Fighting the sierra grade up to "Dog Soldier Pass" : An ongoing struggle.

[Frenchie]

ATSF 2804, an EMD GP35, and companion GE U36C 8755, emerge from under the road bridge and enter the scene, leading a relatively short westbound "mixed merchandise" train.
After a long journey through the harsh desert, the train arrives at the tiny desert community of "Yaqui Wells" which marks the foot of the sierra range and the start
of the tough grade lying ahead.

 

[Frenchie]

OOPS ! sorry Message gone against my will !!!! Let's start over. I HATE THAT !

 

[Frenchie]

Let's carry on the story :

For the crew the goal is to safely and surely get their train up to the range pass.

1633 : Our westbound enters the scene just east of "Yaqui Wells".
1634 : In the background, the almost vertical cliffs of the range can already be seen.

 

[Frenchie]

Our train won't need any helpers today, the two locos are powerful enough to conquer the sierra range.

1635/1636 : Only one idling loco is visible, some days two or three impressive lash-ups can be seen here, waiting to help long and heavy
westbounds.

 

[Frenchie]

1637/1638 : With drastically reduced speed, the train negociates the wide curve surrounding the tiny hamlet.

 

[Frenchie]

1640 : Reaching West Yaqui.

 

[Frenchie]

1641 : The train has reached the west switch at West Yaqui. This is the beginning of single track territory for westbound trains.
1642 : Crossing the bridge spanning "Arroyo Amarillo", the tough grade starts just past the bridge.

 

[Frenchie]

1643 : With respect to the 3% grade our westbound, now in "notch 8", has reached "Mescalero Canyon" and crosses "Spider Bridge" which
spans "Gecko Creek".
1644 : Not much water today, but devastating flash floods often occur during sudden thunderstorms.

 

[Frenchie]

1645/1646 : Fighting the grade while leaving "Mescalero Canyon" and its often wild "Gecko Creek".

 

[Frenchie]

1647 : Leaving "Mescalero Canyon".

1648 : No more chatter, silence has invaded the crew cab, now at reduced speed, the westbound is "riding" the narrow rock shelf, hanging
high above the almost vertical wall of "Buzzard Canyon". Holding its breath the crew concentrates on its speed and listens to the motors
eventual sound changes.

 

[Frenchie]

1649 : High above "Buzzard Canyon", vertigo forbidden ! !
1650 : The locos are crawling through the rock shed, still struggling against the 3% grade.

 

[Frenchie]

1651 : Mountain railroading !
1652 : "Riding" the canyon.

 

[Frenchie]

1654 : Low angle view : No comment !

 

[TheXModelRailroader]

Photos look great!
Glad you finely got them upright.

 

[Frenchie]

1655 : Above the canyon.

1656 : The lead geep negociates the short gap connecting the exit of "Buzzard Canyon" and the, now close, entrance of "Dead Horse Canyon".

 

[Frenchie]

1658 : The train has now entered "Dead Horse Canyon" passing the retaining wall. Below the RR "Hidden river" can be seen.

 

[Frenchie]

1660/1661 : Deep in the canyon the train crosses the bridge spanning "Hidden river".

 

[Frenchie]

1663 : Past the bridge the RR encounters the rock wall marking the west end of the canyon. Engineers had to "drill" a short rock tunnel
in order to exit the canyon and carry on west.

( The visible "concrete" piers are waiting for the future big highway arch bridge that will span and dominate the scene ).

 

[Frenchie]

1664 : Eastern entrance of the short rock tunel.
1666 : Our westbound exits the west end of the same tunnel and is about to cross at grade the county road.

 

[Frenchie]

1667/1669/1670 : Cutting the county road.