Trains in and Around Bakersfield

[@johnmeadows5645]

Mark, when you were filming at Lerdo Highway I thought about Merle Haggard. I remember him saying that he used to hop trains out there when he was a kid. That inspired him to write that song, Mama Tried.

[@kens.3729]

Thanks for going out and recording the content and sharing it with all your viewers. 👍

[@paulsto6516]

My kind of day. Thanks, Mark!

[@scottcary1]

Amtrak trains through there use the Sants Fe passenger train of San Joaquin. Southern Pacific had some their passenger trains named San Joaquin Daylight.

[@sunnysiderails397]

That rumble of the engines as they approach never gets old, very informative, Great Video!!!

[@JC-bl9bo]

The second train, the Amtrak train had an old, very old NJ transit railcar behind the locomotive. That was kinda surprising.

[@centralcaliforniarail]

Yup, they’re part of the comet sets caltrans purchased a few years back. They’ve been putting them on the bilevel sets for added axle counts so that the trains will trigger the crossings

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I know nothing about passenger train makeup but axle count has nothing to do with crossings. If it did, single locomotives would be an issue. Here's a video I made on how crossings work. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5zdioCfYrWMa7c

[@iWrick8111]

@@MarkClayMcGowan Actually it dose. I work for BNSF on this route and there has been warnings for the last few months particularly for Amtrak that a couple of crossings in the Fresno area require the train to stop and protect the crossing if the train is under 28 axles.

[@thomream1888]

Good show Mark! Thanks. Like many railfans, I've got some great memories of B-Town. Sitting on lawn chairs just inside the fence near the old ATSF turntable, drinking A&W Root Beer (good thing it's not alcoholic, I'd be the biggest drunk you ever saw!) out of the ice chest. Back in the 80s you could do that and not get chased off or hassled by cinder dicks. We'd listen to our scanner and were able to figure out some of the switch moves the crew was doing. Funny thing, somehow that train crew "lost" their paperwork when they finished, and we "lost" some Root Beer that night - fair swap, I'd say. Stay safe and dry out, there cuz somebody's got make good train videos!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Yeah, it's too bad the bad elements and lawsuit crazy folks messed things up for folks who just want to enjoy their hobby. Thanks for checking it out!

[@dmorgan28]

Mark that was another great video. Thanks and have a good one 👍👍👍❤️

[@gregoryraymond2071]

Nice job Mark, hope you are feeling better and are loving retirement. A quick easy solution instead of a tripod would be a hand held gimble stabilized device that is hand held like the camera stick you hold. Keep up the great work.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I am both, thank you! I have a gimbal but it too, takes time to set up and adjust and is too easily moved when zooming. I used it for drives before I got the GoPro. Thanks for checking it out!

[@jackgreen412]

Enjoyed the video!

[@ATSFSuperChief]

Wow Mark you just keep things entertaining around Bakersfield. And a nice variety of trains, including what my UP buddies call the Government Local, AKA Amtrak.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I aim to please!

[@Samanthareneeheart1]

I couldn't read the signal either.... This was intresting though a diffrent look at things in a different area.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@brianhickey5949]

No problem with Bakersfield - avoid the rain and wetness. I think we often miss the sacrifices railfans make when filming for us viewers - what you do is much appreciated :) The angle of view for the first train is cool! Why would they have a slow order out for that area - would it be weather or something else? I like the Amtrak - not the usual GE engine :) Nice trains with plenty of horsepower and the usual excellent commentary!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thanks for the kind words. The slow order for the Amtrak were due to track work. The BNSF freights were just heading into the yard.

[@brianhickey5949]

@@MarkClayMcGowan Thank you for that info!

[@rolandbraithwaite1027]

I think that the diesel engine was originally designed to run on peanut oil, so was meant to be eco-friendly from the beginning

[@straightto8]

Good video, I haven’t been down there in years, used to work this route when I was a trainman for Amtrak, when you are new, Bakersfield becomes your second home.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thanks for checking it out. I also have a piece on the Amtrak station here. Check it out!

