updated: November 8, 2021: DW-214 to DW-216
December 7, 2021: 206 - 222 (Green Tree Blvd. Bridge)

I am very pleased to show some exclusive photos of these photographers:
Don E. Toles (DET), Gary G. Gray (GGG), Laura M. Gray (LMG)
Marc Fournier (MF), Bruce (Doc) Jones (BHJ).

Guest Photographers: Ryan Slaton (RS), Jeff Perry (JP), Don Winslow (DW)

A big thank you for sharing these excellent pictures with us.
Note: The copyright belongs to these gentlemen. Do not use any photos without written permission.

For bigger size photos - please click on the 4-digit number below each photo (the first letters specify the photographer).

updated: January 31, 2021

We start our 2021 photo documentation with Cajon Winter Wonderland photos taken by Marc Fournier.
We've had three storms come through. Here, outside Victorville, we had a total of 1.5 inches of rain with loads of wind.  Marc, in Oak Hills & near the Cajon Summit, had several inches of snow & even stronger winds. I-15 was it's normal mess with several temporary closures & accidents. Marc arose at daybreak, on the days immediately following the first two storms to document the scene.  Marc Fournier
MF 1/21 - 1001 Marc's home in Oak Hills, CA	MF 1/21 - 1002 Marc's home in Oak Hills, CA	MF 1/21 - 1003 HiLand siding (Cajon Summit) on the UP/SP Palmdale cutoff
MF 1/21 - 1004 KCS 4685 DPU for UP 5915 at HiLand siding	MF 1/21 - 1005 UP 5915 at HiLand siding (Cajon Summit)	MF 1/21 - 1006 Hill 582 with San Gabriel Mountains
MF 1/21 - 1007 West side of Hill 582	MF 1/21 - 1008 on top of Hill 582	MF 1/21 - 1009 Memorials on Hill 582
MF 1/21 - 1010 San Gabriel Mountains from Hill 582	MF 1/21 - 1011 BNSF 7513 EB from Hill 582	MF 1/21 - 1012 UP 8421 WB from Hill 582

updated: 2/11/21

added 2/10/21: Hill 582 and Lugo
Marc & I met our Hill Tender (DET) on top of Hill 582. Afterwards, we went to check the Cajon Cam near Lugo. GGG & MF # 1017: BUSTED -- Marc & I decided to go find & wave at the LIVE Virtual Railfan "Cajon" Cam - which is actually positioned near LUGO (between Hesperia & Cajon Summit). When I arrived home an hour later, there was an E-M from DK in Australia, who detected us wandering about in the Cajon. BIG BROTHER is always watching.
MF 2/10/21 - 1013 Finished with his work, the Hill Tender (DET) takes a break.	MF 2/10/21 - 1014 BNSF 4057 WB w/2 units pass Hill 582	MF 2/10/21 - 1015 BNSF 3752 WB w/4 units pass Hill 582
MF 2/10/21 - 1016 BNSF 8390 WB w/2 units pass Hill 582	MF 2/10/21 - 1017 BIG BROTHER is always watching!	MF 2/10/21 - 1018 UP 8851 is EB at Lugo
MF 2/10/21 - 1019 UP 5513 is DPU for UP 8851 EB at Lugo	MF 2/10/21 - 1020 UP 5985 is WB at Lugo	MF 2/10/21 - 1021 UP 5985 is WB at Lugo

updated: 6/01/21

added 5/26/21: Hill 582
Last week (May 26) on Hill 582 w/Don, Ed, Marc and Gary
GGG 5/26/21 - 1034 SoCal gas is building a new facility at Hwy 138 & Parker Ranch RD (the entrance / exit to Hill 582)	GGG 5/26/21 - 1035 BNSF 3856 is EB @ Hill 582	GGG 5/26/21 - 1036 Pictures of Don E Toles, the Hill Tender, on his Hill
GGG 5/26/21 - 1037 Pictures of Don E Toles, the Hill Tender, on his Hill	GGG 5/26/21 - 1038 Pictures of Don E Toles, the Hill Tender, on his Hill	GGG 5/26/21 - 1039 UP 5272 is SB on the UP/SP Palmdale Cutoff
GGG 5/26/21 - 1040 Larry da Lizard	GGG 5/26/21 - 1041 BNSF 3796 EB	GGG 5/26/21 - 1042 Marc and his Cajon Rover #1
GGG 5/26/21 - 1043 Ed & Don finished watering	GGG 5/26/21 - 1044 BNSF 7580 EB	GGG 5/26/21 - 1045 BNSF EB Hill 582

