BNSF Freight Train Cab Ride - Abo Canyon

[@Trashman702]

I think what amazes me the most about American railroading is the engineering and construction that was done 100 plus years ago. No computers. No earthmovers. Just ingenuity and the human will to conquer nature

[@paul-andrelarose3389]

And for the initial surveying purposes, there were no aerial mappings, no GPS and no radio communications. This is truly humbling! 2024/01/07. Ontario, Canada.

[@Trashman702]

@@paul-andrelarose3389 indeed

[@user-b52semblyinde]

Man, I don't know if you will read this comment, but I'm from the east coast in DE and live close to the CSX Philly Sub, and I have to give my hat off to you, my friend, for some magnificent videos you make to keep us railfanners entertained. It's a shame many Americans will never see this type of scenery that is right here in their country. Originally from WV, born and raised next to the old C&O mainline in the New River Forge, but still amazed with the western railroad country. Wish you could do a Cajon Pass ride, but I know that's not your territory. I will continue to enjoy whatever you put out. Thanks for the video and music.......

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thank you for the amazingly kind words!

[@araneaetvelivolum1086]

How pretty is that?❤️ America 💕 Great job finding the fitting music for the beautiful scenery. Watching this makes me feel how I feel when riding my Harley through a lonely and vast landscape, freedom and peace. Thanks for sharing 🤙👍

[@roberthenry9319]

This is so beautiful it is beyond description. The high desert with the Manzano Mountains in the background, the music, the editing- all are so magnificent. This is truly an art form, and you, sir, are an artist. For those who may not know about this line of BNSF track, it was surveyed by the AT& SF (Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe) Railroad in the 1890s. The line was laid and built in 1903. The purpose of the line was to shorten the AT&SF mainline from California to Chicago by-passing the route north from Belen, New Mexico through Albuquerque, Lamy and Raton Pass on the New Mexico-Colorado border. Although the route north was shorter than this southern route, it was a much faster and cheaper route than the northern route because of the very steep grades of Raton Pass. Thus, this line was and still is known as the "Belen cutoff". (Amtrak still uses the northern route). This line was single track until a second line (which can be clearly seen in this video) was cut and laid in the last decade. The laying of the second line through Abo Canyon was one of the most expensive projects in American railroad history. Just 4 miles north of this rail line in Abo canyon is Abo Pueblo. Abo Pueblo is a national historic landmark site which dates from about the year 1000 A.D. The inhabitants of Abo Pueblo were known as the Anasazi, which is the same group of Native Americans who inhabited Chaco Canyon (also, of course, a national historic landmark site) to the northwest of Abo Canyon. The Spanish under Cortez discovered Abo Pueblo in the 1600s. So, there is a whole lot of magnificent history wrapped around this marvelous video. The video, clearly, is a treasure. Robert Henry, M.D. s

[@RBTrujillo1]

Thank you for your historical input on the rail lines and the Abo pueblo and its lineage. I also agree with how fantastic this video is!

[@jamesterrill1938]

Thank You for making us videos. We that know very little about Rail Roading does not mean we are not interested. Great video and I know there is a lot of work on your part to do thiis

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thanks for watching!

[@Johnny-kq9wb]

As a retired RR electrician,and having worked that part of New Mexico. Bravo😊 great video. Thank you.

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@kens.3729]

Beautiful Area and Video. Thanks! 👍🙏

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thank you 👍

[@GeatOlafsson]

Seriously has to be 1 of the biggest perks of the job. Seeing the pure version of the world

[@paulmatulavich7321]

Actually, Abo Canyon does not begin in Belen. It begins at the railroad marker at Sais and ends at Scholle. I've hiked from one end of the canyon to the other, but not all in one day.

[@brianmurphy6452]

WOW!!! Excellent work. Love the music too!

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thank you very much!

[@Flyeneagle]

Awesome video thank you for sharing.

[@markr4563]

Great job! Been through there on Amtrak #3 & 4. Nice to some of it again especially from the locomotive.

[@NorlandBoxcar]

Love it! Music, footage, everything. Well done. 40 minutes of meditation for me. The cows in the shade under the trestle was cute. It must have been a hot day where they were.. Cheers from cold snowy Ontario ☃

[@JimmyWilliams-f7e]

WOW ! Great video . Thanks for doing this . Beautiful scenery and railroad action

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the scenery and the railroad action. It was a blast to film!

[@peterwilson4546]

I had a tour of abo canyon while under construction in 2010. I introduced myself at the contractor's trailers. As I had been doing railroad work for the previous 40 years, the super gave me a 2 1/2 hour tour. The hurdles the railroad had to jump through just to get permits was amazing ! The engineering was impressive. The lead blaster was a viet nam veteran as am I. He had a story on the east end of the job the charges were set, boom ! This huge triangular section headed for the single track. Everyone held there breath ! It stopped with a few loose boulders fouling track . A big sigh of relief ! Stay safe out there ! PGW +!

[@baileydute1]

A Most excellent video!!!

