One of them was the aforementioned bus driver, but I decided not hassle him about it. EDIT: Bore more than a passing resemblance to Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden, and his pal looked suspiciously like Art Carney's Ed Norton. Forgot to ask if he was a sewer worker.
By the time rookie attendant Lindsay arrived with the food I was back in the roomette, laptop cranked up and editing photos. She was kinda surprised. "I'm glad you're here!" "Where else would I be?" "You've been all over the train all day." Which was true.
The food was largely terrible, and that's almost all I'll say about it. When Lindsay asked how my dinner had been, "The silverware worked very well." She almost fell down laughing, and said she brings her own food along.
NEXT: Ordeal At Stockton
Smoke smoke smoke that cigarette
Puff puff puff, and if you puff yourself to death
Tell Saint Peter at the Golden Gate
That you just hate to make him wait
But you just gotta have another cigarette
Departed Bakersfield about 4:20, after standing on the platform smoking (again). Only about 110 degrees, and I found just about the only shade. Talked with a couple guys from the L.A. area, one of whom actually admitted to being an MTA bus driver. Told him "Don't say that too loud around here." HAHA!!
As we raced north, and it was getting toward dinnertime, it began to dawn on me that I had no diner reservation. Out on the platform stoking my habit I had missed the announcement that dinner reservations would be taken. Unlike Pacific Surfliner cars, Superliners have no externally mounted speakers for announcements.
So I left the camera battery still charging and walked back to the diner to try to get a dinner reservation. No dice. Main guy told me the only thing left was "last call." Replied, "That's okay, I just want the burger." "No burger." This came as something of a shock, so I grabbed a menu off a table, and the guy was right: no burger. Fish dish, steak, veggie option (lasagna), and chicken. Unhappy. I wanted a burger, and was afraid that last call would result in the diner being out of the chicken, which was my second choice. Then the guy offered another option: Food service in my roomette at any time, if I gave my attendant decent notice. Since I had begun jonesing for chicken I returned to my roomette and sought out rookie attendant Lindsay.
Now ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, I had never had food service in a sleeper before, and truth to tell the option made me pretty uncomfortable. Being served in a restaurant is one thing, but to ask somebody whooz already pretty busy to go fetch your food from the dining car? Kind of goes against my generally egalitarian grain. Don't like the feeling that somebody is waiting on me. Repulsive.
Returning to the roomette I sought out rookie attendant Lindsay and had a long conversation. I think it took her about 20 minutes to fully convince me that she didn't mind at all. I wasn't being one of the griper passengers. Just didn't feel right about it, and still don't. Lindsay took my order, the chicken, and asked when I would like to eat. Said about 6:30.
The fellow smokers I'd been yapping with at Bakersfield had a roomette on the lower level of my car, so went down to chew the fat with them. Main event was over, so more time for talking. One of them was the aforementioned bus driver, but I decided not hassle him about it. EDIT: Bore more than a passing resemblance to Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden, and his pal looked suspiciously like Art Carney's Ed Norton. Forgot to ask if he was a sewer worker.
By the time rookie attendant Lindsay arrived with the food I was back in the roomette, laptop cranked up and editing photos. She was kinda surprised. "I'm glad you're here!" "Where else would I be?" "You've been all over the train all day." Which was true.
The food was largely terrible, and that's almost all I'll say about it. When Lindsay asked how my dinner had been, "The silverware worked very well." She almost fell down laughing, and said she brings her own food along.
NEXT: Ordeal At Stockton
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Keep it up . . . this is great. I leave on Friday so you bettter be done by then. LOL
Aloha
I will second Steve's comment, as this report is fun. I think I meet Steve in WUS on the 19th, I leave July 15 for My First Acela ride on Wed July 16.
Mahalo
If the report is fun - and I certainly hope folks will find it fun - it's because riding trains is fun. And I remember when I was "that foamer kid" who bugged the hell out of everybody.
