Amid a near-constant stream of S-, Q- and Z-symbolled intermodal trains, it was a welcome relief to find a unit train of loaded ethanol tank cars snaking through a colorful Santa Ana Canyon. BNSF train U-MRRWAT7-04A has 90 loaded tank cars (it is listed as 90 loads and 90 cars, so how to explain the two covered hoppers acting as buffer cars?) with a combined weight of 12,129 tons. Freshly repainted BNSF ES44DC 7740, along with BNSF ES44AC 5775 and BNSF ES44C4 7959, up on the train's headend, and for the rear Distributed Power Units (DPU), Canadian Pacific AC4400CW 9750 and BNSF ES44DC 7721 are providing more horsepower. And, yes, I am disappointed that BNSF didn’t place the CP unit somewhere in the front set of power, but at least the hills are green and the California Poppies are blooming! (Yorba Linda, California – February 11, 2023)