updated: 7/10/21

added 7/03/21: West Colton Yard (UP "We Are One")
Marc joined Paul W. at West Colton to the view the latest UP specially painted Commemorative Locomotive.  GGG UP: "We Are ONE" Commemorative Locomotive Debuts
PW 7/03/21 - 1046 Union Pacific SD70M w/Marc Fournier	PW 7/03/21 - 1047 Front view of "We Are One"	PW 7/03/21 - 1048 UP SD70M # 1979 "We Are One"

updated: 7/29/21

added 7/28/21: Hill 582 with the Hilltender
Wednesday, July 28, was a watering / work day on Hill 582. Thanks to the efforts of the Hill Tender and crew, Hill 582 has survived this summers'  drought and exceptional HEAT. Rail traffic was relatively light in the early AM and the HEAT held the meeting to about three hours.   GGG, MF & DET
GGG 7/28/21 - 1049 A four hour late AMT #3 heads toward San Bernardino / L. A.	GGG 7/28/21 - 1050 UP 7210 is EB past Hill 582	MF 7/28/21 - 1051 Don & GGG enjoying the Hill and the company
GGG 7/28/21 - 1052 Marc & Don	GGG 7/28/21 - 1053 BNSF 8808 is EB @ Hill 582	GGG 7/28/21 - 1054 old Timber removal
# 1054 - 1056:  The work part-- Don, Marc & Ed have finished watering & remove a dead tree from the Hill
GGG 7/28/21 - 1055 old Timber removal	GGG 7/28/21 - 1056 Toothless Wood Shark	GGG 7/28/21 - 1057 UP 7700 SB at HiLand Siding
# 1057:  On the return trip, we got a friendly wave from the Engineer of UP 7700--South Bound near HiLand siding on the UP/SP Palmdale cutoff.

updated: 8/19/21

taken on 7/31/21: SWC - Swarthout Canyon Road Crossing by Bruce "Doc" Jones
The list lives! I haven't put anything up since long before the beginning of the pandemic.   I finally got trackside for a "train fix" at the SWC Xing in Cajon Pass.  I hope this finds all of you in good health and improving spirits - getting trackside too!  Take care and best to all, Bruce "Doc" Jones, Sierra Madre, CA
BHJ 7/31/21 - 1058 BNSF 3756 WB at SWC	BHJ 7/31/21 - 1059 NS 7687 WB at SWC	BHJ 7/31/21 - 1060 BNSF 780 Warbonnet WB at SWC
BHJ 7/31/21 - 1061 UP 5922 EB at SWC	BHJ 7/31/21 - 1062 same train with KCS 4624 at SWC	BHJ 7/31/21 - 1063 BNSF 3694 WB at SWC

updated: 12/07/21

Action between Frost MP 38 and the Flyover to the new bridge construction site at MP 39.4 Green Tree Blvd. Extension with new Bridge over BNSF main tracks.
# 206 - 209: BNSF 8157 + 6 is WB between BNSF Frost @ MP 38 and the new bridge construction @ MP 39.4. It must have been a power repositioning move since the train was relatively short.
LMG - 12/04/21 - 206 BNSF 8157 WB intermodal tbetween Frost and Flyover	LMG - 12/04/21 - 207 Same WB Train on the Flyover toward construction site
MF - 12/04/21 - 208 BNSF 8157 w/6 more units incl. a CP Rail	MF - 12/04/21 - 209 Same train approaches construction era
# 210 - 214: Follows BNSF 4056 WB from the Natural crossover/Flyover @ MP 39.1 through the construction area.  Hard to see, but in # 214 just above the lead unit there is a bison pen which is part of a larger horse corral.
LMG - 12/04/21 - 210 BNSF 4056 WB crosses the Flyover	LMG - 12/04/21 - 211 BNSF 4056 WB on the Flyover at MP 39.2
MF - 12/04/21 - 212 BNSF 4056 WB at MP 39.3	MF - 12/04/21 - 214 BNSF 4056 WB departing the construction site
# 215 - 218: BNSF 3823 WB is pictured from the Flyover through the bridge construction.
MF - 12/04/21 - 215 BNSF 3823 WB Intermodal on the Flyover	MF - 12/04/21 - 216 Interesting to see 3 TOFC's followed by DBS
MF - 12/04/21 - 217 BNSF 3823 and 8008 are both ES44CE Diesels	MF - 12/04/21 - 218 The locos just passed the bridge construction site
# 219 - 222: BNSF 7917 WB passes through BNSF FROST @ MP 38. The autumn colors were very visible, in both the Kemper-Campbell Ranch and the Mojave Narrows Regional Park.
MF - 12/04/21 - 219 BNSF 7917 WB intermodal passes thru Frost at MP 38	MF - 12/04/21 - 220 BNSF 7917 WB intermodal passes thru Frost at MP 38
LMG - 12/04/21 - 221 Same train just passing the signal at Frost	LMG - 12/04/21 - 222 End of train heading to the Flyover
More photos of the "Green Tree Blvd. Extension (Victorville, CA)" w/new bridge over BNSF Main are here:  click here