[@andrewthacker114]

Good clip, thanks for sharing

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thanks for the visit

[@billclements3879]

Beautiful scenery and ride along…. Thanks for sharing… stay safe

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@ATSFSuperChief]

Absolutely enjoyable views of Abo Canyon. Really like the smooth blended transition from segment to segment.

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thanks for the support Don Allender! Thanks for stopping and sharing!

[@jeffbyland7128]

Amazing beautiful video And getting to see your side of the country from your point of view And all that open countryside A whole different world from the East Side of the US. Enjoyed the ride Appreciate what you're doing..

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thank you very much!

[@AkashRoy-pd8gt]

Serious work is always the key to success.Thank you for sharing this video

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

You are so welcome

[@RBTrujillo1]

I absolutely loved your video Sir! Very well editing done, and the music you injected in this video is outstanding! Job well done Sir. I live in ABQ and have only driven the highway along this pass. I need to explore this area once and for all! Thank you for your video, Sir!

[@luismanuelmartinezcastaned8880]

Your videos are amazing, I love seeing the BNSF's together with the Ferromex in México...

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thank you very much!

[@RICARDOGARCIA-wr9hx]

Awesome video

[@tjtrainzCSX]

Behind Cajon Pass's Sullivan's Curve in SoCal, Abo Canyon is the 2nd place, on the ENTIRE BNSF system, I want to visit. Been having them places on my bucket list since the Santa Fe 90s.

[@carlospada9586]

I admire your ability to convey with your videos the sensations you feel when you look at these unique landscapes. It's very difficult to make people who can't be there in those moments where the wonders of those places flow, you succeed very well! When I watch your films it seems to me to be there on those locomotives and to experience great pleasure. Thank you for what you give us

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thank you very much!

[@jordialfonsoaragones4978]

Nice video, fantàstic, great job, thanks

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thanks!

[@TheMoco53]

Sweet video. Thanks for sharing

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Thanks for watching!

[@TheFailroaders]

I love all of these videos of you deadheading with the music, you always pick amazing and powerful song

[@IrishTrains]

Well done video about a beautiful place! Please post with the original sound and NO music.

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

There are several of this area posted on the channel without the music.

[@paul-andrelarose3389]

Excellent video. If I may make a suggestion, I would have appreciated a small data window in the upper portion of the video showing, at least at discrete critical points, some basic engineering and operating parameters such as line elevation, line grade, operating speed, throttle position and dynamic braking status (if any). Possibly, this could be included in a future revision. Thank you. 2024/01/07. Ontario, Canada.

[@user-b52semblyinde]

do you ever go near or thru needles, ca on the bnsf southern transcon. i look at the live virtual cam of needles a lot and a big crew change point!!!

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

no I don't. The furthest I go west from my terminal is Belen, NM

[@ryankruchowski1951]

Outstanding video. What consists were you guys hauling?

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

this video was over the course of several dead heads so it varried. If i remember it was 2 Z trains, an empty grain, and a mixed freight

[@ericnickel3280]

We sure do hv a beautiful country! Is it possible to arrange a ride along?

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Unfortunately not

[@thevitaldemon1175]

2:51 when did thy added asphalt? I remember it being a dirt road when I worked at the boc

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

they started that project a few months ago

[@joelsmith5886]

Nice video and great camera work. I am curious about one thing. You said in the description that deadheading from one terminal to another is normal life for a conductor and it made me wonder do you get paid to ride in a trailing locomotives for hours on end?

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

That is correct. We are getting paid but typically at some form of a reduced rate since we are not the operating crew members

[@dawnmariondehaviland6922]

hello I gather you have used several music tracks, what is the name or link to the first track 2.56 to 5.16, regards and thank you UK Trainspotter

[@marvinrobertson8673]

Have you published a playlist of the music?

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

No I haven’t. Artlist terms does not allow for me to playlist the music

[@robertmason7553]

what is the song????? Love it and the video.

[@robertmason7553]

The Nighttime song. Im looking for it and cant find just using keywords.

[@RogerThunderhandsGilbert]

Awesome! What kind of video editing software do you use for your channel!

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Adobe Premiere Pro CC

[@dan-fr9dn]

How about going thru La Plata Mo..

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

My runs don't take me there

[@saddletramp1860]

What's the average amount of trains per day thru the pass?

[@guybenning6909]

Jon tried to email you about something said something like your email was not accepting email. just thought I'd let you know.

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

Yeah had to setup a new email server. [e-mail]

[@guybenning6909]

tried to email you at new address got address could not be found or not accepting email. sorry

[@wolf3862]

Videography is very good, music is not. Can you please include Control Points, signals, mile posts, and other significant railroad-related content. Thanks, Belen, NM resident.

[@RailsTailsandTrails]

no

[@wolf3862]

@@RailsTailsandTrails thanks

[@slotplayer50]

Music ruins video

[@wolf3862]

I just put on mute and play AC/DC.

[@markrowlette7366]

I like the music

[@larryjohnson2441]

It would be better minus the music