Some photos of my railfanning around the East Bay 2011

Railroadforums.com is a free online Railroad Discussion Forum and Railroad Photo Gallery for railroaders, railfans, model railroaders and anyone else who is interested in railroads. We cover a wide variety of topics, including freight trains, passenger and commuter railroads, rail news and information, tourist railroads, railway museums and railroad history.

Itsed65

Well-Known Member
I live in Pinole CA, so I am pretty fortunate to live very close to some great areas to watch trains. I am constantly, if not always successfully, trying to improve my photographic skills, and with the great weather we have had lately around these parts, I have been taking a lot of pics, so I thought I would share.

A San Joaquin train runs along San Pablo Bay outside of Crockett on the way to Oakland.
5420504030_7393cb56e5_b.jpg


Maintenance crews running some locos around the yard at Roseville
5419898607_5a764fbd54_b.jpg


Old rotary plows still in SP markings at the Roseville yard
5422938675_10ed0498da_b.jpg


Capital Corridor runs along the bay late one afternoon through Hercules CA
5422941587_7fa087cfd8_b.jpg



This guy couldn't wait 5 whole seconds for the train to pass at Jack London Square
5439777129_9d77ca482e_b.jpg


Caught this while out on a bike ride after work this week. Of course I was on the wrong side of the creek to get the best angle...This is in a city park in Pinole, and it is the mainline of the BNSF just west of Franklin Canyon.
5439777373_095403a11e_b.jpg


A Capital Corridor slows as it pulls into the Emeryville station.
5443272449_049be6483c_b.jpg


Every Sunday the Geeps at the Martinez yard make a run to the Oakland yard, I assume for servicing. I caught them on their way back to Martinez just east of Emeryville.
5443269171_59d2c78bf1_b.jpg
 

jkinzel

Member
Thanks for sharing, great shots and while you're in such a generous mood, how about sharing some of that sun. While we have a few days of sun here in the PNW, we are getting kind of pale. :D Summer can't come soon enough.
 

Bill Anderson

Well-Known Member
Thanks for posting. I lived in Sacramento from 1973-84 and those are probably the same rotary plows that I photographed sitting in the Roseville yard over 30 years ago.
 

speeder3

MRSR Ops. Director
Your photography is fantastic! I grew up in Pinole (PVHS Class of '82) so it's always great to see railfanning shots posted from the area. Keep up the great work!

On a side note, is there anything left of the Hercules Powder Company narrow gauge trackage along the SP main? What about the old HPC power plant on the water side? Been a very long time since I poked around down there.

Brian Wise
General Manager
Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad
www.mrsr.com
 

Itsed65

Well-Known Member
Your photography is fantastic! I grew up in Pinole (PVHS Class of '82) so it's always great to see railfanning shots posted from the area. Keep up the great work!

On a side note, is there anything left of the Hercules Powder Company narrow gauge trackage along the SP main? What about the old HPC power plant on the water side? Been a very long time since I poked around down there.

Brian Wise
General Manager
Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad
www.mrsr.com

First off, thanks for all the compliments. I live right off Pinole Valley Road near the High School. That whole area in Hercules is now developed...Nothing left of all the old explosive industry. There is quite a nice little pub called the Powder Keg in homage to the area's past on the site of the old dynamite factory. If you look at the picture below of the Captial Corridor running in push mode, the background is all new Hercules devolpment with only a few historic buildings being preserved. A major transit center is planned, but with the economy being what it is, there are doubts as to the feasability at this point.:rolleyes:

4964807501_649576cbf7_b.jpg
 

Itsed65

Well-Known Member
Thanks for sharing, great shots and while you're in such a generous mood, how about sharing some of that sun. While we have a few days of sun here in the PNW, we are getting kind of pale. :D Summer can't come soon enough.

Unfortunately, the rain caught up with us today and is expected to stick around for a while. :rolleyes: I will be back out when the weather turns again and the later light will help too! I lived in Puyallup for 7 years when I was in the AF and am very familiar with the lack of sunshine up that way!
 

Itsed65

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the positive comments guys!

Just to prove my point about the weather here turning, I snapped this one off from my car today on the way back from Home Depot, right before the sky opened up! I don't catch the BNSF as often as Amtrak or the UP so it's always kind of a triumph to catch one when I actually have my camera with me. This is a local from the Point Richmond yard going out to a local industry in Franklin Canyon.

5449803834_7c3989240d_b.jpg
 

Itsed65

Well-Known Member
Here are a couple more from last weekend. The Amtrak California Dash 8 is IMHO the most interesting locomotive used on the Capital Corridor route.

The GE pulling into the Emeryville Depot
5443871032_4439a3f3da_b.jpg


Waiting for the passengers to finish loading/unloading
5443268809_0efc39897d_b.jpg
 

Itsed65

Well-Known Member
Don't usually see 3 engines on the Zephyr...its a few hours late this afternoon, but there was a pretty big storm over Donner Pass today.

5455322590_2e521e26e7_b.jpg
 

Itsed65

Well-Known Member
Here is some more rainy afternoon switching on the UP Martinez sub...

A well worn GP38-2 leads a string of tank cars near the Shell Oil refinery.
5455322494_cea2e3e898_b.jpg


A different pair of Geeps pulling a short string cars
5454711257_1cc0974a75_b.jpg
 

Itsed65

Well-Known Member
Truly stunning photos. Great line of work your doing. Keep it up. Loved them all :)

Thanks! It's taken a lot of practice and a lot of hard drive space, but I've had a great time learning since getting my first DSLR a couple of years ago. Trains are only one of the things I like to photograph, but my interest in them goes back to childhood. I kind of stopped railfanning while I was in the Air Force for twenty plus years, (lots of aircraft pics though!) but after an accident led to my retirement, I have a renewed interest. The only difficulty these days is that I am disabled, so it can be a challenge to find places I can shoot trains from my car, or my wheelchair and still get good shots. That doesn't stop me trying though. I will have some more pics up soon. I guess I will just keep adding to this thread as long as they are local (for me) pictures.
 




RailroadForums.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

RailroadBookstore.com - An online railroad bookstore featuring a curated selection of new and used railroad books. Railroad pictorials, railroad history, steam locomotives, passenger trains, modern railroading. Hundreds of titles available, most at discount prices! We also have a video and children's book section.

ModelRailroadBookstore.com - An online model railroad bookstore featuring a curated selection of new and used books. Layout design, track plans, scenery and structure building, wiring, DCC, Tinplate, Toy Trains, Price Guides and more.

Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)

Top