Cajon Pilgrimage 2011

[kenszok]

Thank you T.C. and Johnathan for your comments.

As promised, here are some of my images and perspective.

I arrived early as I tend to do, but it was quite a wait before the next person would join me on Pilgrimage Hill. The train traffic seemed a bit slow compared to past Pilgrimages. However,the first train that I photographed was a Union Pacific train on one of the BNSF mains. I found the power consist to be a nice surprise. It has SD70Ms all without flags. It's been a long time since I have seen something like this.

   

I spent some time shooting various landscapes images as the light changed. After a while, BNSF was kind enough to send a couple trains up the pass. One being a stack train and the other an ethanol train heading east.

           

After these trains passed by, I took a little nap in my vehicle as I waited for others to arrive. I heard horn blow in the distance a was pleased to see a train heading up track 3.

   

BNSF 7704 was the lead locomotive for this Barstow bound train. As the train approached Silverwood, a westbound train came around the bend from Summit. I later discovered that the lead loco of the westbound was BNSF 7705. It amused me to see this sequential meeting of locomotives.

   

BNSF 7705 was proudly displaying its ghetto heritage as do many of the other 7700 series of locomotives in the BNSF fleet.

   

The train that HG saw climbing around Sullivan's Curve showed up.

   

Sometime around 9:00, Brett showed up and Danny, Shelley and Danny's mom followed shortly afterward. It was nice to have some other folks joining me on the hill. We chatted for a while and enjoyed some pastries when BNSF sent us another couple trains: one eastbound; one westbound.

       

While sitting around after the enjoyment of watching the previous two trains, Shelley decided to begin this thread while sitting in the back of Brett's Element.

   

HG showed joined up with us, and we had a good time talking for a while. A horn sounded in the direction of Summit, and we were treated to an auto train coming down the pass.

   

Johnathan, Shawn, and Kyle showed up just as my time on the hill had run out. I had to get back to help my wife out with something she needed to do.

It was nice to get out, but it was also different this year. There is a great difference when Scott can't make the trip: no decorations, ugly hut, or lights. Many people were missed who have been regulars at this event in the past.

Thanks for taking a look. I hope others will share their experiences and perspectives.

Ken

[Amtrak/Santa Fe Boy]

Awesome shots Ken and HG.I was about 20 miles down 138 staying in Crestline.I wanted to see what was going on in Cajon Sunday,but that was called off.

It's fustrating when you don't have family that make the effort to take you railfanning...at least it's 2 more years until I get my drivers liscense!
Then I can do cool stuff like this!

[TC Smith]

The Roundhouse Gang (of Redlands) camped up there many years ago, it's a lot more scenic nowadays.


TCS - back when it was just a hill ....

[wCRv]

"BNSF 7705 was proudly displaying its ghetto heritage as do many of the other 7700 series of locomotives in the BNSF fleet."

That made me laugh out loud.