A fire broke out in Cajon Pass' Blue Cut area and all rail traffic was stopped. BNSF was prepping their fire suppression train, based in Commerce (a few miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles) to head up there to fight the flames. When we arrived at the Verdemont area of San Bernardino, we found several stopped trains, but trains were also moving, which caused us to wonder if the fire train would be needed. Within minutes, we got word that drops of Phos-Chek long-term fire retardant from a DC10 had contained the fire, and the special train was now canceled. Apparently, the crew, already on board, was told to go home (presumably with a day's pay).
As traffic begins moving once again, BNSF Priority UPS-LTL Intermodal train Z-LACALT7-28 (Los Angeles to Alliance TX), overtakes a parked Union Pacific empty iron ore train. The BNSF train has an interesting consist, with the most interesting engines third and fourth in the consist (of course): ES44C4 4265, ET44C4 3687, AC44C4M 602 (a former Santa Fe Dash 9-44CW rebuilt with AC technology and A-1-A trucks at GE's San Luis Potosi, México, facility) and Dash 9-44CW 699, still painted in its original, albeit a bit faded, "Superfleet" paint scheme. (San Bernardino, California — August 28, 2021)
