Passing through quintessential desert scenery beneath the Book Cliffs, Union Pacific LJP45 “dirt train” local approaches the junction to the Green River Subdivision main line at Mounds, Utah, on t... (more)

As early summer thunderstorms rumble over the Book Cliffs, a trio of Rio Grande SD40T-2 Tunnel Motors, Nos. 5349, 5390 and 5371, head westbound out of Mounds, Utah, with Union Pacific’s LJP45 “dir... (more)

Four Rio Grande EMD SD40T-2 Tunnel Motors bring the westbound Union Pacific LJP45 “dirt train” local into Mounds, Utah, on the sunny afternoon of January 30, 2003. The train is about to enter the ... (more)

A quartet of Rio Grande EMD SD40T-2 Tunnel Motors power Union Pacific’s LJP45 “dirt train” past mile 607.4 east of Wash, Utah, on February 4, 2003. The train is hauling contaminated dirt and munic... (more)

A Grande View! Rio Grande power dominates this January 2000 elevated view of the yard at Helper, UT. UP's LJP45 "Dirt Train" local has just arrived back in town and is seen passing a few ... (more)

The westbound UP "dirt train" has paused at Wash (just east of Wellington, UT) to pick up a single empty hopper from the small, mostly unused yard there. I assume this was a bad order c... (more)

Three Rio Grande tunnel motors lead the "dirt train" east along UP's Green River Sub just west of Wellington, UT. About 10 miles further east at Mounds the train will be routed onto the... (more)

An empty "Dirt Train" returns from the disposal site in East Carbon, UT. The train is making good time heading west back to Helper, UT on UP's Green River Sub behind a matched set of th... (more)

Union Pacific's "Dirt Train" is led by a typical (for the era) three-pack of Rio Grande tunnel motors as the train approaches the disposal site in East Carbon. The snow-covered Wasatch ... (more)

Five EMDs pull a large Union Pacific LJP45 “dirt train” local onto the Sunnyside Branch at Mounds, Utah, on the morning of November 20, 2003. Rio Grande SD40T-2s Nos. 5349, 5371 and 5390 bracket U... (more)

A tired turbocharger is beginning to plaque Rio Grande SD40T-2 No. 5371 late in life as seen while switching the East Carbon Development Corporation (ECDC) landfill at East carbon, Utah, on April ... (more)

On February 9, 2006, Rio Grande EMD SD40T-2 Tunnel Motor No. 5371 leads Union Pacific SD40-2 No. 3747 and a patched former Southern Pacific SD40-2M No. 2776 on a very short three-car LJP45 dirt tr... (more)

Riding to a switch
Brakeman A.J. “Allen” Sillitoe rides the steps of Rio Grande EMD SD40T-2 No. 5371 to the next switch while setting out dirt train cars at Wash, Utah, on October 25, 20... (more)

Swinging through the “S” curve at Mounds, Utah, is Union Pacific’s LJP45 local nearing the approach signal for the junction with the main line a trip back Helper on February 5, 2004. Rio Grande EM... (more)

On June 22, 2004, Union Pacific’s LJP45 local out of Helper, Utah, was returning to town entering the yard when the lead truck of Rio Grande SD40T-2 No. 5349 derailed on the switch to Yard Track 2... (more)