It Never Rains in Southern California

[ekeating]

Different route, same area. So I figure I can keep it on the same thread!

My maiden voyage on Jeff Farquhar's Cima Subdivision from Yermo to Arden. We took a coal empty this morning to Arden, mostly to get familiar with the route.

Darkness still covered the desert when we left Yermo.


Dawn was starting to break through Afton Canyon.


Starting the stiff 2.0%+ grade to Cima at Kelso.


One of the mainly searchlight installments still on Cima Sub at East End Borax.


Arden was full when we arrived, the grain train on the siding was preparing to leave. The outbound crew was hopping on as we pulled up to the yard office.


EK

[klsc85]

While hiding in my Covid 19 foxhole (while at the same time getting used to semi-retirement) I downloaded Jeff's Cima Sub route and set about doing some activity research, just for something to do. What resulted was a half dozen runs, split evenly eastbound and westbound, IM, loaded coal and grain, empty ethanol, and manifest. I used Union Pacific's instructions on tons per operative dynamic brake and best guesses on horsepower per ton. I especially wanted to get an idea how UP gets heavy westbounds down the hill to Kelso. Boy, I sweated that first trip with a 10,000+ ton train of Trona coal. But I got it balanced and down the grade at a rock solid 15 mph. That's simulated railroading at its most realistic. Thanks for sharing the pics EK...it is one heck of a route for train handling freaks like me!

Uncle E

[ekeating]

While hiding in my Covid 19 foxhole (while at the same time getting used to semi-retirement) I downloaded Jeff's Cima Sub route and set about doing some activity research, just for something to do. What resulted was a half dozen runs, split evenly eastbound and westbound, IM, loaded coal and grain, empty ethanol, and manifest. I used Union Pacific's instructions on tons per operative dynamic brake and best guesses on horsepower per ton. I especially wanted to get an idea how UP gets heavy westbounds down the hill to Kelso. Boy, I sweated that first trip with a 10,000+ ton train of Trona coal. But I got it balanced and down the grade at a rock solid 15 mph. That's simulated railroading at its most realistic. Thanks for sharing the pics EK...it is one heck of a route for train handling freaks like me!

I'm used this empty to get familiar with the route. Interestingly enough, the train handling on this route is very similar to MLT's Rogers Pass that I ran early this year (ruling grade up to 1.3% WB and 2.4% EB). There's about 3 intermodals and 2 manifests each way. There's also a loaded autorack train that runs westbound, the empties are tacked on various eastbound intermodals. Plus the occasional coal and grain traffic. Before I stray away from Cima I will be doing either a loaded grain or coal train to test my skills!

EK

[ekeating]

Came back to Yermo on an Autorack train bound for the LA/LB area.

Coming through the bridge just east of Basin after meeting an eastbound.


The searchlights at Field.


Photographing from inside an abandoned Gas Station near Yermo.


The signal bridge at West Yermo.


Hopping off at Yermo, letting the Long Beach crew take over from here!


EK

[ekeating]

This evening, got "called" for an M-WCNPB to Arden.

Getting ready to pull from Yermo.


Near Field siding, the sun starting to set.


Approaching Afton Canyon, like the sign says!


Meeting one at Joshua siding.


Into Arden under darkness. Time to get some sleep!


EK

[klsc85]

Excellent!

Uncle E

[ekeating]

Last night / this morning, we took the ZNPLA west with one of "Miss Katy's" leading.

Leaving Arden, we had the MNPWC following us out of town.


Stretching out legs out at Balch.


Afton Canyon


Met a grain empty at Toomey, he's waiting on both of us.


Arrived into Yermo in record time! Ready for the outbound to go the rest of the way to LA.


EK

[ekeating]

This morning's run was the ILASC galloping across the desert.

Pumping the brakes up at Yermo to depart.


Approaching Manix, I-15 follows the mainline for about 10 miles outside of Yermo.


Afton Canyon, someone is having an early morning bonfire.


Near Erie.


Held for one at Sloan before coming down to Arden for the recrew.


EK

[ekeating]

My last run on Cima Sub for the time being was this hefty loaded coal train, CUWLX. 15000 tons over Cima Sub is not an easy task, particularly keeping to speed restrictions down the 2.2%+ grade from Cima to Kelso.

Also, this will be my wrap up of the Summertime routes that I've been running since mid-May. Its been an absolute blast running the heart out of both Jeff Farquhar routes in the Trainsim File Library. The "Summer of Farquhar" has truly been a memorable one.

I started this thread by a reference to Albert Hammond's one hit wonder. Who would I be to not round this thread out with another sound ubiquitous with the SoCal region, Tom Petty...



It's time to move on, time to get going


What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing


But under my feet, baby, grass is growing


It's time to move on, it's time to get going



EK

[Shortliner]

This evening, got "called" for an M-WCNPB to Arden.

Getting ready to pull from Yermo.


Near Field siding, the sun starting to set.


Approaching Afton Canyon, like the sign says!


Meeting one at Joshua siding.


Into Arden under darkness. Time to get some sleep!


EK

So I gotta ask, is that distance counter in the locomotive's HUD functional? Because I've been waiting forever for OpenRails to get a functional distance counter.