Intro + Poetry Video of Train Trip from OAK to PDX

[wheelingsteel]

Hey folks,

My name's Kai Carlson-Wee and I write poetry about traveling in the midwest/pacific northwest. Here's a video I shot with my brother on a freight trip earlier this summer. We took the Sunday Night Special from Oakland to Portland and took some photos along the way. The video just got 'released' last week. If you've done this route you'll recognize Mt. Shasta.

 

[Tude]

Very cool vid and poem! Welcome aboard - look forward to more!

 

[misanthropicrustacian]

That was lovely

 

[wheelingsteel]

Thanks, guys! We had a good time making it. Nearly died of heatstroke in Redding but that didn't make it into the video.

 

[Rhudey]

Gorgeous shots and poetry! be safe out there and happy trails

 

[misanthropicrustacian]

Hey folks,

My name's Kai Carlson-Wee and I write poetry about traveling in the midwest/pacific northwest. Here's a video I shot with my brother on a freight trip earlier this summer. We took the Sunday Night Special from Oakland to Portland and took some photos along the way. The video just got 'released' last week. If you've done this route you'll recognize Mt. Shasta.

so where you guys hail from?

 

[wheelingsteel]

We're from the Fargo, ND area originally. Lots of beet fields and not much to do but drive around and skate. We've both done a lot of traveling on the highline route (CHI to Seattle) and the Northern Cascades in general. Now my brother lives in Nashville and I live in San Francisco. Never been to New Mexico, but really want to see that landscape.

 

[spectacular]

where in oak did you catch?

 

[wheelingsteel]

Caught out in desert yard, near 34th. Done it a few times from there. Never had trouble.

 

[spectacular]

which tracks head to roseville? (1st being closest to street)

 

[wheelingsteel]

Don't know for sure but it was either the 4th, 5th, or 6th (not the last line). Closer to the factory stacks. Seems to leave on Sunday night or Monday morning. Not much on it. Mostly empties.

 

[spectacular]

caught it last night and arrived this morning in roseville, operator said it was going to sparks NV eventually

 

[wheelingsteel]

Nice! Might have been a different train. I've never done the route to Reno but it's supposed to be amazing.

 

[Somebody]

what track did it end up being?

 

[spectacular]

it was 3rd or 4th... can't remember exactly but it came into the yard and was the only train with a union pacific cab at the front

 

[Somebody]

gotcha
i'll give it a go tomorrow probably.
trying to get around black rock desert before the end of burning man to catch a looooooong ride east.

 

[Somebody]

well i hopped out this morning...
freight carrying a bunch of cans headed north, so i jumped on.
2 hours later and it stops on a country road...
...in Stockton!?!

hitching north presently

 

[spectacular]

nice! better than nowhere I guess. there are trains going north to Roseville... made a mistake and ended up in stockon and caught on the leftmost line going north on a grainer