updated: 11/08/21

Don Winslow Photography of Cajon Pass
Don Winslow of Glendora, CA is sharing his great photos with us. These are not sorted by date or location. Thank you for sharing - GGG. We are listing his photos the way Don is sending these to Gary.
DW-178 taken on 11/09/20 Cozy Dell in the Cajon Pass. Early morning sun catches this east bound BNSF 7071.	DW-179 taken on 10/26/19 First rays of sun on this eastbound BNSF 7218 at Cajon in the Cajon Pass.	DW-180 taken on 3/30/14 Morning rain greets these 2 east bounds at the Swarthout Canyon Crossing in the Cajon Pass.
DW-181 taken on 4/27/19 This is a westbound BNSF 4686 just entering Cajon. Train has just come down from the Mormon Rocks.	DW-182 taken on 5/26/18 Train is westbound BNSF 5409 in Cajon and about to enter Cozy Dell.	DW-183 taken on 10/20/18 BNSF 6870 westbound in Cozy Dell with morning shadows.
DW-184 - taken on 5/13/09 While most photos from Hill 582 are taken from the top of the hill, there are some possibilities from the bottom at track level. Here is one at the curve, BNSF 7503 EB just west of the hill.	DW-185 - taken on 6/02/18 BNSF 6910 eastbound just entering Cajon.	DW-186 - taken on 12/08/18 Here is BNSF 7828 EB as it is leaving Swarthout Canyon.
DW-190 - taken on 9/08/18 BNSF 4879 WB at the upper curve at Cozy Dell in the early morning light coming out of Cajon.	DW-191 - taken on 4/06/19 BNSF 5950 WB at the upper curve at Cozy Dell in the early morning light coming out of Cajon.	DW-192 - taken on 9/28/19 BNSF 6962 is at Cajon after going through the Mormon Rocks and is also westbound.
DW-193 - taken on 6/02/18 BNSF 4176 just leaving Cajon, westbound.	DW-194 - taken on 6/30/18 BNSF 6237 Eastbound, entering Cozy Dell.	DW-195 - taken om 6/22/15 UP 9003 and BNSF Trains have just crossed SWC and are eastbound.
DW-199 - taken on 6/15/19 Swarthout Canyon just coming out of a fog bank, BNSF 7025 eastbound in the Cajon Pass.	DW-200 - taken on 9/07/19 Train has just gone through Sullivan's Curve and is entering Cajon, BNSF 7040 WB.	DW-201 - taken on 9/08/18 BNSF 7179 eastbound after crossing Swarthout Canyon at Cozy Dell in the Cajon Pass.
DW-202 - taken on 4/21/18 BNSF 7254 WB at Cozy Dell in the Cajon Pass.	DW-203 - taken on 8/03/19 BNSF 7421 WB at Cajon in the Cajon Pass.	DW-204 - taken on 8/03/19 BNSF 7421 WB at Cajon in the Cajon Pass.
DW-208 - taken on 9/22/18 BNSF 5942 WB at Cozy Dell in the Cajon Pass.	DW-209 - taken on 9/22/18 BNSF 7363 EB at Hill 582 in the Cajon Pass.	DW-210 - taken on N.A. BNSF 7421 WB at Cajon in the Cajon Pass.
Photo 208 was processed using the latest copy of Photoshop which has a new ability to replace the sky. This is an amazing feature that with one click, it only changes the sky without touching any other part of the photo. The original photo had just a bland texture with not much color.
DW-211 - taken on 8/03/19 BNSF 3751 early morning shot at Cajon with the light just starting to settle into the valley. Train in the background is just starting the climb into Sullivan's Curve.	DW-212 - taken on 11/27/09 This is a BNSF 7519 westbound just approaching the summit of Ash Hill. (not Cajon but Needles Sub Mojave Desert)	DW-213 - taken on 6/15/19 This is BNSF 7736 WB just entering Cozy Dell. This was a test photo using the latest edition of Topaz Labs Denoise. It allows you to take out color noise using the raw photo before changing the format. This a much better result of doing this processing before changing to tiff. Nobody else has this type of processing yet.
DW-214 - taken on 6/15/19 Amtrak 187 just coming out of a fog bank at Cozy Dell in the Cajon Pass, westbound.	DW-215 - taken on 4/06/19 Great weather at Cozy Dell for this BNSF 6703 Eeastbound.	DW-216 - taken on 6/15/20 Low light at Swarthout Canyon, BNSF 7726 Eastbound.

