Cajon Pass Chase Map

An Affinity for Maps

I have always had a huge interest in maps for as far back as I can remember. In all of my pursuits over the years, maps were either a necessary tool to accomplish the task at hand or an adjunct to augment the experience. As a child I had a massive aeronautical chart of Los Angeles hanging on my wall and I would study it for hours. Through that exercise I garnered an appreciation for distance and topography, as well as infrastructure and the historical aspects of the places listed before me. Soon maps became part of me and I would seek out and go to map stores like some kids would go to record stores or arcades.

Today’s version of the Thomas Bros. Wall Map of LA and Orange Counties.Over the years I used everything from aeronautical charts, which were relatively cheap and accessible, to USGS topographical quads which were ideal but hard to get and very pricey for a teen earning but $1 a week allowance. As I grew older and made more money, (I have been working full-time since I was fifteen), I was able to afford better maps. Eventually I was able to hang on my wall the crème de la crème of maps — the Thomas Bros. Wall Map of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. I used it while listening to the local police and fire agencies on my scanner to track incidents and the like — I was the envy of all map nerds no doubt.

Birth of the Chase Map

As is the case the with all of you, I suspect, my life is now intertwined with maps on a daily basis, thanks in large part to the advent of GPS and the adoption of consumer-oriented maps from companies such as MapQuest and Google. I couldn’t be happier — or so I thought.

As far as rail activities are concerned, the consumer-grade mapping efforts leave a lot to be desired. The railroad representations tend to be very generalized and lack detail and, in most cases, accuracy. Obviously there is also a lack of rail-specific data pertinent to the “chase,” if you will. In most cases you can’t tell the difference between a well-traveled rail line from one that sees only seasonal traffic, or even one that may have been removed years ago. I have made attempts to offer more rail-centric content or disclose more reliable sources in the past. Despite the apparent convenience, one can’t rely solely on these consumer-grade maps, particularly when you are researching a new line that you are unfamiliar with.

I learned through the years to research lines that I intended to shoot from a variety of sources and ultimately developed techniques and skills to cull that data into a very detailed map specifically created for me. To wit, below are two examples of my work that I created for our trip to shoot BNSF’s Seligman Subdivision back in April of 2011. The first one contains an overview map and all the locations, addresses and phone numbers of key points along our route. Also included are a copious amount of radio frequencies for various local, state, and federal agencies along the way so I know what is going on wherever we might be. The second map shows a more detailed railroad map with topographical detail because it is what I used to navigate the unfamiliar terrain of the Kaibab National Forest through which the Seligman Sub runs. (Click on each image for a larger view in a new window.)

Our “Planning Map” showing key locations and address info, radio frequencies, and our tentative schedule and plan that we used for our Seligman Subdivision trip in April of 2011.

BNSF’s Crookton Cut-Off - A detailed map I made complete with control point locations, milepost markers, and potential access points.

As the title element of the second map shows, this is the point that I referred to these maps as a “chase map.” So how did we avail ourself of the content of these maps whilst on the road? Through the use of an iPad, of course! In a post regarding the planning of the Seligman Trip, I explained the method: 

PDF Maps iOS App | Avenza Systems IncThe beauty of this mapping solution was that I now had a custom map that held all of the information in one location and could be quickly referred to using one of our iPads. To accomplish that I exported the maps as Adobe PDF files and transferred them to the iPad. I quickly found out that the native iBooks application was rather slow at rendering the large files. I searched for a solution and found a great application from Avenza Systems, Inc. called, appropriately enough, “PDF Maps.” This application pre-renders the maps, which increases their storage size on your device, but the trade-off is lightning fast rendering of the maps. Perfect, just what I wanted. Oh, did I mention that it is also free?

This solution worked extremely well for us during the trip and I quickly fell in love with PDF Maps. It soon became the staple of my mapping applications and I loaded it to the gills with all the maps I wanted and/or created.

Coming Up Short

Soon I discovered that there was a shortcoming to my chase maps. The net effect of my solution was an electronic version of a paper map — not a mapping solution, per se. This was fine with me but not everyone is proficient at reading maps and discerning their present location.

In fact, I learned that most had little interest in learning to read maps because their telephone has a map that shows them right where there are. That was a very good point. This solution wasn’t fully leveraging all of the capabilities of most devices today which tend to be GPS-capable.

Now this is not to say that PDF Maps doesn’t support GPS technology, it does and does it very well. The problem lies in the fact that MY maps weren’t GPS-enabled, or more accurately georeferenced, so the PDF Maps app couldn’t show me where I was on my maps.

