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Coastie with a Camera Photography

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10/25/2026

Between October 21st and 23rd, I made a 2.5 day outing to former Western Pacific territory with Nick Stewart. The goal was to document the WP searchlight signals that have been standing guard since the 1940's. Another key target of this trip was the local that operates out of Portola: LRC60. Shortly after arriving to the area, we would find LRC60 heading back west from Gerlach with storm clouds dropping rain on top of us within seconds of the train passing us at Doyle. Later on during the last day of the trip, we followed LRC60 to East Quincy for their regular interchange run with the Quincy Railroad. Still have a lot to edit and go through, but needless to say shooting the Canyon and Winnemucca Subdivisions yielded some interesting results. The former route of the California Zephyr still hangs on to a couple of subtle reminders of what railroad this was before the merger in 1983.
Taken on: 10/21-10/23/2026

10/24/2026

I decided to spend the last few days of post-deployment standdown with a 2-3 day trip to the Feather River Canyon, but more on that later. Early in the morning at my hotel, I woke up with the wide awakes, and shortly afterward, I heard a horn for a train heading westbound through Clio. Knowing that this train would make for a great set of photo opportunities when it exits the canyon and the fact that I couldn't go back to sleep, I decided to pack up and drive west through the canyon to get some early morning shots. I would eventually find the train I heard right before Tobin, and as I continued pushing my way west, I came upon a BNSF trackage rights train and another UP manifest heading to Stockton and Roseville respectively. I decided to set up at this S bend shot in Oroville and shoot this parade of trains with the early morning light. I still have a lot to edit from this trip, but I definitely want another round on the former Western Pacific mainline in the future before my tour in Northern California ends.
Taken on: 10/24/2026

10/12/2026

Steam in Niles Canyon is always a good excuse to get out of the house. One of two 2-6-2T's that call Niles Canyon home, Robert Dollar Company 3 has been one of the mainstay excursion locomotives for the Pacific Locomotive Association since returning to service in 2007. Small steam locomotives like this one are always fun to watch. 3 definitely has a nice bark once she is up to speed or pulling hard.

A neat little fun fact about this locomotive is that it was reportedly the last wood burning steam locomotive built for use in the United States when it was built by ALCO in 1927.
Taken on: 10/11/2026

10/08/2026

It's about time I get to be trackside on a port call. While making a brief stop in Seattle, I headed down to the Seattle waterfront after getting off the clock to see what BNSF and Amtrak would send my way in the late afternoon and evening sun. Apparently a sunny day in Seattle is hard to come by. BNSF did not disappoint, but I need actual time off to do the Cascades and Sounder services proper justice. It feels so good to be back on actual land for a change.
Taken on: 10/03/2026

09/04/2026

As I sit here in a nice cozy library deep in the most remote parts of America's last frontier, I find myself looking back on one of the coldest days I have considered myself crazy enough to be trackside. Alec Durfee and I planned a two day trip in Ontario, Canada, which would end up being my last railfan trip across the Peace Bridge when I was in my final months of living in Buffalo. The goal was to go for Ontario Southland the first day, and spend the next day on Canadian National's Dundas Subdivision.

We arrived in Ingersoll, Ontario where we did not have to wait too long for the St. Thomas job to creep their way north from the shops in Salford. We were then greeted by a pair of GP9's in matching paint. From there, the chase along the former Canadian Pacific tracks to St. Thomas was on. Once we got to St. Thomas we came across a meet between OSR and GIO Rail's local job returning back to their yard in St. Thomas.

We then decided to hightail it back east towards Ingersoll and Woodstock to track down OSR's Woodstock Job. We didn't have to go very far once we got back to Ingersoll as we saw a headlight heading westbound right as we cleared Ingersoll's city limits. Another pair of GP9's greeted us with OSR 102 in charge. We followed the Woodstock job until they tied down for the day in Salford, where the evening sunset allowed for some interesting shots of the OSR deadline that is made up of MLW and EMD products. Most interestingly enough, the one EMD diesel we saw in the deadline located behind the shops was an old GP9(?) still wearing Chessie System colors. Definitely not something I was expecting to see deep in Canadian territory.

Overall, it was a successful last bout in Canada on a short line I wish I got to document just a little bit more. Maybe when work makes it easier for me to cross the border again without hassle and the political tensions between the US and Canada calm down and heal, I'll consider making another trip to our neighboring country known as "The True North."
Taken on: 01/06/2025

09/03/2026

I got bored the other day and started to let my mind wander. And one of those random thoughts was realizing I have seen quite a few 1501’s in my time. The more you know I guess 🤷🏻‍♂️

06/15/2026

Going away again for a while. As they say, duty calls.

However, before leaving, I took it upon myself to document the three CalTrain F40's that now have found a new home on Amtrak's Capital Corridor service on Union Pacific's Martinez Subdivison. Unlike their many sister units, these three did not get exported to Peru. With commuter traffic demands increasing on the Capital Corridor, CalTrans leased the three F40's and some Bombardier bi level passenger cars from CalTrain on a 5 year lease agreement to help meet demand that has gradually been increasing since COVID ended. Currently, these F40's are in service as trailing units. Only time will tell if or when they will be able to lead passenger trains on their own again. Although this does provide a unique opportunity for fans of commuter rail. Between the Coast Starlight, California Zephyr, Gold Runner (formerly named San Joaquin), and Capital Corridor services that operate on this former Southern Pacific mainline, railfans have a unique opportunity to watch aging fleets of GE Genesis P42's, EMD F59PHI's, and EMD F40's (powered and cabbage variations) intermingling with new modern Siemens SC-44 and ALC-42 Chargers that are gradually replacing all three on both regional and long distance passenger services. It is safe to say that UP's Martinez Subdivison is one scenic option for railfans looking to witness a modern diesel motive power transition unfold.

06/12/2026

A morning in Tracy well spent. Three solid catches all crossing the Lyoth diamond: California Northern 2269 with the regular southbound road train, a westbound Altamont Corridor Express with two aging F40's in charge followed by the UP's eastbound unit auto rack train AMICX.
Taken on: 06/08/2026

05/21/2026

Went out to Hercules this evening to catch a late westbound California Zephyr with a colorful power lineup but also wound up catching a surprise CalTrain F40 trailing on a westbound Capital Corridor train as well.
Taken on: 05/20/2026

05/17/2026

Made a trip to Old Town Sacramento to take care of an errand and also capture US Air Force 1655 in action. Among the variety of motive power in the CSRM's collection, this little switcher does not seem to get out very much. So it was a nice change of pace from the usual SW8's that frequent the diesel powered trips most of the time.
Taken on: 05/16/2026

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