Climbing through the fascinating Trona Pinnacles sprouting up out a dry lake bed in the harsh desert south of Searles Valley, a Trona Railway freight rumbles toward the Union Pacific connection at Searles, California, on March 15, 2004. Powering the train is six EMDs—a pair of SD40-2s and four SD45-2s (rebuilt and now classed SD40-2s)—Nos. 3007, 3002, 3001, 3004, 2006 still in UP colors and 3005.
The EMD SD (special duty) series are a strong and reliable kind of locomotive which still serve America's rails today. They have proved themselves reliable by clocking in several million miles of freight service over several decades.