updated: 10/10/21

Don Winslow Photography of the Mojave Desert (Needles Sub)
Don Winslow of Glendora, CA is sharing his great photos with us. These are not sorted by date or location. Thank you for sharing - GGG. We are listing his photos the way Don is sending these to Gary.
DW-187 taken on 11/21/08 Ludlow, BNSF 522 eastbound on the Needles Sub.	DW-188 taken on 11/21/08 BNSF 5457. Shots were taken at the west side of town at the Needles Curve.	DW-189 taken on 10/29/13 BNSF 6871 train is westbound climbing Ash Hill.
DW-196 - taken on 11/27/09 BNSF 5183 westbound is climbing towards the Summit of Ash Hill.	DW-197 - taken on 3/26/10 BNSF 5290 has just been over the summit of Ash Hill and is on its way through Klondike.	DW-198 - taken on 10/29/13 A little color on the head end at the train is at the summit of Ash Hill lead by BNSF 5453.
DW-205 - taken on 3/02/16 BNSF 6819 EB at Bagdad on the Needles Sub.	DW-206 - taken on 11/20/14 BNSF 6853 EB at Siberia on the Needles Sub.	DW-207 - taken on 8/02/14 SP 5021 was taken at the Rail Giants Museum, LA County Fairgrounds, Pomona CA.

updated: 7/04/21

New: 7/04/21 - Photography by Jeff Perry
Jeff Perry is taking photos from a different angle as he usually is hiking uphill to take a special overview of a scene. We are pleased to show some of his recent Cajon Pass photos with permission - thank you very much - WM
JP-7158: 1/25/20 BNSF WB intermodal passing under I-15 on MT-3 at Stein's Hill
JP-7147: 1/25/20 BNSF WB w/loaded rocks near SWC Crossing	JP-8385: 2/22/21 UP SB heavy load ore cars near SWC Crossing
JP-8451: 3/06/21 BNSF intermodal EB w/Progess Rail power at Alray	JP-8612: 6/05/21 BNSF EB from Davis Ranch w/Mormon Rocks
JP-8572: 5/29/21 BNSF WB w/loaded rocks on MT-2 at Davis Ranch	JP-8598: 6/16/21 UP manifest SB on UPT at Davis Ranch
JP-8580: 5/29/21 BNSF WB w/CP, UP and BNSF Power	JP-8649: 6/26/21 BNSF WB pass Silverwood from across above Hill 582

 updated: 7/14/21

	Album 55 Cajon Pass exclusive photos from above w/o a drone 2018 - 2021 Page 1/1 Photos by Jeff Perry (USA) Updated: 7/14/21
Martinez (East of Summit) - JP4692	See all 88 photos - click here	BNSF EB w/Mormon Rocks - JP4515

updated: 2/17/22

	Cajon Pass Sub Photo Collection 2017-2022 Green Tree Blvd. Extension (Victorville, CA) w/new bridge over BNSF Main Gary G. Gray, Marc Fournier (USA) Updated: 2/17/22
GGG 6/15/15 Upper Norrows Mojave River (view from Gray's Hill) - 001	See first 339 photos - click here	GGG 12/28/15 UP EB at MP 39.1 (view from Gray's Hill) - 002

updated: 7/20/21

	Cajon Pass Sub BNSF Mojave River Bridges Replacement East Victorville, CA 2020-2021 MP 34.1 (East Victorville, CA) Gary G. Gray, Marc Fournier (USA) Updated: 7/20/21
MF 1/11/20 BNSF 5886 DPU EB - 2011	See all 711 photos - click here	MF 4/06/21 BNSF 5893 EB on new bridge - 2691

