The Big Boy Circus Comes to Fernley
Jul. 16th, 2024 05:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kevin_standleeIf you have followed me at all, you have likely seen photos taken of Fernley's small rail yard. Today was the big day for the Big Boy to leave Sparks and pass through Fernley on its way to Lovelock and Winnemucca as the train makes its way back to Cheyenne. Lisa was our there fairly early once other people started showing up, and she came loaded for bear. (But not Kuma Bear!)
Lisa set up four cameras. One of them is mounted atop the big camera on the right, so there are two cameras on one tripod.
Yes, this is right across from our house, but it was much easier to put the camera gear into the van and drive over there to set it up. Besides, having the van there gave us a place to sit down and a little bit of shade. I took this photo as one of the UP locals was creeping east. I was afraid they'd end up parked here and block our view, but they later continued onward. I reckon they either went up to Darwin siding, east of Fernley, or into the industrial park on the edge of town.
This intermodal train also passed through, going west. I and many other people were keeping track of where the Big Boy was on the UP Steam Tracker.
The yard filled up with other people coming to see the show.
Lisa had towels and plastic bags over her cameras to try to keep them from overheating.
We were very concerned about people, especially children, going up to the tracks. As Lisa put it, she didn't want her video used for an NTSB or police investigation. Trains can't stop quickly, and by the time they see you, it's usually too late for them to stop. Fortunately, a volunteer from the Washoe County Rail Auxiliary Team (RAT Pack) was there and he shooed people back to a safe distance. You will see him in some of our videos.
The Big Boy was put into Thisbe siding (west of Fernley) to let that intermodal train pass, and soon enough the word spread that the Big Boy was on the move again. A few minutes later we could see the smoke and hear the whistle blow. I had one chance to get the shot, and I blew it.
I wasn't able to see the screen of my smartphone in the glare of the sun, and I missed the record button on the first try, only managing to start recording near the end of the train's passing. Fortunately, Lisa's recordings came off better.
Numbering my camera as 1 and Lisa's as 2-5, this was camera 3. If you'd like to see the other views, all five of these are part of a Big Boy Playlist on Railway Legends, Myths, and Stories. We haven't yet added all of our videos to this playlist, so there will be others later.
The Big Boy was past us in a flash. Some people dashed for their cars, hoping to get past the train to take more photos farther east, possibly at Hazen, but I doubt they made it, not with a 35 mph speed limit and a roundabout to negotiate and with the Big Boy able to travel at 60 mph. The next place they would be likely to catch it would be at the grade crossing on US-95 south of the rest area on I-80, about 50 miles or so east of Fernley, and even then it might be a close-run thing, as the Big Boy would be allowed maximum track speed along the desolate area crossing the Forty Mile Desert.
So that is the end of Lisa and my Big Boy Adventure. The train will continue east, including two days of display in Ogden, but we now must shift to preparing for Worldcon, as our trip to Glasgow starts a week from Friday.
Lisa set up four cameras. One of them is mounted atop the big camera on the right, so there are two cameras on one tripod.
Yes, this is right across from our house, but it was much easier to put the camera gear into the van and drive over there to set it up. Besides, having the van there gave us a place to sit down and a little bit of shade. I took this photo as one of the UP locals was creeping east. I was afraid they'd end up parked here and block our view, but they later continued onward. I reckon they either went up to Darwin siding, east of Fernley, or into the industrial park on the edge of town.
This intermodal train also passed through, going west. I and many other people were keeping track of where the Big Boy was on the UP Steam Tracker.
The yard filled up with other people coming to see the show.
Lisa had towels and plastic bags over her cameras to try to keep them from overheating.
We were very concerned about people, especially children, going up to the tracks. As Lisa put it, she didn't want her video used for an NTSB or police investigation. Trains can't stop quickly, and by the time they see you, it's usually too late for them to stop. Fortunately, a volunteer from the Washoe County Rail Auxiliary Team (RAT Pack) was there and he shooed people back to a safe distance. You will see him in some of our videos.
The Big Boy was put into Thisbe siding (west of Fernley) to let that intermodal train pass, and soon enough the word spread that the Big Boy was on the move again. A few minutes later we could see the smoke and hear the whistle blow. I had one chance to get the shot, and I blew it.
I wasn't able to see the screen of my smartphone in the glare of the sun, and I missed the record button on the first try, only managing to start recording near the end of the train's passing. Fortunately, Lisa's recordings came off better.
Numbering my camera as 1 and Lisa's as 2-5, this was camera 3. If you'd like to see the other views, all five of these are part of a Big Boy Playlist on Railway Legends, Myths, and Stories. We haven't yet added all of our videos to this playlist, so there will be others later.
The Big Boy was past us in a flash. Some people dashed for their cars, hoping to get past the train to take more photos farther east, possibly at Hazen, but I doubt they made it, not with a 35 mph speed limit and a roundabout to negotiate and with the Big Boy able to travel at 60 mph. The next place they would be likely to catch it would be at the grade crossing on US-95 south of the rest area on I-80, about 50 miles or so east of Fernley, and even then it might be a close-run thing, as the Big Boy would be allowed maximum track speed along the desolate area crossing the Forty Mile Desert.
So that is the end of Lisa and my Big Boy Adventure. The train will continue east, including two days of display in Ogden, but we now must shift to preparing for Worldcon, as our trip to Glasgow starts a week from Friday.