I will be on the railfest, but will not join the group until Tampa. So we will meet in Tampa, but not in WUS. Look forward to seeing you.
Oh my. Major misunderstanding, Steve. The Amtrak Unlimited 2nd Annual Gathering will be October 10-12, 2008 at Los Angeles. Opposite side of the continent.
the_traveler
Engineer
I believe Steve is referring to the OTOL Railfest - being held in Florida!
First a shout out of thanks to AlanB for taking some of his valuable time to alter my screen name as requested.
SECTION 11
After the rotten meal, Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton passed by the roomette. Unlike yours surly, they had made reservations for dinner in the diner. Usually keep the door open when in the roomette; helps me know whats going on.
So I stopped 'em. "HEY! What did you guys have for dinner?"
Ralph had eaten the fish, which he said was excellent, and Ed had ordered the steak, which he highly praised. So I was the only one I knew who had gone for the chicken. Grumble grumble.
By this time it was pretty common knowledge that we had a bad locomotive. We knew generally that we were gonna have a unit added at Stockton, but nobody seemed to be sure where it would come from. Amtrak? UP? Who knew? And why at Stockton? Couldn't we make it to Sacramento, and wasn't there adequate power available there?
Questions, questions!
Ralph, Ed, and me, as smokers, hoped Stockton, because there would be a major delay, would be turned into a smoke stop. Nope. Rolled right past the station and out into the yards. Rats!
Now me and the guys, though dying to smoke, exercised self control. Apparently not everybody did, because around this time a male voice came on the PA system to say this (paraphrasing again):
"There is no smoking allowed on the train. If you didn't get the message before, get this message. If you are found smoking aboard this train, the train will come to a stop, no matter where it is, you will be put off the train, and probably met by local police." So at least they'd have a ride, if only to the hoosegow.
We got a UP unit added to the nose at Stockton.
Rookie attendant Lindsay was starting to get worried. There would be major passenger turnover at Sacramento, and she told me she wasn't very good at making up the beds.
NEXT: Sacramento Arrival.
SECTION 11
After the rotten meal, Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton passed by the roomette. Unlike yours surly, they had made reservations for dinner in the diner. Usually keep the door open when in the roomette; helps me know whats going on.
So I stopped 'em. "HEY! What did you guys have for dinner?"
Ralph had eaten the fish, which he said was excellent, and Ed had ordered the steak, which he highly praised. So I was the only one I knew who had gone for the chicken. Grumble grumble.
By this time it was pretty common knowledge that we had a bad locomotive. We knew generally that we were gonna have a unit added at Stockton, but nobody seemed to be sure where it would come from. Amtrak? UP? Who knew? And why at Stockton? Couldn't we make it to Sacramento, and wasn't there adequate power available there?
Questions, questions!
Ralph, Ed, and me, as smokers, hoped Stockton, because there would be a major delay, would be turned into a smoke stop. Nope. Rolled right past the station and out into the yards. Rats!
Now me and the guys, though dying to smoke, exercised self control. Apparently not everybody did, because around this time a male voice came on the PA system to say this (paraphrasing again):
"There is no smoking allowed on the train. If you didn't get the message before, get this message. If you are found smoking aboard this train, the train will come to a stop, no matter where it is, you will be put off the train, and probably met by local police." So at least they'd have a ride, if only to the hoosegow.
We got a UP unit added to the nose at Stockton.
Rookie attendant Lindsay was starting to get worried. There would be major passenger turnover at Sacramento, and she told me she wasn't very good at making up the beds.
NEXT: Sacramento Arrival.
SECTION 12
In deference to those who don't have all day to read this junk time after time, I'll try to make this the last installment of the Tehachapi saga.
The UP unit added at Stockton turned out to be faulty as well. In view of the fact that the P-42 problem we were informed of involved HEP, why add a freight unit that almost by definition had no HEP capability?