updated: 8/22/21

updated: 7/10/21

New: 7/10/21 - Photography by Ryan Slaton
Ryan Slaton is famous for his outstanding photos. Thank you for sharing with us - GGG & WM
Subject: UP Steam makes its mainline return w/Big Boy 4014
Earlier in the week a friend gave me a tip that Union Pacific 4014 would be making a 2-day break-in run between Cheyenne, Wyoming and Denver, Colorado, south on Thursday and return north on Friday. This run marked the Big Boy's first mainline appearance since concluding the steam season in November 2019. This break-in run comes roughly one month before 4014 goes out on a month-long tour to Texas and Louisiana but aside from making sure the 4000 is in good order it was also a PTC test run. From what I heard most of the tests, including PTC enforcements, took place between Speer, Wyoming and Nunn, Colorado on the Greeley Subdivision.  Sounds like the UP 844 received similar PTC installation during the off year for steam trips. I was at work when 4014 went west up track 4, pulling the grade up Sherman Hill to Speer. Thanks to the PTC tests it took several hours to make the trip from Speer to Nunn and so after I got off work, I was able to pick up the 4014 in Ault, Colorado and snap a few pictures. The test train consisted of the steam crew's three support cars, 5 hoppers for extra braking, and SD70M 4015. Nothing to special but it is always great to see the steam locomotives out and about.
RS-2141 I caught up to 4014 as it was rolling into Ault, Colorado for a service stop. Clouds were dominant in the sky but just as 4014 highballed town the sun came out for my first picture. The Greeley Subdivision north of Greeley is very much rural and agricultural.	RS-2142 Another lucky break in the clouds finds 4014 as it leans into the big curve between Gilcrest and Platteville, Colorado.
RS-2143 Not exactly sure of the location but I think around Lupton? Anyway, one of my last photos of 4014 on its trip south.	RS-2144 The last photo is a throwback to July 8th, 2019 as 4014 storms Archer Hill east of Cheyenne on the first day of its 2019 Midwest Tour.

updated: 6/21/21

New: 6/21/21 - Photography by Ryan Slaton
Ryan Slaton is famous for his outstanding photos. Thank you for sharing with us - GGG & WM
Subject: Little of this and a little of that . . .
Hope everyone has been doing well! It has been a little while since my last email, I haven't been out trackside much as of late but the last three images are recent-ish photos :}
RS-2135 My friend John Shine and I struggled to keep up right in the wind as we photographed the ZBRLC at Fleta on March 12th, 2016.	RS-2136 On November 7th, 2015 an eastbound QRVWC enjoys the last traces of sunlight as it sails along the Mojave Subdivision between Fleta and Ansel.
RS-2137 The sun had set on October 20th, 2015 as UP 2549 races along the floor of the Antelope Valley, just (SP) west of Lancaster, with another eastbound QRVWC.	RS-2138 April 17th, 2021 and an eastbound Union Pacific OCS has paused for a crew change in Cheyenne with the old 1887 depot in the background. Half of the old depot is now a very nice railroad museum, the other half is occupied by The Accomplice (brewery and restaurant). The Accomplice has some great food and beer but it was always a bummer while working the road to climb on a westbound out front and watch everyone else having a cold one as you were looking at a 10 hour trip to Rawlins
RS-2139 With a rain front pushing in on May 2nd, 2021 UP's ARLCH, led by 4666, pulls the grade through Terry Bison Ranch, Wyoming on the approach to Speer and the junction with the Overland Route.	RS-2140 Little over an hour behind the 4666 came the SBRWAW, a Vestas train loaded with wind turbine hubs on heavy duty 8-axle flat cars. Vestas sets up many of their flat cars for blade train and hub train service at Speer, Wyoming on the Swan Ranch Railroad.

