A short Union Pacific train, UP MNPWC 17, just coming off the Palmdale Cutoff (and over Cajon Pass) threads its way through the east end of a very busy West Colton Yard behind SD70Ms 4297, 4389 and 4748. This manifest train originated in North Platte, Nebraska, and will terminate here at West Colton Yard. (There is a good chance that this train is short because it dropped off cars are various yards along the way.)
Adjacent to the other mainline (which heads east through Yuma AZ to New Orleans) is what was at that time left of landmark Slover Mountain. Mined for decades for the limestone within it, in another decade or so it would be completely gone, and today that location is a very flat storage area filled with shipping containers!
