It may be January, but the unusually brown hills in San Timoteo Canyon indicate that southern California had entered another period of drought, lasting from late 2006 through 2009.
Union Pacific Long Beach CA to Englewood TX Intermodal train ILBEW 25 rounds the S-curve at milepost 554, near Hinda, with SD70ACe 8492 on the point, teamed with an SD70M, a second SD70ACe and another SD70M.
Just entering the S-curve as it heads west from Phoenix AZ to West Colton Yard, 19 miles ahead, is UP manifest train MPXWC 25. Union Pacific SD60M 2519 (ex-UP 6364) leads this train, followed by SD60M 2512, SD60M 2462, SD60M 2249, SD40-2 3460 and GP40-2 1389. (This train’s conductor was Donnell Wells, who resurrected the old Atlas Model Railroad Forum.)
