Warm Springs Train at Meeker Ave 11/24/07

On my way to Point Richmond with the kids a couple of Saturdays ago around 11:30am, I saw headlights ahead on the BNSF Siberia Lead. A minute later, we encountered the eastbound Warm Springs train at Meeker Ave. 

The track here sits on a narrow strip of roadbed squeezed between the self storage buildings and the road. and the railroad has planted a row of trees along the road in an attempt to hide the tracks. There’s still enough spaces between the trees to see the trains. Speed along this track is limited to 10mph. Unlike the RPRC track that this line connects to, this track is continuous welded rail and was laid about three years ago. The rose colored ballast gives it away as BNSF track.

Here’s a couple of clips I shot as today’s train rolled by. You may hear the kids complaining about stopping for “yet another train” in minivan behind me! As you well know, you either take the shot or regret it later. And it turns out the kids still talk to me despite stopping for the train!

The lead unit SD40-2 FURX 7250 is typical for this train as is trailing HII GP60B, BNSF 105.

Only Automaxi autoracks today. Most days this train mainly has conventional tri-level autoracks. At the end of the train there were a couple of loaded centerbeams. Here and there, the plastic wrap on the lumber loads hangs below the top of the side sill, obscuring it. This is in contrast to the highly neat and orderly appearance of N Scale lumber loads. A little overhang and loose covering can add realism.

Although this is sleepy low speed track, the Warm Springs trains always have FRED’s at the rear as the train will enter UP rails at Stege about two miles from here for the trip to Warm Springs.