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US-60 west of US-84

Started by texaskdog, May 31, 2017, 01:55:10 PM

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texaskdog

One of the most boring roads I have ever been on.  Topped off by an artificially low 55 MPH speed limit (hardly anyone is on this road).  Definitely should just be a state highway.  I'll never drive on this boring road again.


NE2

pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

Max Rockatansky

Take it all the way west to Arizona.  Things get much more interesting in Salt River Canyon and Queen Creek Canyon. 

sparker

Quote from: texaskdog on May 31, 2017, 01:55:10 PM
One of the most boring roads I have ever been on.  Topped off by an artificially low 55 MPH speed limit (hardly anyone is on this road).  Definitely should just be a state highway.  I'll never drive on this boring road again.

Obviously not a railfan -- you can pace the BNSF transcon container trains on US 60 between NM 47 and Clovis -- at least until they start hauling ass east of Vaughn.   Then -- even if you test the speed limits by doing 63-64 -- you count how many overtake and pass you before you get to Clovis, where they have to slow down for the yard and the big "split" right at the Texas line -- one goes SE via Lubbock and Temple (and, yes, it parallels the new nascent I-14!) and ends up at a big terminal between Houston and Galveston; the other heads NE via Amarillo to Kansas City and Chicago.  About 45+ trains a day per direction between Barstow, CA and Clovis, so there's a lot to look at -- even the empties heading west!   

texaskdog

Quote from: sparker on June 03, 2017, 02:49:57 AM
Quote from: texaskdog on May 31, 2017, 01:55:10 PM
One of the most boring roads I have ever been on.  Topped off by an artificially low 55 MPH speed limit (hardly anyone is on this road).  Definitely should just be a state highway.  I'll never drive on this boring road again.

Obviously not a railfan -- you can pace the BNSF transcon container trains on US 60 between NM 47 and Clovis -- at least until they start hauling ass east of Vaughn.   Then -- even if you test the speed limits by doing 63-64 -- you count how many overtake and pass you before you get to Clovis, where they have to slow down for the yard and the big "split" right at the Texas line -- one goes SE via Lubbock and Temple (and, yes, it parallels the new nascent I-14!) and ends up at a big terminal between Houston and Galveston; the other heads NE via Amarillo to Kansas City and Chicago.  About 45+ trains a day per direction between Barstow, CA and Clovis, so there's a lot to look at -- even the empties heading west!   

that WAS the best part, and I was rolling at about 73 the whole way.  The first part I thought was 65 until I saw signs.

roadman65

Out west train chasing is great.  Not on this road I have not clinched yet, but on another I did chase a UP Train heading east and it was fun.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

sparker

Quote from: roadman65 on June 14, 2017, 05:03:41 PM
Out west train chasing is great.  Not on this road I have not clinched yet, but on another I did chase a UP Train heading east and it was fun.

Among the better Western non-Interstate/freeway roads for seeing significant amounts of trains at or near roadside are (in no particular order or train volume):

NE 2 (let the jokes begin) between Grand Island and Alliance, NE -- the major BNSF coal corridor from the Powder River mining zone to the upper Midwest.
CA 111 from Niland to Mecca -- UP's "Southern Tier" main line from LA to the Gulf.
TX 36 from Rosenberg to Temple -- BNSF's TX-CA main line, lots of containers.
Old US 66/partial AZ 66 from Kingman to Seligman; another portion of the BNSF "Transcon"; about the same train volume as along US 60 in eastern NM.
A multi-route corridor: UT 257 from Milford to Hinckley, US 6 NE from there to Silver City, and UT 36 north from there to I-80.  UP's original LA&SL L.A.-access line; now handles most LA-originating UP traffic destined for their North Platte, NE distribution yard.
ID 24 from Minidoka west to Shoshone, and then US 26 west from there to I-84 at Bliss.  UP's Northwest main line to Portland; sees lots of automotive traffic from PDX offloads to KCK, St.L, and Chicago.

These are the ones I've personally utilized for railfanning; there are likely many more out there, particularly in the upper Midwest and northern Plains. 

Zonie

Quote from: sparker on June 14, 2017, 06:00:43 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on June 14, 2017, 05:03:41 PM
Out west train chasing is great.  Not on this road I have not clinched yet, but on another I did chase a UP Train heading east and it was fun.

Among the better Western non-Interstate/freeway roads for seeing significant amounts of trains at or near roadside are (in no particular order or train volume):

NE 2 (let the jokes begin) between Grand Island and Alliance, NE -- the major BNSF coal corridor from the Powder River mining zone to the upper Midwest.
CA 111 from Niland to Mecca -- UP's "Southern Tier" main line from LA to the Gulf.
TX 36 from Rosenberg to Temple -- BNSF's TX-CA main line, lots of containers.
Old US 66/partial AZ 66 from Kingman to Seligman; another portion of the BNSF "Transcon"; about the same train volume as along US 60 in eastern NM.
A multi-route corridor: UT 257 from Milford to Hinckley, US 6 NE from there to Silver City, and UT 36 north from there to I-80.  UP's original LA&SL L.A.-access line; now handles most LA-originating UP traffic destined for their North Platte, NE distribution yard.
ID 24 from Minidoka west to Shoshone, and then US 26 west from there to I-84 at Bliss.  UP's Northwest main line to Portland; sees lots of automotive traffic from PDX offloads to KCK, St.L, and Chicago.

These are the ones I've personally utilized for railfanning; there are likely many more out there, particularly in the upper Midwest and northern Plains. 


I also like this electrified line that runs parallel to US 160 in NE Arizona.

http://www.trainweb.org/southwestshorts/bmlp.html

Depending on the fate of the Page coal plant, this one's days may be limited.



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