Large Scale Central

San Diego & Arizona RR -- Carrizo Gorge

Prototypes
#21

Here are some photos from my recent trip to Carrizo Gorge…

There is an old water tower next to the tracks at Dos Cabezas siding, that was used to supply the steam locomotives in the days before diesels. I stopped there and got some pics of the tower silhouetted against the stars:

In the morning I got some scenic shots at sunrise:

Then I parked as close to the tracks as possible, and started hiking:

Here’s Tunnel #19:

Cactus and rocks along the track:

After passing through Tunnel #19, I entered the Gorge itself. Here the track clings to the side of the mountains, supported by a series of trestles where the slope was too steep to carve out a ledge. The huge Goat Canyon Trestle is visible in the distance:

The catwalk on one trestle was smashed in by fallen boulders:

The steep mountainsides are covered with ocotillos, cholla and barrel cactus, and other desert plants:

Straight sections of track are rare, as the line snakes around the mountainside:

A pair of boxcars that derailed and went over the side back in the early '70s:

Tunnel #18:

More rocks and cacti:

Tunnel #17, with the remains of a construction road above it:

(To be continued…)

#22

The north end of Tunnel #16 is blocked by a rock fall. I had to hike around the mountain on the old construction road:

The view from the railroad construction road, looking to the north:

As I came around the end of the mountain, I got a great view of the famous Goat Canyon Trestle. This trestle was built after a massive landslide destroyed the original tunnel. I’ve added some red lines along the top of the mountain that show how far the slide came down:

The ends of the trestle are blocked off with a chain and metal stakes:

A short tunnel was created when the big trestle was built:

Here are a couple aerial views of the trestle:

The other side of the trestle:

Here is the end of the caved-in tunnel. At the time of the landslide, it was undergoing repairs including reinforcing the portal with concrete. The landslide crushed the tunnel interior and moved the portal at least twenty feet downhill:

That’s it for now. Enjoy!

.

#23

Thank you, Ray. That was one of the most comprehensive photo essays of that area that I’ve seen yet. I can see why you bought the vehicle you did.

That would make a great tourist line, on par with the C&T in New Mexico.

#24

Ray,

That was terrific! (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#25

Thank you, Ray. I really enjoyed hiking along with you and you know … I’m not even tired. I did get a little nervous when you started talking about walking through those tunnels. Great photos of a beautiful landscape. Patiently waiting on the next episode.

#26

Thanks, Ray. Great travelogue.

#27

Thanks! The hopper next to the big trestle is a ballast car that was left there by the last failed operator of the line, the short-lived Carrizo Gorge Railroad. Here are a couple detail shots of the ballast car:

On the hillside above the hopper is an old tank from a tank car, which used to hold water from a spring somewhere up the canyon. It was connected by pipes to outlets on the trestle, for use in case of fire

The first time I hiked into the Gorge was in early 1977, just a few months after the line had been severely damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Kathleen. The Southern Pacific owned it and had filed for abandonment due to the extent of the damage. At that time, there were two tank cars equipped for firefighting. These were parked where the hopper is now, and remained there for many years later.

At that time there was also a small building on the flat area near the trestle, next to a semaphore signal. Vandals totally destroyed that building within a couple years. The semaphore still stands, however all the glass has been shot out, the wiring ripped out, and the whole thing covered with graffiti. :frowning:

Here are a couple photos of the semaphore. The tunnel in the background is blocked at the far end:

#28

great pictures!

thanks for sharing

#29

OMGram…that’s great…Someone needs to go take a wiz off that trestle for me as I currently cannot make it out there to do so myself!

#30

If the boxcars derailed in the 70’s, how did they get tagged? That does not look like 70’s graffiti to me.

#31

The graffiti is recent. Lots of graffiti and other vandalism out there. Why anyone would hike that far out just to wreck things is beyond me.

#32

Here are a few photos from my early trips into the Gorge, back in the late '70s…

This photo was from my very first visit in 1977. It shows the Goat Canyon Trestle, the two firefighting tank cars, and an orange crane. This was the only time I ever saw the crane there:

Here’s a shot of the water tank on the hillside:

These shots of the tank cars were taken sometime around 1979 or possibly 1980:

This track speeder was later dumped off the cliff by vandals:

This photo was taken sometime around 1978 or '79, at the site of one of the construction camps. It shows the ruins of a small cabin that was made from empty blasting powder cans:

.

#33

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5D7eP5eJWc

#34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id2y3eT5dC8

#35

John Caughey said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5D7eP5eJWc

#36

John Caughey said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id2y3eT5dC8

#37

Great pictures have not hiked out that way myself since 2011. I think there is an ill fate on that whole line as it has gone through so many companies trying to get it running.

Of course my favourite is along the old line at Plaster city with the USGS narrow gauge line running at one time (have not been there for quite some time) MLWs Alcos once destined for the WP&Y. Anybody know if the old line is still operating and still have the Alcos?

#38

It is quite an effort to hike the rail line ( I have’t got around to doing it yet. ) But if you are ever in that area it is worth while to go thru Jacumba . . . . turn on Rail Road St. . . and visit the small rail yard there.

#39

lorna dane said:

Great pictures have not hiked out that way myself since 2011. I think there is an ill fate on that whole line as it has gone through so many companies trying to get it running.

Of course my favourite is along the old line at Plaster city with the USGS narrow gauge line running at one time (have not been there for quite some time) MLWs Alcos once destined for the WP&Y. Anybody know if the old line is still operating and still have the Alcos?

I wonder how crews like 2 horns of their Nathan 5 chime horn pointing at the cab?

‘Produces 144 db at 10 ft .’ Oh my!

#40

Huh?