A Trip On The Plaster City Narrow Gauge

Рет қаралды 27,821

5 жыл бұрын

The first comprehensive railfan video covering the entire 26-mile Plaster City Narrow Gauge Railroad. This is the last exclusively freight-hauling three foot gauge railroad in the United States. The overall uniqueness of this operation demonstrates what a modern, 21st Century American narrow gauge railroad might look like had the national industrial transportation industry not taken such a turn years ago. The locomotives, designated DL-535E, were built by MLW/Bombardier in 1982 for the White Pass & Yukon, however, they were never delivered. The units are powered by an ALCO 251D prime mover producing 1200hp. The Gypsum train makes anywhere from 1-3 round trips to the mine and back depending on the demand for ore used in the production of drywall at Plaster City.

Пікірлер: 92

@cuffeteaghlach5617 3 жыл бұрын

Just love the old Alco sound. Like an old harley, nothing sounds quite the same

@richharris9489 3 жыл бұрын

Its a ge locomotive

@steamlocomotive1687 3 жыл бұрын

@@richharris9489 no it’s a alco all right

@MidwesternRailfan 2 жыл бұрын

@@richharris9489 It's an ALCo designed Bombardier built locomotive.

@jonathantibbetts9382 2 жыл бұрын

Good to see clean equipment not ruined by vandals.

@NWFProductions 18 күн бұрын

Great coverage of a really unique operation. Also, 16:30 had me laughing a little on the inside. Great video.

@alcopower5710 3 жыл бұрын

First thing I said (to myself lol) was that sure sounds like an Alco. Then checked the description. Thanks for sharing 👍

@TrainTrackTrav 5 жыл бұрын

Great job documenting this unique operation. I'm not a big narrow gauge fan, but I really would like to see this little short line in person.

@mamarussellthepie3995 9 ай бұрын

Very cool

@robertartac1853 4 жыл бұрын

With a little imagination that looks like the SP narrow gauge in the Owens Valley. Great video!

@Hail2Pitt412 Жыл бұрын

5:53 despite spending 2 days out there - I annoyingly did not get up on that ridge both days. Definitely want to get back for that…glad to see other perspective from there

@seanpacificrailroad3700 11 ай бұрын

This is an awesome video. I didn’t think Narrowgauge still existed. Thanks for sharing.

@markweber6992 5 жыл бұрын

Great footage of really unique train. Thanks!

@PlaneBoy2520 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent footage!

@EdWhizAviationTrains 3 жыл бұрын

Really cool footage, thanks for sharing 👍😎

@joezeit7391 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent video

@gordonvincent731 2 жыл бұрын

This is one clean machine.

@Fatal_Inertia 2 жыл бұрын

This is really awesome. I've spent a lot of time in Ocotillo and Anza Borrego, and one night during a survey we decided to see what the lights in the distance were and found plaster city, still as the night.

@chloecover1276 Жыл бұрын

I always go out to Imperial County with my family for camping and riding ATVs and we always take the 8 that passed by the rails that run through the refinery. My dad told me that they still ran rail operations there, but I never realized how it worked until I decided to do a little more research

@randyclyde4939 3 жыл бұрын

The engine really sounds terrific in spite of the wind noise... nice video, thank you!

@traviscurlutu7723 5 жыл бұрын

Great vid!!!

@alexpiper9475 3 жыл бұрын

great suprise ! dad and i went to plaster city about 1970, if remember right there was porter and g e locos.

@jacobsandler438 4 ай бұрын

I feel more comfortable with 5ft gauge for industrial operations at a large gypsum quarry and the large gypsum plants. Although timber logging and peat extraction operational sites widely utilizing less than even 3ft narrow gauge NG 750mm~29.528in. The majority of 750mm NG rail roads already have long suspended their operations due to lacking demand for peat. The children's NG rail roads are quit popular among all post soviet states. Such recreational rail roads also serve as a place for internship for students of vocational schools. Much better to grasp knowledge and hone skills, when you work in a real place.

@Rufus_West 4 жыл бұрын

I go camping at Superstition with friends. We ride out to that grafiti tressle. Seen the train a few times. Nice to have info on what it's doing for campfire stories. Thanks!

@m686_21 6 ай бұрын

She's a beauty 🤩

@darinhassett4708 4 жыл бұрын

I've been there twice but as a flatbed truck driver love looking at 111 and 112, would love to see them dumping the loads.

