Spotlight, center stage. The last few minutes of light filter through the canyon and find UP 7907 as the Engineer eases the train into a 10 MPH speed restriction.
UP 5499 rolls out of Bealville in the afternoon sun.
The chase is on! While trying to get ahead of the train for another shot, I sneaked in a few frames, reflected through the side mirror.
BNSF 4356 brings up the rear as the train descends the last northbound grade of Tehachapi Pass.
BNSF 5446 pulls through Edison late in the afternoon.
The sun sets as the cantilever signal stands guard over Sandcut. The headlight of a southbound train is visible near Kern Junction, about 12 miles away.
Two loaded covered hoppers frame the northbound signal at Rowen as the train slowly descends Tehachapi Pass.
The mid-train Distributed Power consist provides dynamic braking to assist the grain trains descent down Tehachapi Pass.
A heavily laden grain train descends Tehachapi Pass and is about to make its way around the loop at Walong.
A Z9 throttles up out of Ilmon, leaving Tehachapi Pass behind.
The setting sun illuminates this south bound UP manifest as it crawls out of the canyon between Ilmon and Caliente.
As another day ends, America's freight rolls on into the night. The sky will likely be light again when the crew reaches Needles.
BNSF 1003 makes it's way out of Bealville and will soon enter tunnel 3.
The sound of dynamic brakes screaming and the wheel flanges squealing, amplified by the confines of Tunnel 1, interrupts a peaceful morning as BNSF 6642 descends Tehachapi Pass.
An empty unit steel train rolls through Bealville as it makes it's way to Pittsburg, CA for loading.
