From atop a small rise along BNSF's busy Needles Sub between Essex and Goffs, 6822 west races along the desert floor with a hot Z9 in tow.

BNSF 7134 leads a westbound train out of Amboy at sunrise on the Needles subdivision.

BNSF 4078 leads a westbound train up grade out of Amboy as it heads toward Barstow.

BNSF 5359 west struggles up the long grade to the summit at Ash Hill, about 5 miles into it's climb that started at Amboy, this heavy train will make the summit just about sunset.

BNSF 7354 leads an eastbound stack train past a set of auto racks on the ground as it makes its way toward Amboy.

As clouds build over the desert around Mojave on a hot July afternoon, a northbound BNSF manifest charges upgrade toward Tehachapi.

Slowly entering the high desert town of Mojave, a southbound Union Pacific manifest with three brand new ES45AH's up front whistles for the Arroyo Ave grade crossing, and will soon be back up to t... (more)

Just south of Mojave at Fleta, the hottest train on UP's I-5 Corridor, the Brooklyn trailers, picks up speed leaving town as it heads south toward Palmdale, West Colton and ultimately Shops Yard i... (more)

Dropping slowly downgrade on Cima Hill, a westbound UP mixed freight nears Kelso on the old LA&SL mainline across the Mojave desert.

Cresting the top of the grade, a westbound UP manifest now begins its slow descent on Cima Hill toward Kelso on a late afternoon in the Mojave desert.

Last light of the day in the eastern Mojave Desert finds a westbound UP empty pipe train passing an eastbound stacker at Kelso on the former LA&SL route.

Between Cima and Kelso on the old LA&SL mainline, a westbound UP manifest train eases downgrade on a late afternoon in the Mojave National Preserve.

Slowly descending the grade on Cima Hill toward Kelso, an SD70ACe is the sole DPU on a westbound UP intermodal train as it heads toward Los Angeles on the historic LA&SL route.

Just beginning the slow descent downgrade toward Kelso, a westbound UP intermodal train passes through the summit of Cima Hill on the old LA&SL route.

Approaching the summit of Cima Hill, a westbound UP stack train passes through Ivanpah on the former LA&SL mainline.