Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
Southwest Division  
Seligman Subdivision  
Needles, California
Last Observation Date
Lat 34° 48' 16" N
24-25 Nov 2002
Lon 114° 34' 43" W
Radio Frequencies
Road
160.935 MHz (west) / 160.650 MHz (east)
ATCS
897.8875 MHz (MCP)
 
936.8875 MHz (BCP)
 
Naming convention according to author's rules and logic. Your rules might be different. Vive la difference!
DIRECTIONS

Get off I40 at East Broadway (east end of Needles) and head north toward town. Immediately north of the Bashas' supermarket parking lot, turn right on the paved street (Ice Plant Rd). Ice Plant Rd quickly becomes a gravel road as it wends its way past gravel pits and concrete block storage areas. Stay straight as you pass the concrete block place on your right. Soon the road sidles up to the railroad. Continue railroad east about 1 mile to a nice little overlook immediately west of East Needles control point.

COMMENTS

This control point provides access to the east yard lead of Needles yard. Good picture opportunities which include on a nice day great vistas.

It's at this point that the railroad Road radio channel changes. Be sure to check your scanner.

The dirt road out to the control point is not heavily trafficked. It should be passable by two-wheel-drive vehicles unless the weather's been really bad. While it's only two miles back to civilization (in a manner of speaking), be sure to bring water, a spare tire, tools, hat, etc. During the summer the hike can be lethal if you're not prepared.

On a clear day (which it wasn't last time there) you can see the Colorado River, the Hualapai, Black, Mohave and Chemehuevi Mountains. The Needles (the reason for the town's name) are the extremely rugged volcanic spires to the southeast in Arizona.
INDICATIONS
CP Object
Index
Definition
ATCS Mnemonic
Bit Location
         
Switches Pair 1 Normal 1NW K14
    Reverse 1RW K16
  Pair 2 Normal 2NW K21
    Reverse 2RW K23
  3 Normal 3NW K11
    Reverse 3RW K13
         
Tracks 1 W Approach 1WA K31
    E Approach 1EA K33
    In Plant 1T K12
  2 W Approach 2WA K24
    E Approach 2EA K26
    In Plant 2T K22
  Yard Lead W Approach 3WA K32
    In Plant 1T K12
         
Signals Track 1 W Approach 1WG unk
    E Approach 1EG K15
  Track 2 W Approach 2WG K27
    E Approach 2EG unk
  Yard Lead W Approach 3WG K17
         
Other   Track 1 Plant Lock   unk
    Track 2 Plant Lock   unk
    Yard Lead Plant Lock   unk

Indication Bits currently unknown or unused: K18, K25, K28, K34, K35, K36, K37, K38

CONTROLS
CP Object
Index
Definition
ATCS Mnemonic
Bit Location
         
Switches Pair 1 Normal 1NW n/a
    Reverse 1RW C13
  Pair 2 Normal 2NW n/a
    Reverse 2RW C12
  3 Normal 3NW n/a
    Reverse 3RW C11
         
Signals Track 1 W Approach 1WG unk
    E Approach 1EG C14
  Track 2 W Approach 2WG C17
    E Approach 2EG unk
  Yard Lead W Approach 3WG C16
         
Other   Track 1 Plant Lock $1PL

N/A
    Track 2 Plant Lock $2PL N/A

Control Bits currently unknown or unused: C15, C18, C21, C22, C23, C24, C25, C26, C27, C28

 
The information contained here is based completely upon the author's personal observations or information gathered from sources of unknown reliability. Do not rely upon this information for any purpose. The author disclaims responsibility for any actions taken based upon any information contained herein. Do not trespass nor encourage others to do so. Read the signs and behave accordingly. Pick up others' trash and leave none of your own. Take only pictures and leave only foot (and tire) prints.