In Search of a Solution or “HOW MUCH is that Doggy in the Window?”

I began to research how I could convert my .PDF Chase Maps to a georeferenced .PDF file (or georeferenced .TIF file as well) which is what I needed. It turns out that is SO much easier said than done.

There are quite a few mapping applications available that will export content to a georeferenced .PDF or a GeoPDF® file. However, these applications tend to be high-end, enterprise-centric and, thusly, cost an insane amount of money — well outside of the budget of THIS one-man shop to say the least. In some cases, I am talking thousands of dollars.

Since our Arizona trip of April, 2011, I have been a “man-on-a-mission,” trying to find a viable and affordable solution to making my Chase Maps the best they can be. In light of my research and findings, I began to feel like “David vs. Goliath.”

Trials and Errors and Esri, Oh My!

Thanks to the bountiful amount of information accessible on the internet, I learned of almost all of the players in the Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) space and so began the long process of trial and error with their various programs and offerings. That effort began to feel like I was trying to find my way out of a housing tract and each road that I ventured down, while looking promising, ultimately was a cul-de-sac and did not lead me home. (I can’t even count the number of iterations of the Cajon Pass Chase Map that I have made with various products.)

Eventually my attention turned to the variety of products offer by a company called Esri, (pronounced as a word, ‘ez-ree’). Esri is one of the largest, if not the largest, providers GIS products and data.  Their flagship product is called ArcGIS and it is a comprehensive suite of applications.

Esri produces one application in particular that peaked my interest, ArcGIS App for Smartphones and Tablets. Esri describes the ArcGIS App as a product that “lets you navigate maps, collect and report data, and perform GIS analysis. It is a part of the ArcGIS system and is a great way to

• Discover content by browsing map galleries from ArcGIS Online or leverage services from your existing enterprise GIS.
• Display maps and capture information.
• Develop a custom application or brand your own application specific to your business needs.
• Extend your GIS to a wider audience.”

“Hmm, interesting,” I thought. I began to evaluate the opportunities that this app brought to the table. I would have to most likely rebuild my map, yet again. “Like I haven’t done that a dozen times already!”, I reasoned.

If Things Aren’t Working, Change Your Approach

At this point I began to reassess my approach to making a map that I could be proud of. Instead of having my map and trying to find something that would allow me to geo-encode it that I could afford, I opted to start with a platform that was georeferenced out-of-the-box and build a map with that solution.

ArcGIS App

Since the ArcGIS App was merely a consumer of GIS content and not an authoring solution, I needed to find a way to create content for it. The natural choice was to peruse the Esri catalog for possibilities. I found a web-based offering called ArcGIS Explorer Online that was capable of producing content that could also be consumed by the ArcGIS App. The stage was set.

Making the dive into ArcGIS is like moving from the minor league team to the majors. It is a whole different environment than what I was accustomed to. It took a few weeks for me to get my bearings with respect to the terms, capabilities, and methods of a true GIS platform. After literally reading a few books I began to create what eventually became the Cajon Pass Chase Map described below.

The Different Way

Being a creative individual, the first point I realized about the Esri solution, at least for the web-based Explorer, was the fact that there is no creative latitude available. One is limited to the base content that Esri makes available through their web services. About the only true custom content available was to upload vector-based data called “shapefiles.”

It became apparent that I must sacrifice creative control for functionality. However, I soon discovered that there are several benefits, over and above what the PDF Maps solution offers, to using the Esri solution:

• Multiple clients available (Desktop browser-based, Apple iOS, Android, Windows 7 Mobile)
• Support for different user-selectable base maps.
• Support for layered content. The user can turn data on or off.
• Since the content is internet-based, I can update the map and the user will get the latest content each time they use the map. No need to re-download a file if the map changes.

The last bullet point also is a con, per se. Since the content is web-based, you cannot use it in an offline capacity. You need internet access to see the map. I figure that since more and more smartphones and tablets are in-use each day, and most are internet-capable, this fact is outweighed by the “current content” concept so I proceeded with the project using the Esri ArcGIS platform.

Eventually I finished my map — at least version .1!

Therefore, Without Further Ado, Allow Me to Introduce…

…my Cajon Pass Chase Map, Version .1.

The map can be accessed via a web browser via this link, or via the ArcGIS mobile client by searching for the Cajon Pass Chase Map through the interface. The following images depict the map, running on an Apple iPad, and highlight some of the key features:

Chasing Steel’s Cajon Pass Chase Map showing one of “Joe’s Map Notes” active.

Clicking on the third icon from the left on the toolbar reveals the various basemaps that you can choose to use for the map.