More weirdness set in. Approaching Sacramento, the train turned away from the city and then sat out for a long time on a bridge over the river. What the hey? Went back and found a scanner guy to see what was going on. This was when I learned that the UP locomotive was behaving badly.
There was a guy I had first met on the platform at L.A., but hadn't seen since. He was headed for Chico, and growing increasingly concerned as we fell further and further behind schedule.
To keep it short, we backed into Sacramento at about walking speed. Miles at walking speed.
Arrived at 11:30, about 2.5 hours late.
Bade farewell to rookie attendant Lindsay, who was rewarded for her kindness and fine service. Then started looking for a cab. Cabbie pulled over. ""Where are you going?" "Vagabond." "It's right across the street and down the block. Can't miss it." "Thanks!"
As things turned out I really coulda used the cab, even for a trip down the street. Wound up hauling my bags behind a bunch of people crowding the street in front of me. All headed to the Vagabond Inn, and I couldn't seem to get around them. Spread out and taking up the whole sidewalk. I know this sounds boorish, but if you're gonna walk slowly, stick to the right. The Slow Lane. Get outta my way, and don't hog the sidewalk.
Even worse is when people ahead just plain stop right in front of you. No apparent reason, except perhaps their brains suddenly ceased all function. Keep it moving, folks! If you really need to stop for a conversation, move out of the way.
These things happened while schlepping to the Vagabond Inn, where it took over an hour to get checked in. The Vagabond appeared to be the hotel of choice for railfans, and the line was very long. Looked pretty hideous at first glance, but turned out not all that bad. Passed the time rehashing the ride with fellow railfans. Once checked in I meant to do some more photo editing, but was exhausted.
Dialed to arrange a wakeup call for the morning, and tried to figure out the clock radio alarm (both worked), then just crashed.
END OF TEHACHAPI REPORT, unless there are any questions.
In deference to those who don't have all day to read this junk time after time, I'll try to make this the last installment of the Tehachapi saga.
The UP unit added at Stockton turned out to be faulty as well. In view of the fact that the P-42 problem we were informed of involved HEP, why add a freight unit that almost by definition had no HEP capability?
More weirdness set in. Approaching Sacramento, the train turned away from the city and then sat out for a long time on a bridge over the river. What the hey? Went back and found a scanner guy to see what was going on. This was when I learned that the UP locomotive was behaving badly.
There was a guy I had first met on the platform at L.A., but hadn't seen since. He was headed for Chico, and growing increasingly concerned as we fell further and further behind schedule.
To keep it short, we backed into Sacramento at about walking speed. Miles at walking speed.
Arrived at 11:30, about 2.5 hours late.
Bade farewell to rookie attendant Lindsay, who was rewarded for her kindness and fine service. Then started looking for a cab. Cabbie pulled over. ""Where are you going?" "Vagabond." "It's right across the street and down the block. Can't miss it." "Thanks!"
As things turned out I really coulda used the cab, even for a trip down the street. Wound up hauling my bags behind a bunch of people crowding the street in front of me. All headed to the Vagabond Inn, and I couldn't seem to get around them. Spread out and taking up the whole sidewalk. I know this sounds boorish, but if you're gonna walk slowly, stick to the right. The Slow Lane. Get outta my way, and don't hog the sidewalk.
Even worse is when people ahead just plain stop right in front of you. No apparent reason, except perhaps their brains suddenly ceased all function. Keep it moving, folks! If you really need to stop for a conversation, move out of the way.
These things happened while schlepping to the Vagabond Inn, where it took over an hour to get checked in. The Vagabond appeared to be the hotel of choice for railfans, and the line was very long. Looked pretty hideous at first glance, but turned out not all that bad. Passed the time rehashing the ride with fellow railfans. Once checked in I meant to do some more photo editing, but was exhausted.
Dialed to arrange a wakeup call for the morning, and tried to figure out the clock radio alarm (both worked), then just crashed.
END OF TEHACHAPI REPORT, unless there are any questions.
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