Some photos of my railfanning around the East Bay

[Itsed65]

Is the railroad seasonal or do you only head that way during bird season?

I'm usually only up that way during the migration period, visiting the National Wildlife Refuges in the Sacramento Valley. The CFNR runs trains Monday, Wednesday and Friday with extras as needed all year long along the old SP West Valley (Old California Hwy 99W, now Interstate 5) line between Davis and Tehema, servicing the nut, rice and other ag businesses along the line.

 

[Bill Anderson]

New camera for trains. Sony RX10M4 with a range of 24-600mm. It also has a crazy accurate autofocus and can blaze away at 24fps, which I don't really need for trains, but it works really well for birds.

I'll have to check out your bird photos taken with your new Sony.

 

[Itsed65]

I'll have to check out your bird photos taken with your new Sony.

Only have a few so far. Of course a 1" sensor is not going to compete with a full frame, but the convenience of a small light camera versus pounds of gear has advantages some times. The focus really locks on though, as you can see with the duck shot in the rain below. Colusa NWR right along the CFNR line.

CFNR 505 at Williams by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Pintails in the Rain by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[brad_in_omaha]

Awesome. That bird photo is nice!

 

[Itsed65]

Thanks Brad! Just got back from a few days up in the Klamath Basin. It wasn't a railfanning trip, but I managed to sneak one in as this mixed freight rumbled by just as I was pulling onto the highway from a rest area. It looks like noise in the photo, but it was raining pretty steadily. This line is the old SP line between Dunsmuir and Klamath Falls

Oregon Bound by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[brad_in_omaha]

Nice! I always like them leaning in to the curve!

 

[Itsed65]

Some nice clouds for a change

Capitol Corridor and Clouds by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[brad_in_omaha]

Some nice clouds for a change

Sure are. Sounds like you will be getting quite a bit of rain in the next few days. Nice photo.

 

[Itsed65]

We got a good soaking, but this weekend has been nice

4981 Leaving Port Chicago by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[brad_in_omaha]

Nice. What are the tracks in the foreground?

 

[Itsed65]

Nice. What are the tracks in the foreground?

The tracks in the foreground are the old Southern Pacific Mococo line that ran from Port Costa to Tracy and the even older Sacramento Northern. The San Joaquin Daylight used to run right by here, and the SN used to have a ferry that docked a few miles to the east ( photo right) for crossing the Suisun Bay between West Pittsburg (no H on the California city) and Chips Island. Today the UP runs locals as far as Antioch out of Ozal yard in Martinez on the middle track. The Santa Fe San Francisco Chief used to run on the BNSF mainline that the vehicle train is on.

 

[Itsed65]

Same train, 2 different places. I wasn't actually chasing it, but it happened to be going in the same direction as I was on my way home from the Merced NWR in the central valley. Shot with the RX10

County Line by lennycarl08, on Flickr

8257 Out of Riverbank by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[Itsed65]

A rare double header on the California Northern. Even more rare is that this was a Saturday. The canneries are busy enough to warrant OT.

Saturday Double Header by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[Itsed65]

Chargers are in full service now

Caltrans Charger by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[Bill Anderson]

We have new Chargers up here that are scheduled to go into service soon on the Cascades.

My wife is visiting relatives in Lincoln. She said it is unseasonably warm down there.

 

[Itsed65]

We had a warm week, but after our last storm, it has cooled off considerably.

Overtime! by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[Itsed65]

That New Car Smell by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[Itsed65]

A rare SD59MX

Sunday Freight by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[roee]

Great shot. Look at that shinny new locomotive.

 

[Itsed65]

Rolling into the sunset

Turning Into the Sun by lennycarl08, on Flickr