1. Home
  2. Model Railroad Forum
  3. Modelling The Recession/Depression.

Modelling The Recession/Depression.

Business is way down on the railroads, but it was brought home to me just *how far* down when I drove past Union Pacific's West Colton Yards on my way into L.A. this AM.

Parked along one of the tracks were 124 dead-lined diesel units coupled nose-to-tail; 121 of them U.P. units ranging from old and beat- up to reasonably new and clean, plus three of the old grey and scarlet S.P. units that U.P. somehow never quite got around to painting yellow. All told; well over a mile's worth of dead locos.

Wonderful modelling opportunity for a locomotive collector who models the Union Pacific, but sort of depressing when you realise that all of those units were hard at work as little as a year ago.

~Pete

Reply to
Twibil
Loading thread data ...

On 2/24/2009 2:29 PM Twibil spake thus:

Pictures, pleeze? (I know--you were on your bike, didn't have your camera, etc. Maybe next time?)

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

(Grin.)

Actually, I was in my cage (biker slang for any enclosed vehicle) on a business jaunt, but no, I didn't have a camera with me, nor am I sure it would have done you much good if I had.

I mean, how in the heck *does one* take a still picture of a mile-long diesel lash-up, anyway? Perhaps a *really* long telephoto lens looking down the length of the tracks?

In any case, my U.P. info source claims that they're going to be parked there until business either picks up or U.P. decides to junk 'em and take the tax writeoff, so they'll probably be there for a while yet. (He also told me that there are similar deadlines at U.P. yards in at least two other locations in addition to West Colton. This does not bode well.)

~Pete

Reply to
Twibil

On 2/24/2009 4:49 PM Twibil spake thus:

Seriously, this needs to be documented. (Meaning, "I really wanna see this!")

Someone needs to go out there with some serious gear. Fuck digital. I'm talking about a large-format film camera with the right lens and a smart photog behind it who knows where to position themselves to get a spectacular shot.

This could be one of the seminal images of the Great Depression II.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.