@Tom-Lahaye 3 жыл бұрын

Didn't know about this railroad and thought 3' was exclusively used on heritage railroads only these days. But this is a full freight hauling enterprise. It does remind me a bit of a desert train on the narrow gauge somewhere in Africa, where several lines of this type exist.

@WilliamHBaird-eq2hp 5 жыл бұрын

A Former White Pass and Yukon Railroad MLW locomotive built in Canada.

@SouthernPacific8984 5 жыл бұрын

William H. Baird Ordered and painted for the White Pass & Yukon, never delivered or owned by the White Pass & Yukon. Therefore technically not former White Pass and Yukon units ;)

@mercury7590 5 жыл бұрын

They did have a #113, but surprise surprise, the unlucky number got the engine in a wreck, so they got #111. And it was around that point that #114 was sent to the White Pass, since it had just restarted.

@sdrailproductions 5 жыл бұрын

Nice Jarod, Would like to see this

@itchyvet 3 жыл бұрын

Loco looks like a shunter. In Australia, we have heaps of narrow gauge lines and they carry heavy loads. The gauge comes in very useful in hilly terrain, where standard gauge becomes expensive to build.

@HBC101TVStudios Жыл бұрын

Here in Malaysia - Our Alco Ircon YDM4 is a shunter actually but we use it for long distance passenger services, either for day train services or overnight sleeper train services

@christopherdibble5872 2 жыл бұрын

The engineers don't wave from the trains anymore, like they did back in 1954.

@rottenroads1982 2 жыл бұрын

Here is an Insane idea that most likely will Never Happen: All the 3ft Gauge Railroads in the USA combine to form a Mega narrow gauge Railway.

@danielhutchinson6604 Жыл бұрын

Even 2 footers are useful in a lot of applications.

@southernpacific2548 5 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a new contracted switching operation. Ok thanks.

@astridvallati4762 3 жыл бұрын

USG ==United States Gypsum??? Would make a wonderful HOn3 layout!!!

@mattsmocs3281 3 жыл бұрын

With a decent size HO switching layout connected to it. There is a large yard and a cut nose GP9

@426Roadrunner1 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent video, nice equipment. They could use some flange lubricators there... If it wasn't for the sparse vegetation around you'd think you were looking at photo of the surface of Mars. Wow! Not far from the Mexican border there. Cheers, AC.

@Trainlover1995 5 жыл бұрын

Actually, aDL-535E was delivered to the WP&Y, numbered 114. If at any point this operation shuts down, I can see these locomotives making it to Skagway, especially of the WP&Y is serious about restarting freight operation.

@SouthernPacific8984 5 жыл бұрын

BNSF1995 Watch my previous video for a cab ride on WP&Y #114. Unlikely that USG will shut down this operation in the near future. There’s still 50-70 years of ore at the mine and the narrow gauge is still the most cost effective mode of transportation to the plant.

@Island_Line_Rail_Productions 5 жыл бұрын

wait White Pass & Yukon is starting freight?

@darinhassett4708 4 жыл бұрын

@@SouthernPacific8984 I picked up a load from there this last monday and the forklift driver said the current mine has at least a 100 year life span and that USG had purchased more land behind the mine.

@hansemist 5 жыл бұрын

This, I should send to Knut Ragnar Holme!

@RailPreserver2K 4 жыл бұрын

Actually one of these locomotives is currently on the White Pass & Yukon route, I think its unit number 114

@SouthernPacific8984 4 жыл бұрын

Railroad,Preserver,2000 You are correct. See my cab ride video of WPY 114.

@Coaster3001 5 жыл бұрын

Nice Video! I have been wanting to get out there and see them, what schedule do they usually run if you know?

@SouthernPacific8984 5 жыл бұрын

Coaster3001 No set schedule. It all depends on the gypsum demand at the plant. Normally they run at least 1-2 trains each weekday. The best bet would be to go out to the plant early to mid morning on a weekday to catch something at the plant. If the hoppers are missing on the runaround, you know the train is out at the mine.

@Coaster3001 5 жыл бұрын

@@SouthernPacific8984 Thank You! Didn't know they did two runs a day, always assumed they just did one.

@fairportrails107 4 жыл бұрын

what year did they build the line

@lukethegeneralelectrice60p80 2 жыл бұрын

lil atomic locomotive

@JP-dj2ro 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. Why theres a empty wagon right after the loco on 13:20.

@SouthernPacific8984 3 жыл бұрын

The first car is left empty so there is a buffer zone between the locomotive and the loading chute. There isn’t sufficient clearance for the locomotive to fit under the chute so leaving the first car empty provides enough space so the locomotive will not crash into it.

