But read, what Albert has to say:
"Not
too long ago, it appeared rather crazy to me, to undertake far journeys
only to take pictures of trains. But the uniformity of the domestic railways
and the pictures in American railway magazines, showing trains in magnificent
landscape, caused a change of mind. So in 1999, I made a trip into the
American West - just to take photographs of long and colourful trains with
impressive backgrounds.
There,
the attraction of US railways soon fascinated me. Maybe the following images
from California, Washington and Utah will show you, why. They're only a
few impressions of this journey, which hopefully wasn't the last one ..."
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The trip started with a visit of the famous Tehachapi line. The picture of UP 6226, SP7345, SSW 9628 and UP 6345 with a manifest train was taken near Cliff (August 29th, 1999). |
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Next on our itinary was a visit of the I-5 corridor in the Dunsmuir area. UP 3293, SP 5388, UP 4111 and UP 6071 pull a manifest train near Andesite. In the background you can see the impressive Mt. Shasta. (September 2nd, 1999) |
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The following day, SP 9616, UP 3335 and UP 5047 provided the power for train MPDWC (near Grass Lake). |
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Between Chicago, IL and Seattle, WA operates Amtrak #7/8 “Empire builder”, which travels 2210 miles in approximately 44 hours. At Spokane the direkt cars to Portland, OR are uncoupled. They'll continue their ride as Amtrak # 27/28, which runs through the scenic Columbia River Gorge. In the morning of September 6th, 1999, AMD 806 pulls the short Amtrak #27 near Maryhill, approximately 100 miles before it arrives at its final destination. |
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Long freight trains are typically for American railways, but this one also had a good share of power at the front. Eight locomotives provided enough traction for the long string of cars: BNSF 4866, BNSF 4799, BNSF 1077, BN 6370, BN 7042, BN 7049, BN 8079 and BN 7160 at Maryhill (September 7th, 1999). |
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On September 9th, 1999, the Quincy local consisted of some grain hoppers, which were brought to Wenatchee, WA by BNSF 2748 and BNSF 2094. The image shows the train at the well-known Trinidad loop, that actually is just a horseshoe curve. |
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In the last spots of the evening sun UP 3332 and UP 3569 pass with their short local the large bridge over the Snake River between Joso and Ayer Jct (September 10th, 1999). |
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A visit at the former Rio Grande line was part of this journey, too. Amtrak #5/6 “California Zephyr”, that connects California with Chicago via Denver, uses this route. On September 12th, 1999, the Amtrak locomotives 50, 14 and 308 are pulling Amtrak #6 near Cedar through the dessert of eastern Utah. |
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The coal mined in Utah is moved west across the Soldier Summit. UP 6674 and two UP SD9043MAC already have passed the summit and now roll downhill with their coal empty (near Kyune, September 12th,1999). |
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With a bit of luck one still can see a solid consist of locos in DRGW-paint. On September 15th, 1999, DRGW 5409 and two other SD40T-2 of the former Denver, Rio Grande & Wetsern arrive at Soldier Summit with a manifest train from Denver to Roper. |
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The former Rio Grande route is also used by a BNSF-train in each direction. On September 16th, 1999, ATSF 852, BNSF 4420 and BNSF 1012 pull an eastbound manifest train. The image was taken near Brendel. |