After three days of rain and snow, a small lake has appeared at the east end of Cajon, between Track 1 (not visible here) and Track 2. Descending Track 2 is BNSF Railway "High Priority Merchandise" train H-BARWCL1-26, heading from Barstow to Union Pacific's West Colton Yard. Behind the lead locomotive, BNSF Dash 9-44CW 5206, are some more interesting diesels:
The second locomotive is BNSF 5722, which appears to be a GEVO but is marked on the sill as an AC4400CW. Yet GE calls it an AC4400CWT2, and BNSF's computers call it an AC4400EV (partly to save space, the computer system only allows for eight characters). This is one of fifty experimental GEVOs built by General Electric for testing on the railroads: BNSF received 30 (5718-5747), UP owns 5 (5695-5699), and NS has 15 (9900-9914, although most were delivered in the number series 7500-7514). Both internally and externally, these are (very early) ES44AC locomotives. So, somewhat rare for those of us who care. (Hey, that rhymes!)
Third is Kansas City Southern ES44AC 4810, and off-line power such as this is always interesting. The fourth unit is BNSF SD70ACe 8478 (EMDs on the BNSF in California are not completely unusual, but still of interest as the railway has so many GEs in service here).
Fun fact: BNSF crews refer to this train (again, the H-BARWCL) as the "Barwickle," as they like to pronounce the symbols as if they are words. This, as one old enough to have grown up with the show, always reminds me of "Bullwinkle."
(Cajon Pass, California – February 26, 2023)
