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Hi everyone,
I guess I am not quite done with the California trip photos after all! My two goals of the trip were to get a GEVO (ES44DC), preferably with the new BNSF "Wedgie" logo on Cajon Pass and to shoot some of the MK1200G's in captive service in Commerce Yard. I didn't get exactly what I hoped for. I got a GEVO in H2, and while I got no MK1200G's, I did walk away with a shot I almost passed up that now proves quite interesting. Had RPRX GG20B #2405 been in BNSF paint, I would have been quite excited by this find, but the demo paint did not do much for me. I guess at the time I did not get the point of why it is "green". This is a rather lame excuse for a roster shot, but I didn't think going around or over the cars was a good idea. Shooting over them took enough creativity. Now I learn this photo was a worthwhile effort! It may be the BNSF's only GG20B with a cab! It may not be in BNSF paint, but it is on lease by the BNSF for 5 years. While trackside yesterday, I managed to get another lame excuse for a roster shot of BNSF GG20B #1210, a cabless version of the above "Green Goat", a new low emissions hybrid locomotive designed to replace the aging SW's and GP's that railroads currently use for yard switching. I won't go into great detail about these new locomotives, I would have posted these yesterday, but my desire to learn more about the histories of these two units took me a lot longer than I expected. It did not yield the info I was after, though I did learn a lot about them. I have followed discussions on these hybrids, and it sounds like they are great for environmentalists and publicity, but have some performance issues. So that was a neat find, and then what comes next, but BNSF ES44DC #7621! Two wedgies in a day is quite a find, I got plenty of wedgie hoppers and double stack cars too. At least this is not the first time I have been facced with photographing a "too new for the history books" GE, so I decided to chase this thing down again just to grab a telephoto of the "builder plate" decal. I suppose I've used up half a gallon of gas on more trivial pursuits, as I do have a builder number and date to show for it. Enjoy! |
