At day break, a pair of NS motors find themselves leading the New York (NS), NY to Los Angeles, CA up the 1.5% grade of Yampai Hill. Just about a mile away from reaching the summit, the second motor in the consist lost its load. With sand blasting, and rail squalling, the train dropped down to less than 10 MPH, but they made it over the summit before stalling out. Helpers out of Needles would be called to help the train over the hills of the Mojave Desert.