updated: 5/01/21

New: 4/25/21 - Photography by Ryan Slaton
Ryan Slaton is famous for his outstanding photos. Thank you for sharing with us - GGG & WM
Subject: BNSF 'Cheyenne Switch'
When I first started working at Swan Ranch (and for several years before that) BNSF ran a yard job out of their Cheyenne yard which also ventured out to interchange cars with the Swan Ranch Railroad. In 2020 the yard job was abolished and a new 'local' took its place. The local, still referred to by its crew as the 'Cheyenne Switch', runs between Cheyenne and Fort Collins and does any needed work in between, including Swan Ranch. At Fort Collins it swaps cars with BNSF's Longmont local, which comes up from Longmont, Colorado before returning to Cheyenne. When the local was a yard job it was normally assigned SD40-2s but after it became a local it started to normally draw road power. Since early 2021 their power has usually come in the form of a pair of 'Grinstein' SD70MACs. Now, as most know I am not a fan of the BN however I admit I very much like BN's Grinstein livery. Growing up in SoCal and only seeing Grinstein SD70MACs on rare occasions usually finds me going out of my way to photograph them when leading.  This last Tuesday we were talking with the crew on the Cheyenne Switch as they were dropping off cars for us. One of their motors, SD70MAC 9621, took a dump on them and so they were unable to bring us more of our cars until they got a replacement motor later that night. Imagine my surprise on Wednesday morning when they show up with warbonnet C44-9W 765 as their replacement motor! What an eye appealing combo the 9658/765 make, in my opinion anyway...oh what BNSF might have looked like! Oh, well...gives me a reason to grab my camera after work and try to track the local down!   Ryan
RS-2129  Back on Feb. 19th I caught the local for the first time with double Grinsteins 9658 and 9621, 9658 wearing the 'wagon wheel' nose logo. Here they are pulling up to set out a string of loaded asphalt tank cars to the south leg of the Swan Ranch wye. In the background are a handful of cars the local will pick up later on their way back to Cheyenne.	RS-2130 On April 7th BNSF 9658/9621 are northbound approaching the C&S bridge over the UP at the west end of Cheyenne. The duo has a healthy train under their charge, including 45 from Swan Ranch.
RS-2131 One of the cars the BNSF local picked up from Swan Ranch was this clean old Frisco covered hopper...it came to us loaded with bentonite for Precious Cat.	RS-2132 Wednesday after work I set up to catch the local on their way back to Cheyenne with the sharp looking duo of 9658/765. Here the local hurries north having just crossed back into Wyoming as a weather system moves out.
RS-2133 Today I managed to catch the local again, this time between Rawhide and Norfolk, Colorado.	RS-2134 Lastly here is a look back to when the Cheyenne yard job ventured out to Swan Ranch. Taken on May 22nd, 2017 the job had a pair of cascade green SD40-2s for power, seen approaching the C&S bridge with the four UP mains in the foreground.

updated: 4/28/21

New: 4/25/21 - Photography by Ryan Slaton
Ryan Slaton is famous for his outstanding photos. Thank you for sharing with us - GGG & WM
Subject: Just some older photos from the Needles, Cajon, and Glorieta Subs on a Sunday afternoon - Ryan
RS-2123 BNSF 7370 east at West Needles, note an eastbound power move can be seen in the distance. On October 14th, 2012 when I took this photo, the searchlight installation here, the last of its breed on the Needles Sub, was on short time. In fact, maintainers were on hand that day getting ready to set up the new signal bridge. The old cantilever here was saved from the scrapper and today is preserved in downtown Needles near the Harvey House.	RS-2124 BNSF 8157 west passes BNSF 7567 east at Lavic, California on October 1st, 2016.
RS-2125 Eastbound tonnage trails BNSF SD70ACe 9302 into Danby, California on October 2nd, 2016. A sharp eye will spot the eastbound vehicle train in the distance.	RS-2126 UP 6922 and SPatch 6367 lead a westbound coal load across the Mojave River on October 21st, 2013. For those who don't know, recently BNSF completed work on two new trestles to carry the Cajon Subdivision across the Mojave River east of Victorville, California. This new construction will, if it hasn't already, see the removal of the old Santa Fe 'twin' steel bridges.
RS-2127 UP C&NW heritage locomotive 1995 leads a westbound double stack on September 3rd, 2016.	RS-2128 And lastly the eastbound Southwest Chief rattles the west end of semaphore protected Chapelle, New Mexico on October 7th, 2019.

