Friday, March 22, 2024

Gliders at Tehachapi and Aviation Around The Mojave

A sorry sight- one of several China Southern Airbus A380-800s languishing at Mojave.

A pristine Erickson Air Tankers MD-87 howls out of Gen. Fox Field in Lancaster



The Piper Pawnee towplane at Skylark North makes a steep approach.


Nothing quite matches the grace and beauty of sailplanes.

A stop for lunch at the Voyager Restaurant at Mojave yields another view of the MD-87 tanker!


 

Tehachapi Pass, East End

Dynamic brakes humming along, a BNSF autorack train slowly descends into the Mojave Basin.



An eastbound BNSF intermodal train

A BNSF autorack train leaves Mojave yard for Tehachapi Pass.

Probably leaving the Tehachapi cement plant, a BNSF hopper train heads east.




A westbound Union Pacific manifest with a welcome surprise- the Southern Pacific heritage unit!

 

BNSF and UP power in Cajon Pass

 The Cajon Pass is the gateway from the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Diego and the massive freight yards at West Colton and San Bernardino to the rest of the United States. As such it's an exceptionally busy route.

Likely a power move where locomotives are shuffled between yards, NINE GE C44-9Ws take the lead on an eastbound manifest.

Surprise! Canadian Pacific's EMD SD70ACU Heritage unit makes an appearance on a westbound BNSF intermodal train.

Filthy UP General Electrics haul autoracks up the slope.




May Gray at SAN

Ex-NWA 757-300 UAL Daily 777-200 from IAD Alaska's veterans tribute E175 Hawker/Beechcraft 400XP