Right, last but one update from last year as I'm just about up to date on processing them all (just over 2600 images).
Leaving Cajon it was a drive to Kingman for a three day stay, not sure if I'll do the same, maybe just one night to break up the trip to Flagstaff.
On the way I stopped off in Barstow, it has a reputation for crime sadly, mostly at night and I binned off my motel; though this year I've got one for two nights as it's the closest I can get to the desert for the dawn/dusk shots but in the more safer/expensive part of town.
Barstow is a massive shunting yard and access is difficult but there is a huge bridge across all the lines just to the east, from which can be seen the depot and the eastern staging yards, I.E trains just having a crew change as opposed to making up/breaking down.
Much of the bridge approach road support structure is a wooden trestle.
From the bridge a nice view of the depot can be had.
The museum and outdoor exhibits are among the trees on the other side of the depot. The interior is beautifully restored and still in use for the two overnight Amtrak trains.
Further east another smaller bridge spans the exit from the staging yards and BNSF 6827 is being crewed up. This looks like a local manifest and would of been sorted in the main classification behind the bridge and around to the left of the hill.
Moving east we come to Ludlow and Ash Hill area, there's some good spots out here but early morning and late evening are the best times, the rest of the day is filled with a haze that just turns photos an ugly mushy colour.
BNSF 4050 is rolling down off Ash Hill toward Ludlow at line speed, 75 mph. The line climbs and curves around the lighter coloured hill to the left and in front of the darker one in the far background. Even at this time of day it's getting hot, just under 100°F here.
This and a couple at Amboy was all that I picked up on the drive to Kingman.
Kingman as far as the Railroad is concerned is a town of two halves, the lower rocky (Kingman) canyon side and the upper more gentle sloped (Slaughterhous) canyon side. There's also two lines, the lower more steeply graded original line and the new ATSF high line.
BNSF 4865 rolls down the lower original line, at this point is a fairly gentle grade but behind the train the last mile is very steeply graded to bring it up to the same level as the high line at Kingman depot.
On the high line BNSF 8175 brings a Z train up the hill.
Looking up the grade near the top of the canyon the two lines are closing to meet up in Kingman.
In less than ½ mile both lines will be at the same level as the high line, on the right a slow moving double stack is grinding up the grade, on the left a faster intermodal is overtaking it on the low line. Both line curve hard right in the middle distance. The centre of the photo is where I'd like to try and get some more photos, problem is access, there is none, so you end up parking here and leaving the rental unattended or parking in town and trying to cross one of the lines to get between them.
From the town end the curve and grade is fierce. BNSF 6241 is rolling down through Kingman depot on the original line and about to drop down the steep grade into the canyon.
BNSF 4614 is in DPU mode and holding back the train as it drops over the edge and into the canyon. On the right that waste area looks like a good spot for head on shots coming up the old line.
Moments later BNSF 5257 grinds out of the canyon on the high line and swings into the Kingman depot area, the low line can already be seen dropping off in the foreground.
To the east is Slaughterhouse canyon, the original line is on the inside of the curve, the newer outer line is much wider and longer and as a result a longer more smoother grade.
On the right a heavy intermodal climbs up the newer line, at this point they are pretty much the same elevation but the original line on the left soon drops very quickly into Kingman depot.
Another looking up the hill on the newer line. The grade is appreciable and from the crest it levels out past the airport and then begins the long less fierce climb up to Yampai summit 60 odd miles away. There's a nice location about 6-7 miles north of Kingman airport at Walapai where the uphill grade can be photographed well, it's on the bucket list.
Standing here as five GEVOs grind by less than 15' away is chest pounding loud, awesome! This and a couple of locations in the rocky canyon are some of the best sound track areas on the Transcon 2 that I've found, Cajon and Cosnino are two others.
From the road bridge looking down grade we can see both lines.
On the left the newer longer and less graded line, on the right the older steeper graded line, this has actually been slewed to the left to ease the curve and increase line speed, the original line can easily be seen to the right. The hills in the background and to the left are both on the list for some overall canyon shots this time around.
either they're not enforcing it that highly or it's higher than 35 ton, or I've got my math wrong 
or you'll bloody your nose on the 
.
I also want to get into the far distance where the line passes through the trees and that small crease of a rock cut which quite a good location but difficult to get too. There's also another just north of Victorville with a pair of truss bridges that's on the revisit list this time.
although I thought they are only used in yards & spurs, not on the main lines. But cars do have to go in yards of course.
