Today was a "mental health" day from work. Too many hours on the job and not enough hours slacking off. Wayne and Drew were over and once again, we got a lot done. The bus wires are in for the U.P. tracks, the foam has a coat of drywall mud and mesh, the backdrop at Morman Rocks is going up, and there is a new peg board for some tools. In the afternoon, Wayne and I headed over to Longs and TrainQuest where I bought two boxes of cork, the code 100 track for the hidden U.P. tracks, rail joiners, etc.
Wayne and I did another recon trip up to the Pass today. I took four pages of notes and Wayne shot at least a CD full of photos. It was interesting to see someone else look at the Pass with a critical eye towards modeling the area. Usualy when I go railfanning, everyone else is concentrating on the trains. I'm the only one looking at signals, culverts, etc. I'm so glad Wayne is now comfortable enough with the layout that he can look at the Pass with that same eye and thought process.

In no particular order, here are some of the notes from today's trip:

  • The freeway bridge at Devore is actually two bridges, one in each direction.
  • It would be nice to add at least a ranch or two on the hillside by Keenbrook.
  • Bee hive boxes in the creek bottom, under Sycamores.
  • There are at least three culverts between the freeway and Blue Cut.
  • The culverts always line up with a gully or canyon above.
  • The connecting canyons all face downstream.
  • In a few places there is a corrugated steel debris screen uphill of the tracks.
  • A few higher areas have pockets of Coulter Pines.
  • High power lines are rail brown.
  • Curved creek bank before Blue Cut has rail fence and oxidized rip-rap.
  • Power lines are directly above the Blue Cut viaduct.
  • The BC Viaduct is 32' tall, 80' long and double track wide.
  • The opening is 20' high and wide, but 20' from the downhill side.
  • There is a cool cut-stone wall extending from the uphill side.
  • There is a 6' I-beam and wood retaining wall between Swarthout Road and the BNSF tracks.
  • Many of the signals and boxes are painted a fleshy tan color.
  • There are several enclosed culverts running from the UP tracks to the BNSF tracks before Cajon Station.
  • There is a 6' flood wall on the creek side of Cajon Station.
  • The entire crossover between the signals at Summit is wood ties.
  • The BO tracks at Summit have wood ties.
  • The grade crossing at Summit Guard shack is cement.
  • The security lamps at Summit are on the top of wood poles, with white insulators and three wires.