updated: 3/14/21

added 3/14/21: OUR TRIP FROM NOWHERE TO NOWHERE (Afton Canyon and Mojave Desert (Ludlow)
Marc & I, last TUE (3/9/21), took a trip up to the Afton Canyon area & back to Victimville via Ludlow. GGG & MF
GGG 3/09/21 - 1022 Map of the trip	GGG 3/09/21 - 1023 The BOOMING metropolis of Basin, CA with the UP Cima Sub tracks headed to Kelso & Las Vegas.	GGG 3/09/21 - 1024 Exiting the North end of Afton Canyon, the normal flow of the Mighty Mojave River heads NE to Baker, CA. On occasion, this trickle becomes a real torrent & floods the area.
GGG 3/09/21 - 1025 The Mojave Megaphone--No one really knows who, when, why or how. A Mystery in the Desert: The Massive Mojave ‘Megaphone	GGG 3/09/21 - 1026 The only tree within 50 miles sits atop the long abandoned Tonopah & Tidewater RR ROW in the middle of Broadwell Dry Lake.	MF 3/09/21 - 1027 HELLO from the T&T ROW on Broadwell Dry Lake next to Crucero RD. Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad - Wikipedia
# 1028 - 1033: From the 3 March, 40+ car, BNSF derailment near Ludlow, CA
GGG 3/09/21 - 1028	GGG 3/09/21 - 1029	GGG 3/09/21 - 1030
GGG 3/09/21 - 1031	GGG 3/09/21 - 1032  -  bolted panel track	GGG 3/09/21 - 1033

updated: 2/11/21

New: 2/11/21 - Photography by Ryan Slaton
Ryan Slaton is famous for his outstanding photos. Thank you for sharing with us - GGG & WM
Subject: First photos of 2021   As of early December, I have been the only engineer at Swan Ranch as our other engineer had to take a leave of absence due to major family troubles. Although I hate what happened to him, it would be a lie to say I haven't been enjoying the hell out of being in the seat full time. Engineer on a Monday-Friday daylight switch engine...not too shabby ;}   Yesterday I received a tip from a friend that UP 1111 was leading a North Yard (Denver) to Green River manifest. I have avoided photographing this locomotive because I feel like UP's message of employee appreciation is in very poor taste to say the least. Despite my feelings about its message, I decided to finally go after the 1111, much like the other heritage/specially painted locomotives out there you've got to make the most of them while you can!   9.9 times out of 10 the MNYGR makes a 'left' turn at Speer and heads west for Green River but a last-minute decision was made to take a hard right at Speer and run the MNYGR into Cheyenne. After setting out it's train the power would need to take a trip around the balloon before doubling together its train, which included a large portion of the train it brought up from Denver. Rare is the day a MNYGR would call on Cheyenne but such is railroading in the PSR era.   Ryan
RS-2101: With the state capitol dome and downtown Cheyenne in the background UP 6021 departs with grain bound for Traver, California.
RS-2102: MNYGR power negotiating the balloon. At right is Puma Steel and Nortrak, two industries still switched by the UP.	RS-2103: Leaving out the 'old way' the MNYGR departs with 1111 on the point as UP 7822 charges out of town on P2 with the ZG1BRB.
RS-2104:   UP 1111 approaching Speer. In the distance is Swan Ranch SD40-2 4200 (ex-KCS SD40) which a sharp minded engineer left in position as a photo prop before going home on Friday ;} Actually, it was a happy accident but a nice comparison between 'powered by our people' and 'powered by our former people' :}	RS-2105: I know some of you know this but for those that don't...last summer I talked our GM into getting a caboose...why? because every railroad needs a caboose ;} The caboose, ex-MoPac, was at another Watco property in Wyoming and they no longer wanted it, we told them we'd take it, and the rest is history. We use it now and again as a shoving platform but ultimately as extra money allows, we want to spruce it up and use it as a rolling lunch/break room. Here our caboose is sandwiched between SD40T-2 4155 (ex-DRGW 5395) and SD40-2 4184 (ex-MoPac).
RS-2106: A trio of 'ACes', led by SD70AH 8952, has just crossed the Wyoming-Nebraska state line with an eastbound MRVNP.	RS-2107: HPC GP9 7516 (ex-Conrail, exx-Penn-Central, exxx-Pennsy) spends a quiet weekend in Kimball, Nebraska. UP mainline is at left.

updated: 2/11/21

New: 2/11/21 - Photography by Ryan Slaton
Ryan Slaton is famous for his outstanding photos. Thank you for sharing with us - GGG & WM
Today's MPDNP manifest into Cheyenne had a most interesting motor tagging along. I don't have much information about the locomotive other than it is being shipped to the Relco shops in Albia, Iowa. The locomotive started life as ATSF 1939, renumbered 5939, and after being rebuilt became ATSF 5989. From what I gather the former Santa Fe machine became a MK lease unit for a time and has spent the last twenty years at the Motive Power shops in Boise, Idaho. Probably not often a Santa Fe F45 paid a visit to Sherman Hill back in the day, was neat to see it. Ryan
RS-2108 Dropping down grade between Buford and Ozone on main one with the F45 trailing the road power.	RS-2109 Roster shot of the 5989 at Swan on main four.