[@straightto8]

@@MarkClayMcGowan I will, goes to show how long ago I worked the Valley, I never worked a train into that new depot.

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Very cool catches from the Bakersfield area and always great commentary.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thank you very much!

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

@@MarkClayMcGowan Your very welcome and we always look forward to seeing your videos from out that way.

[@markjolyn94]

Great to know there is someone local shooting video's.

[@rant1200]

I really like the history of the refineries and other businesses along the rr.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

It sometimes makes me nostalgic when I see the long abandoned spurs and roadbeds to the old businesses so I try to catch trains around them when I can. Thanks for checking it out!

[@freddypflugbeil6]

Hope those people under the overpass are ok Cool video mark

[@josephmartino9958]

Them five units be toting a lotta lumber on that mainline outbound...SB? Nice video!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Southbound yes. Outbound from their destination but inbound to Bakersfield! Thanks for checking it out

[@artillerest43rdva7]

it is just amazing the amount of wood products that are on the trains. Thank you for directing me to the curve oiler video It only makes sense to minimize the ware and tare on both the tracks and wheels. does it effect the traction of the next train at all? or is it basically gone by the time that the length of the train has gone over the lubericated area. keep safe and stay healthy don’t let the covid bug bite. it is great you are doing better post covid bout .

[@brehkop275]

Love the local info. Somje time could you name the car types as a manifest train passes by. I don't know what they are all called. Keep up the good work!!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I can try! To be honest, I don't know what some cars are for either and have to ask! Thanks for checking it out!

[@kevinjamesstout5119]

Hi Mark I just subscribed to your channel and it is a great channel what I like about your channel you like to give a bit of history of the railway and about other things from Kevin James Stout Live in High Prairie Alberta Canada

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thank you very much! I'm glad you found the channel and that you enjoy it. Stay tuned. MUCH more to come!

[@charliecoe2717]

Bnsf everywhere you look

[@thomasbromley9802]

and they say theres a shortage of lumber

[@craigpalmer9196]

monopod maybe

[@barrybickle7992]

Sounds like a lot of wheels that have flat spots.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

That's pretty common on all trains. Some more than others. Most flat spots occur during switching so unit trains are less susceptible but not exempt! Thanks for checking it out!

[@randallfawc7501]

He Clay..... Question...... For EBs coming down out of cable, where does the speed limit increase?

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

When the rear of the train is east of the 202 overpass

[@randallfawc7501]

@@MarkClayMcGowan Thanks Mark.

[@laspiedrasrailroad]

Homey can u send the hemet pics when u get a chance?

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I can't figure out youtube email. Where do I find it?

[@laspiedrasrailroad]

@@MarkClayMcGowan it under about on my page u click it and it opens up. I can't post it here or it will be tagged as spam.

[@timothyxv171mmmpertinentgamer]

Flying Jay you a friend you walk in and you sell the plant for a good profitable money keep it up up up up Cable Electric Company is perfect for me early watching DPU BNSF is good enough for me again awesome video " Cool Cool I know passengers " I hear bell dinging pop pop pop pow is daddy BNSF and Amtrak go friend

[@davesargenti6641]

Do passenger trains have the right of way over a freight trains?

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Not generally. Freight pays the bills but they do try to accommodate Amtrak when possible. Thanks for checking it out!

[@HPL5P]

The homeless commentary made the video lol..😂

[@chris76-01]

Those passenger trains seem like such a waste of money since hardly anyone uses them. They would probably be out of business if they weren't supported by the gov.

[@kens.3729]

Amtrak had a Record 28.7 Million Passengers and 1.74 Billion in Ticket Revenue Sales. Heavily used on East Coast.

[@chris76-01]

@@kens.3729 amazing. Whenever I see passenger trains, there's usually just a handful of people inside 😆

[@cerealspiller]

Fortunately the gov. doesn't subsidize the construction and maintenance of highways.

[@chris76-01]

@@cerealspiller they do. Federal gov owns the interstates and states own the state roads and counties own the county roads and municipalities own the local roads.

[@cerealspiller]

@@chris76-01 Sarcasm. It's a word. Look it up.