@patlatorres7000 Жыл бұрын

I'm just curious about why the first car is empty on the inbound train?

@voidjavelin23 2 ай бұрын

act as a buffer car

@arandomtrip8082 4 жыл бұрын

Any word from pacific imperial railroad that suppose to run on the old desert line?

@SouthernPacific8984 4 жыл бұрын

Mario Campos THE FAM Pacific Imperial Railroad filed for bankruptcy and dissolved several years ago. All assets including the contract to operate the Desert Line were awarded to the Baja California Railroad, which currently operates the Mexican portion of the line between Tijuana and Tecate. Like its predecessor, BJRR is supposed to rehabilitate the line through to Plaster City. Goals were set and a project plan was published, but so far no significant work has been done on the line.

@MrBnsftrain 4 жыл бұрын

I'm surprised this railroad is still narrow gauge! Where on the line is their locomotive shed?

@SouthernPacific8984 4 жыл бұрын

MrBnsftrain Plaster City.

@bryanlarocque7627 2 жыл бұрын

Is a ex White pass locomotive ?

@kishascape 3 жыл бұрын

Why is there a platform with handrails on top of that tanker?

@sirclarkmarz Жыл бұрын

That's for the safety of the person who fills up the tank car . It's used to bring potable water to the mine site they don't have any water source there

@southernpacific2548 5 жыл бұрын

Does American Railroads still operate these trains or USG employees?

@SouthernPacific8984 5 жыл бұрын

The narrow gauge operation was always operated by USG directly. The standard gauge switching at the plant is contracted. It’s currently WAMX.

@jeannebalderston2051 3 жыл бұрын

What state is this in?

@gordonvincent731 2 жыл бұрын

California

@tplyons5459 3 жыл бұрын

What's in the tank car?

@gravelydon7072 3 жыл бұрын

Potable water.

@LastExile1989 4 жыл бұрын

So it makes these trips daily?

@SouthernPacific8984 4 жыл бұрын

AsianPerson3 Yes. Sometimes 2-3 round trips daily.

@LastExile1989 4 жыл бұрын

@@SouthernPacific8984 Awesome. Thanks!

@phillipcudd5712 2 жыл бұрын

Whos making / refurbishing all this narrow gauge equipment? Some company must be keeping this old stuff going. I would think that any 3 foot stuff would be largely considered obsolete as far as replacement parts etc..

@SouthernPacific8984 2 жыл бұрын

The locomotives were built in 1982 by Bombardier and the cars were built in the early 2000s by Trinity. Other than wheels, many of the components are the same as modern standard gauge equipment so there is a lot of support for maintenance and repair.

@ismaelrazo8052 5 жыл бұрын

Im the Driver

@cadespencer6320 3 жыл бұрын

Really?

@richmondrailfan8444 4 жыл бұрын

What type of locomotive is that ew

@SouthernPacific8984 4 жыл бұрын

Richmond Railfan Bombardier DL535E

@richardharrisjr.8862 5 жыл бұрын

Where is this ??

@SouthernPacific8984 5 жыл бұрын

Richard Harris Jr. Plaster City, which is approximately 20 miles west of El Centro, California.

@richardharrisjr.8862 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks thats far away im in Massachusetts

@joanygurl 3 жыл бұрын

The rail line runs from Plaster City to the gypsum mine which is located in Fish Creek, I've been camping as a youngster by the mine, would watch the train come in and load a couple of times a day. Access is from Ocotillo Wells in San Diego County, Plaster City is in neighboring Imperial County.

@ELOfanatic 3 жыл бұрын

So why a three foot gauge?

@voidjavelin23 2 ай бұрын

economically feasible

@edwardmounsey9208 3 жыл бұрын

I was under the impression that narrow gauge only required 15’ to 25’ right of way hence Durango Silverton. Standard gauge requires 50’ minimum right of way. Seems they could have built this line in standard gauge?

@SouthernPacific8984 3 жыл бұрын

They could have, but it was built in 1922 and narrow gauge equipment was much more economically feasible at the time, especially for industrial applications.

@BenAtPlay18 3 жыл бұрын

Do you need need permission to chase the train or is most access public?

@SouthernPacific8984 3 жыл бұрын

The line from Plaster City to the Quarry cuts through BLM land, so it’s publicly accessible. If you are hanging around the plant, it’s a good idea to check in with the front office so security knows you are just there to watch the train.