Preparations for the coming Modoc Northern

Union Pacific sends out a locomotive and crew to pick up stored cars along the Modoc line

On an overcast morning in October, 2005 I was at Lombardy Lane, just south of Klamath Regional Airport, taking photos of a destroyed SP equipment shelter adjacent to a dragging equipment detector when I was out "surveying" the line prior to Modoc Northern Railway's debut.

Looks like someone has broken into this equipment shelter at Lobardy Lane (looking south)
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Looking north

Looking in

Everything has been removed, replaced by the steel cabinet on the other side of the tracks.

As I was preparing to leave, I happened to see a headlight off in the distance.  It turned out to be UP GP38n number 300 running light; I chased it to Stronghold, California, where the crew set about pickup up freight cars that were stored there to return them to Klamath Falls.

Hot box detector south of Matney Road, looking north
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Southbound south of Elliott Road
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Passing Wong Potatoes at Chin Rd. This location had been the site of a fatal derailment in the Southern Pacific days when a switch had been left lined for the spur.
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Crossing into California at Hatfield
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Continuing south through Tulelake
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Crossing the BNSF's Gateway Subdivision tracks at Stronghold
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Going to work picking up cars in Stronghold
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One that had to be left behind at Stronghold due to mechanical reasons

Heading back to Klamath Falls at Wong Road with the previously stored empties
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Note that I indicated the wrong month on the credit line of this last photo. I had to leave after I took this one as the train was at Stukel.
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Next: Ribbon Cutting and Inaugural Train

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