updated: 2/20/21

New: 2/20/21 - From California to Wyoming - Photography by Ryan Slaton
Ryan Slaton is famous for his outstanding photos. Thank you for sharing with us - GGG & WM
This week some older photos and a few new ones starting with three from California in November 2020 and ending with two from yesterday in Wind-oming :}  Ryan
RS-2110 BNSF 7504 comes off Ash Hill with a westbound manifest as BNSF 7546 east coasts into Ludlow in the foreground. (11.25.2020)	RS-2111 Now 7504 west and 7546 east have 'swapped places' :} KCSM 'taco belle' 4538 is the last motor. (11.25.2020)
RS-2112 BNSF SD70MACs 9717, 9799, and GE 6822 lead a westbound double stack across the Colorado River and into California. (11.28.2020)	RS-2113 UP ZLTG2 between Buford and Ozone on track two, east slope of Sherman Hill. (02.07.2021)
RS-2114  -  (01.30.2021) UP 1111 working up track four at Swan, W516, just below Speer on Sherman Hill. At right is the UP-Swan Ranch Railroad interchange.
We got an early quit on Friday which provided me the chance to photograph BNSF's Cheyenne-Ft. Collins 'turn around' local. Lately the local has been powered by a pair of Grinstein SD70MACs, 9658 and 9621, 9658 being somewhat unique having the 'wagon wheel' logo on the nose. Warbonnets would have been better but even I'll admit that a matched pair of Grinstein's in 2021 is pretty damn cool :}
RS-2115 At Speer the local pauses to set out 13 asphalt loads to the south leg of the wye at Swan Ranch. In the distance, on the north leg, are eight empties for the local to pick up on their return to Cheyenne. Note the ATSF and BN 'heritage' hoppers :} (02.19.2021)	RS-2116 Side shot of BNSF 9658 as it shoves back onto the south leg of the Swan Ranch wye, in the background UP 7451 leads a westbound grain load up track three bound for Pixley, California. (02.19.2021)

updated: 4/04/21

New: 4/04/21 - Sand Hills road trip - Photography by Ryan Slaton
Ryan Slaton is famous for his outstanding photos. Thank you for sharing with us - GGG & WM
So, this was a three-day weekend for us at Swan Ranch, so I decided to spend Good Friday in the Sand Hills of Nebraska along the BNSF. This was only my second visit to BNSF 'coal country' and my first visit to Alliance, Nebraska and BNSF's Angora/Sand Hills Subdivisions. It was a really enjoyable first visit and I definitely plan on returning. Here are some photos...   Ryan But first off, we are starting with Swan Ranch. Last Sunday I mentioned that BNSF brought us a loaded sand train with CP, BNSF, and NS power. With that power we built BNSF a vestas (wind energy) train and an empty sand train. So, after running from the NS 4236 for most of the day it only seemed fair that after work, I get a photo of the train leaving :}
RS-2117  This photo shows the train departing our upper yard w/NS 4236 and leaving out the north leg of the BNSF wye to their Front Range Subdivision, south leg is in the foreground.	RS-2118 On my way north to Alliance I paused to catch this southbound at Mudd Springs, Nebraska on the Angora Sub. Hey Mike, sure hit the BN hopper jackpot with this one ;}
RS-2119 Between Bonner and Alliance (also on the Angora Sub), BNSF 5622 leads empty buckets south while in the distance northbound buckets move towards Alliance.	RS-2120 DPUs on an eastbound load meet the headend of westbound buckets between Bingham and Ashby, now on the Sand Hills Subdivision.
RS-2121 SD70ACe 8574 leads a pair of GEVOs and coal buckets west at Ellsworth.	RS-2122 One of the last trains I would photograph was yet another eastbound coal load led by ACe 9246 near Bingham.

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Cajon Pass 3rd Main Track Construction by BNSF in 2007 and 2008 BNSF was building a 3rd Main Track thru Cajon Pass. It was built along the # 1 (north) track (2,2 % grade). The only 2 tunnels in Cajon have been daylighted. This one of a time project was completed on November 07, 2008.
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