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Jobs 507/509 The South Hauler Part 2 -- Colestein to Montague |
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Jobs 507/509 The South Hauler Part 2 -- Colestein to Montague |
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After almost getting stuck in the snow at Siskiyou, we elect not to
follow the Hauler down Colestein Road, but take the I to Hilt and come
back up towards Colestein to meet the train.
We find the Hauler easing downhill along Cottonwood Creek. |
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One of the challenges of photographing the Siskiyou Line is combining
respectable images of the train with the spectacular scenery. It
seems like there's usually little hills or trees in the way of one or the
other. This shot, taken from Colestein Road, does justice to both.
I should credit Richard Wrede and his Tunnel 13 site for first introducing me to this location. A while back he'd followed the South Hauler and posted a picture taken from this spot. |
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CORP and Cows. CORP isn't often associated with bovines, but there are several cattle ranches in southern Oregon and northern California along the Siskiyou Line. This one is just barely north of the California border along Cottonwood Creek. |
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The South Hauler from Medford (in distance) meets the 500 job from
Weed, CA in Hornbrook, CA. The Weed train has already arrived and
taken the siding. The carload of veneer behind the power was picked
up at Montague from the Yreka Western and is headed for Timber Products
plywood mills in the Rogue Valley.
Here the crews will swap train and some power with the Medford crew taking the train from Weed north and the Weed crew taking the Medford train to interchange at Black Butte. |
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South of Hornbrook the Hauler crosses the Klamath River on a modern span which replaced the through truss bridge demolished in a January, 1980 derailment. |
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The train follows the Klamath River for a ways, while we get to Klamathon in just enough time to catch this going away view. |
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The grade crossing at Ager-Beswick Road is protected by the only Wig-Wag
on CORP in California.
Slowing down the exposure to 1/15 sec (and lucky timing) yielded this "action shot" for Dan's Wig Wag Site. |
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We end our chase of the South Hauler at Montague where the train is about to stop and pick up three chip cars left earlier that day by the Yreka Western. |
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Looking south, the power has picked up the chip cars and has reassembled
its train to continue on to Weed. . The YW line to Yreka curve off
to the right.
As the 509's crew couples the train back together and makes the air test, we decide to call it a day and head back home. These short winter days don't offer much light in late afternoon for photography. But, another promise is made to return this summer and follow the South Hauler on to Weed. |
All images and text ©2001 by Larry Tuttle
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