The “Overview” button will call up a dialog box which contains a series of buttons. The “Content” button shows the map’s layers and offers an opportunity to turn on or off layers as desired by the user.

The “Legend” button displays a legend that identifies the various colors and symbols seen on the map.

The fifth icon from the left displays the map’s bookmarks. I have pre-loaded some for you.

If This Interests You As Well

Web GIS: Principles and Applications on Amazon.com

During this exercise I learned a lot about maps, mapping, GIS, and the various software products that are available for both Windows and Mac clients and I have read several books on the topic.

I can highly recommend this book. I have not finished it yet but I can already say that it is money well spent and is well ahead of other books on the subject. It is extremely readable and presents the material in an easy to understand way that is suitable for newbies and geeks alike. It is entitled Web GIS: Principles and Applications by Pinde Fu and Jiulin Sun, ESRI Press, (ISBN-10: 158948245X | ISBN-13: 978-1589482456 | Publication Date: October 15, 2010).

Your Comments and Feedback are Requested

If you have got to this point in this post, then you must have some level of commitment or interest in the topic so i hope you can offer your insight by providing feedback and/or comments to me either regarding my mapping efforts or about GIS in general. My hope is that some GIS pros will read this and can help guide me by providing advice as appropriate. Thank you for your time.

UP 844, a Mountain, a Mob, and Me

As I described in in my previous post, ““UP” for a Chase? 844 Comes to California,” Union Pacific’s famous steam engine, the UP No. 844, is in California and garnering quite the attention in the process. On Saturday, November 19, 2011, the UP 844 lead the Centennial Tour train eastbound from West Colton, California to Yermo, California. The route the train was scheduled to take was over BNSF rails up and over the scenic and challenging Cajon Pass. It was the making of a perfect photo opportunity and I headed out early Saturday morning, almost dutifully, to get in position.

I had settled on a location just south, geographically, from Cajon proper, where the rails round a bend at the curved bridge over Zuni Creek. I found a safe spot to park my rig and made sure that my radios (data and voice) where in working order and then watched the traffic flow as I cranked the heater in the cab of my truck. It was 5:00AM and the outside temperature was 40 degrees. 

The weather was not ideal as there was a low moving into the area and this brought low clouds and fog into Cajon Pass. I actually welcomed the the fog because it would add “atomsphere” to the photos but the lack of direct sunlight would make for less than stellar shots—at least from me.

I took a few test shots of a some passing BNSF intermodals and the westbound Southwest Chief to test out all of the possible spots and settings. As I did this I began to meet other folks that had come to see the train. During my discussion with of them I realized that I did not know which of four possible rails the train would be on. Three of them were side-by-side and didn’t present an issue, but the fourth rail did because it was obscured by a cut at my present location.

In a frantic fit, I posted a question on the Trainorders board to ask if anyone knew the exact route the special would take. Minutes turn into an hour and I began to second guess my prime spot. Ultimately I got a few responses that lead me to decide to move further up the hill, and I am glad I did.

As I drove east along SR 138, towards Summit, I passed one grouping of motorists after another pulled off onto the shoulder at every conceivable wide-spot in the road that might afford a glimpse of the train. It was quite the turnout for sure.

After learning the 844 was delayed leaving West Colton, I took a little extra time to find that “just right” spot. I didn’t want to shoot from some of the more obvious locations, for example at Summit. I eventually settled on Martinez, where the tracks converge from three main tracks to two. I leveled my camper and took my gear up to roof. The additional height was necessary to get me near the height of the grade at this spot.

Eventually the 844 began her assault on the hill and would be passing me within the hour. 

While I waited, and waited, the radio traffic betrayed the fact that there was a need for the 844 to “hold the main” at Martinez while a responder performed some sort of servicing. This was a surprise to both, the BNSF dispatcher and me. It also laid my plans to somewhat waste because the train would not be traveling at track speed as she came by my location. Oh well, so it goes, sometimes, when you chase steel.

Little did I know that it would get worse. Since the train was now scheduled to stop at Martinez, just west of me and out of view around a curve, that gave time for all of the folks, that so desired, the time to catch up with the train and continue the chase. This led to more than usual traffic that came along with the train and soon the area around “my spot” was filled with cars and people all over the scene.

The 844 eventually came into view and it was cool to see, no doubt. I took my shots, best I could because I found myself pausing to take it all in a little too long.

When I looked at my shots later that day at home, I was disheartened to see that many of my shots contained people in them right along the rails and on the right-of-way. Bummer. I could “remove” them in post-processing but, fortunately, my best-friend CJ was also on the hill chasing steel.

