MNRR: A Trip to Alturas, California

 

January 6 2006, Oregon

 

On the night of January 5, 2006, Modoc Northern Railroad's GE B23-7 no. 1011 and leased UP C40-8 no. 9212 laid over in the Union Pacific yard at Klamath Falls. The next morning, they headed east with a train to Alturas. I was fortunate enough to be able to take the day off and chase the train as far as I could before losing daylight - which ran out at about 5:00 p.m., leaving me waving good bye to the crew at Modoc County Road 75 a few miles west of Alturas.

Here's a timeline and narrative of the trip on January 6, 2006.

9:30 a.m. found me parked at the cattle auction yard next to the UP main at KAGO crossing, just north of Texum as the mist burned off of Lake Euwana.  At 10:03 the MNRR train, consisting of MNRR #1011, UP #9212, 20 covered hoppers and two centerbeam flatcars, pulls out of the yard at Bieber Line Junction.

 

1 6 06BeiberLineJctLeaving KF yard at Beiber Line Jct. (BNSF)
Map location

1 6 06KAGOAt 10:12 our train passes KAGO crossing.
Map location

1 6 06Texum1Our train enters the Texum wye and heads into the morning sun at 10:17 a.m. with the KAGO radio tower in the background.
Map location

1 6 06Texum2

1 6 06Texum310:19: Clear of the wye switch, the train stops to allow the brakeman to line the switch back to the normal position and walk to the head end. The train departs Texum at 10:27.

1 6 06StukelAt 10:50 our train rolls through Stukel at Lower Klamath Falls Highway (aka Cross Rd).
Map location

1 6 06ChinRdOur train is by Chin Road, site of the famous Wong Potatoes plant, at 10:58 a.m.
Map location

1 6 06Winema1 At Merrill Pit Road north of Merrill, Oregon (Lost River), our train switches the Winema elevator from 11:09 to 11:45.
Map location

1 6 06Winema2Three empty cars are pulled out.

1 6 06Winema3NAHX 100142 is spotted at a portable unloading conveyor.

At 11:55 the train crosses Malone Road, slowing to make a drop at the Winema elevator here. At 11:55 the train crosses Malone Road, slowing to make a drop at the Winema elevator here.
Map location

1 6 06Malone2

They spot an empty covered hopper for loading, one which they had previously picked up from the Winema elevator at Merrill Pit Road.They spot an empty covered hopper for loading, one which they had previously picked up from the Winema elevator at Lost River.

1 6 06Malone4Switching completed, they leave Malone for Tulelake

 Our eastbound train crosses southward into California at 12:23 p.m.Our eastbound train crosses southward into California at 12:23 p.m.
Map location

 

Next: The Trip to Alturas Continues

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