Railfan hotspots in Wyoming through I-80 (Pics)

If any of you railfans are planning a trip threw southwestern wyoming on I-80 let me know and ill give you some spots.

When I drove OTR I used to love 80 from Nebraska all the way west! Great spots ( some a bit far from the interstate but still close enough to see trains) My favorite was coming into Utah and looking down from the welcome center at the trains rolling towards Salt Lake. Plus the Utah Port of Entry watching them roll by there as you waited to get on the scale. Some great spots out your way UPRR might come back someday when I have time to stop and actually hang out and watch em roll by. Plus wouldnt mind riding over Donner just once so Go west it is one of these days!

I logged on just to ask that question, UPRR; thanks for the offer. I'll be crossing Wyoming on I-80 once or twice in the next few weeks, and I'd be interested in what spots you'd suggest. We'll be hurrying across with a couple small children, so we won't be making many side trips but we will be stopping at a lot of rest areas, bathrooms, etc.

The only time I drove across I-80 was in the winter, and there was so much blowing snow that all I could see was two tailights and a few locomotive headlights looming up in the distance. Do you have trouble with blowing snow in the winter blocking your view, or is it better at the height of the cab?

If your not gonna be making any side trips theres not alot i can tell you that you cant already see from the interstate. There is a ton of stuff going on that you cant see from the interstate, locals working, contractors running old crappy units. Make a stop and come see the the west end of the GR yard.

(sorry it took me soo long to post anything, my board has picked up a bit)

Blowing snow.... the view isnt better from the cab. Mostly im glad to be able to step out of the van and still be alive. Ive never ran in a total white out yet where i couldnt see the lights or the mile posts. Im sure that day will come though. Fog seems to be alot more of a problem for me anyways.

Thanks, UPRR engineer. We'll try to go see the west end of the Green River yard. Maybe on the way back we'll get a chance to hunt for the locals.

I guess your board picking up is good for you, right?

Well let me know buddy, i dont type very well so it might take an hour of it to get you good directions out to the patch and what not.

and yes i am pleased it has picked up.

Hello UPRR Engineer -

Thanks for the offer on Wyoming railfan info, if it isn't too late. Have you spent any time between Cheyenne and Laramie lately, and if so, any tips on good spots?

Thanks,

BGosch

I gotta go to work this morning, eastern Wyoming isnt in my district so ive never ran a train on that part. I've give ya what i can later this afternoon or tomorrow morning. It's not too late.

Please do include your southwestern information as well.

Much appreciated and thanks in advance.

BGosch

When are ya coming up from colorado? Whats your plan, im gonna send you a Personal Message BGosch.

--Fog seems to be alot more of a problem for me anyways.--

How bad do you get it? Man, the fog in southern WA gets so bad that sometimes it's like a Helen Keller run..one hand on the throttle, one hand on the track.

On the west side, for about 15 miles it can get pretty bad. A combination of the Blacks Fork River and the soda ash mines cooling towers can put out a decent amount of fog that sticks to the valley floor. I dont mind not being able to see but it sure seems to put my crew to sleep, then it gets hard.

Im gonna try to remember to take my camera along with me, get some pictures of those contractors old motors and some of the other things not easily seen from the interstate.

Dragging our caboose out east of GR on the local 2 job. I volunteered to walk back and turn the stove on, snapped a few pictures.

(Gets mop to sop up puddle of drool on his floor...)


Seriously though, I like that shot of the power plant, very nice. That MP transfer caboose isn't too bad looking either, although, I'm having some flashbacks of roaming through some rather post-apocolyptic looking interiors of some old MILW cabooses (looking into getting one for our local historical society). That stove in the interior shot... is it an oil-fired one, or does it use a different fuel? (We were trying to figure that out when we were roaming through the aforementioned derelect MILW cabs. Thought I'd give my fellow members the info. on that.) Nice to see some of those old veterans still plying the rails in revenue service (the local CP/Soo Line crew still uses one in Winona (MN), too, for all the backup moves the local crew performs).