Amtrak passenger train no. 14, the northbound Coast Starlight, descends the former Southern Pacific grade in the Cascade Mountains between Fields and Wicopee on May 16, 2009.
Salt Creek rages with spring rain as a southbound Union Pacific freight train crosses overhead on its climb to Cascade Summit on May 16, 2009.
Amtrak train no. 11, the southbound Coast Starlight, glints in the evening sun beneath Rooster Rock on the climb to Oregon's Cascade Summit on May 22, 2009.
Following closely behind Amtrak on the evening of May 22, 2009, was this Union Pacific freight train, catching some of the day's last sunlight at Rooster Rock in the Oregon Cascades.
The block signal at Cruzatte, Oregon, adds a green glow to the lights of a passing train in the Cascade Mountains on the clear night of May 22, 2009.
Stars fill the clear night sky above Cruzatte, Oregon, high in the Cascade Mountains, as a northward Union Pacific freight train shines its light through the fir trees after midnight on May 23, 2009.
As blue dawn lights the sky at Cruzatte, Union Pacific's Eugene to Roseville (symbol QPWRV) freight train marches south towards Cascade Summit at Cruzatte, Oregon, on May 23, 2009.
Distributed power units cut into Union Pacific's Eugene to Roseville freight train (symbol QPWRV) with 96 cars climbing the Cascade Mountains at Cruzatte, Oregon, at dawn on May 23, 2009.
Union Pacific freight train north descending the Oregon Cascades at Cruzatte just before sunrise on May 23, 2009.
Fog swirls over the Salt Creek Valley in the Oregon Cascades before sunrise on May 23, 2009, as Union Pacific's Roseville to Portland freight train heads north.
An empty ballast train climbs the Cascades heading south at Cruzatte, Oregon, on the morning of May 23, 2009.
Amtrak's Coast Starlight passenger train no. 14 rolls north along the flank of Coyote Mountain between tunnels 11 and 12 in the Oregon Cascades on May 23, 2009.
Shady Creek thunders out of the Oregon Cascades on a spring day in 2009 as Amtrak's Coast Starlight passenger train no. 14 rolls north over a steel trestle built by the Southern Pacific.
Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight passenger train no. 11 crosses state highway 58 and Salt Creek during its climb into the Oregon Cascades as the sun sets on May 24, 2009.
Stars fill the sky above Fields, Oregon, as a Union Pacific freight train heads south just after midnight on May 26, 2009. Memorial Day weekend has just ended, and this was the only train of the night—an especially lonely one camping above Tunnel 15.
The rear locomotive of a southbound Union Pacific freight train leaves a trail of lights along the Williamson River near Kirk, Oregon, on the night of July 6, 2009.
The moon shines through thin clouds about the Williamson River near Kirk, Oregon, as a Union Pacific freight train heads south in the wee hours of July 7, 2009.
Amtrak's northbound Coast Starlight passenger train no. 14 rolls high above the Williamson River near Kirk, Oregon, the morning of July 8, 2009.
BNSF Railway freight train heading south on the Union Pacific near Kirk, Oregon, on July 8, 2009, with 8,934-foot Mt. Scott in the background.
Union Pacific freight train rolling north above the Williamson River near Kirk, Oregon, late in the day of July 8, 2009.
Amtrak's Coast Starlight passenger train rolls south just after sunset near Kirk, Oregon, beneath 8,934-foot Mt. Scott on July 8, 2009.
BNSF Railway freight train heading north on the Union Pacific near Kirk, Oregon, after sunset on July 8, 2009, with 8,934-foot Mt. Scott in the background.
A southbound Union Pacific freight train streaks through Oakridge, Oregon, without stopping on the gray afternoon of February 6, 2010. Once upon a time, nearly every train bound for California stopped here to pickup additional helper locomotives for the steep grade to Cascade Summit, but remote control distributed power technology put an end to those days, making Oakridge a much quieter place.
Lights from a southbound Union Pacific freight train illuminate the fog and silhouette the former Southern Pacific signal bridge at the south switch of Cruzatte siding on the evening of February 6, 2010, in the Oregon Cascades.
Union Pacific business train south about to enter Tunnel 11 on the characteristically wet spring day of June 2, 2010, in the Oregon Cascades.
A smoky sunset flares out brightly in the Oregon Cascades at Tunnel 11 on Union Pacific's former Southern Pacific main line on July 8, 2010.
Union Pacific southbound intermodal train (symbol ZBRLC) approaching Tunnel 11 in the Oregon Cascades at dawn on July 9, 2010.
The sun's first rays illuminate a northward Union Pacific freight train exiting Tunnel 11 in the Oregon Cascades on July 9, 2010.
Union Pacific southbound freight train (symbol QHKRV) approaching Tunnel 11 in the Oregon Cascades on the morning of July 9, 2010.
Union Pacific's Roseville to Hinkle freight train (MRVHK) descending the Cascades between Abernathy and Cruzatte, Oregon.
Utilizing two damaged cross ties along National Forest Road 5884, Chef Scott prepares a true Oregon Cascades delicacy—chili mac!
Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight cruising up the Cascades near Cruzatte, Oregon. The rockshed protecting the south portal of tunnel 5 is visible at rear.
Haze from the distant Willamette Valley lends a wash of color to twilight in the Cascades at Cruzatte, Oregon.
Union Pacific's Hinkle to Roseville freight train (QHKRV) lighting up the tracks at Cruzatte, Oregon, as it storms up the Cascades towards Pengra Pass.
Union Pacific's Roseville to Eugene freight train (MRVPW) descending the Cascades at Cruzatte, Oregon.
Large block of wood chip cars on northbound Union Pacific freight train (MRVPW) heading down the Cascades at Cruzatte, Oregon. These cars are going to the Georgia-Pacific mill at Toledo, Oregon (via Corvallis).
Union Pacific's Roseville to Portland freight train (MRVPT) descending the Cascades at Cruzatte, Oregon.
Union Pacific's Portland to Roseville freight train (QPDRV) ascending the Cascades between tunnels 7 and 6 at Cruzatte, Oregon.
Southbound work train carrying welded rail ascending the Cascades near Cruzatte, Oregon. The rocky southern flank of Mount David Douglas appears in the background. The mountain (as well as the Douglas Fir tree) is named for a Scottish botanist who explored the Pacific Northwest in 1824.
Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight climbing the Cascades at Cruzatte, Oregon, about to enter tunnel 5.
Struggling locomotives on Union Pacific's Eugene to Roseville freight train (QPWRV) cast a pall of exhaust smoke into the otherwise clear sky at Cruzatte, Oregon.
Rear locomotive of Union Pacific's Portland to Roseville freight train (QPDRV) making a trail of lights between tunnels 7 and 6 at Cruzatte, Oregon, while a signal glows green in the distance.
Rear locomotive of Union Pacific's Hinkle to Roseville freight train (QHKRV) making a trail of lights through the s-curves at Cruzatte, Oregon, on the night of July 25, 2010.
Union Pacific's Roseville to Portland freight train (MRVPT) descending the Cascades between Abernathy and Cruzatte, Oregon. Mt. Yoran and Diamond Peak are visible above the trees in the background.
Union Pacific's Roseville to Portland freight train (MRVPT) crossing Salt Creek and Highway 58 at Heather, Oregon.