Popping into a sunny spot thanks to a hole in the morning's clouds is Union Pacific Railroad's train LOA32, the "Costa Mesa Local". This train operates every Monday and Wednesday, originating in the West Anaheim Yard and heading to Santa Ana. (It used to go all the way to Costa Mesa, but that track was removed years ago … And there is a spot on the UP's Santa Ana Industrial Lead named "Costa Mesa," but it is in the city of Santa Ana adjacent to the city of Costa Mesa.) This day, as it did on Monday, the train is operating with a single diesel – UP GP40M-2 1529 (decked out in UP's "urban paint scheme"), rather than its usual two GPs – pulling 8 cars (5 empty center beams, 1 box car and 2 tank cars). UP 1529 was built by EMD in September 1967 as Louisville & Nashville GP40 3015, later Seaboard System 6811, then CSXT 6811. Boise's Morrison-Knudsen rebuilt it into Union Pacific GP40M-2 7294, with the UP later renumbered to 1529. For most of the trip, this train operates on UP trackage, but for about five miles it operates on Metrolink's Orange Sub, as seen here passing through Control Point Maple (where Metrolink's Olive Sub diverges to Placentia). (Anaheim, California – October 22, 2025)