CJ gave me copies of his photos and I thought they were spectacular so I asked his permission to use them in this post. Of course he agreed. So, it is with great pleasure, and relief that I present the photographic work of CJ Hokanson of the UP No. 844 pulling the Centennial Tour train over Cajon Pass:

A short movie to set the mood…

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Here are a few of my photos to round out the event:

"UP" for a Chase? 844 Comes to California

A Living Legend Comes to California

Today marks the beginning of the “return-trip” for Union Pacific’s “Living Legend,” No. 844, after participating in what Union Pacific dubbed the Centennial Tour to help New Mexico and Arizona celebrate their one-hundred years of statehood.

UP No. 844 - Photo courtesy of Union Pacific Railroad.

Union Pacific’s No. 844 is the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific, delivered in 1944, and will travel more than 2,900 miles from its base in Cheyenne, Wyoming during the 32-day, nine-state tour that will honor the rich railroad heritage of the scenic Southwest.

Weighing in at nearly 1,000,000 pounds, the ground literally shakes as she rumbles by at track speed. It is a rare opportunity that shouldn’t be missed—and those folks that reside near the return route from Yuma, Arizona through California, Nevada, Utah, and western Wyoming, should take advantage of this opportunity to see one of America’s great steam engines plowing the rails. The following map shows a high-level view of the route:

Thursday, November 17, 2011

No. 844’s excursion into California begins a mere hour or so from now (7:00 AM PST) as she leaves Yuma, Arizona after a day of rest while on display at the border town. As the following schedule for the day indicates, she is enroute to Bloomington, California—a.k.a. West Colton, where she will be serviced and then tied-up for the evening. She will also receive servicing at Niland, California on her way to Colton and this is a good opportunity to get an extended view of the locomotive standing still. If a steam engine at speed is more your thing then grab a wide spot in the road track side and wait for her to come blowing by:

Friday, November 18, 2011

Residents of Southern California will get the same opportunity to view No. 844 up close and personal as the folks in Yuma, Arizona did because on Friday, November 18, 2011 the No. 844 is slated to be on public display at 10359 Alder Avenue, Bloomington, CA 92316, from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM:

View Larger Map

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Saturday presents a rare opportunity to watch a steam engine struggle against the grades and curves of the much vaunted Cajon Pass as No. 844 leaves Colton and heads to Yermo, California on BNSF rails over the pass. Traditionally, with events such as a steam train traversing the pass, expect a lot of traffic and sightseers all along the route on Saturday. Cajon Pass is one of the favorite locations for local railfans and the smoke from the engine can be seen for some distance in the pass which will garner the attention of travelers on Interstate 15 as well, which dances with the BNSF and Union Pacific rails throughout the southern section of the pass. (I plan on making this part of the trip—see you out there chasing steel!):

Sunday, November 20, 2011

For me, Sunday offers the crème de’ le’ crème portion of the trip through California—the run north out of Yermo towards Las Vegas, Nevada. This portion of the trip traverses some of the most spectacular scenery of the tour in California. Two areas rich in scenery are Afton Canyon and the Mojave National Preserve surrounding Kelso and Cima: 

NOTE: Afton Canyon is extremely remote and should only be attempted by serious four-wheelers, but the Kelso and Cima areas are easily accessible—just remember they are a long way from services such as food, water, and gas—so make sure to top off everything before you leave Yermo.

UP Cima Subdivision Chase Map and UP Tools

Since most folks rarely get into this remote area of California, I thought that I should provide my “Chase Map” for Union Pacific’s Cima Subdivision to assist you in planning your chase. Simply click on each image below to downlaod:

Union Pacific also offers two methods of tracking the locomotive during excursions such as this one. The first one is the internet-based tracking applet on the UP Steam web site. The other one is the newly released iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad app called UP Steam:

UP Steam app - available for both the iPhone and iPad

UP Steam Locomotive Tracking Map

Be Safe and Enjoy the Experience (My PSA)

Before you head out to enjoy the experience at the location of your choosing be sure to read my post called “The New Rules of Railfanning: Don’t Trespass, Be Alert, Report Issues” as it details some of the challenges and risks of being trackside.

Also, remember that any track is a live track and don’t assume that you can hear a train coming. Many times folks lose their focus when a steam train approaches and they mistaken assume that the railroad knows they are there and have closed other tracks for this steam train. This is not so! Since the railroad is private property the expectation is that you are NOT there. Also remember it takes a good deal of distance to stop a train so just stay off of the tracks—all tracks. A safe trip is a FUN trip!

Don’t Do This!

How NOT to behave around railroad tracks!