Wish You Were Here ... Volume 02 - West Colton - UP's yard from Pepper Street ... Posted on: 01/10/2005
Wish You Were Here - Volume 02 .... A few hours over UP's West Colton yard via the Pepper St. overpass
Saturday morning on September 25th I got a call from Jeff asking me if I was interested in taking a drive out to West Colton. I had plans for later in the evening but was up for the afternoon venture. About an hour later we met at Scott's house with Jeff and his brother in law Tom and caravaned out to Pepper Street. Here are the selected images from the day. The photos contain the captions.
LLPX # 90 seen here at the GATX service facility at the east end of the yard. A view of the faclility and the cars there for service.
UP 5735 sits with their train just east of Pepper Street.
LLPX # 90 seen here at the GATX service facility at the east end of the yard.

A view of the faclility and the cars there for service.

UP 5735 sits with their train just east of Pepper Street.
A view of the cantilevar signal with it's searchlight signals at the east end of the yard. This manifest train sat in the yard the whole time I was there as trains came and went around it. It had 1 of the two CEFX leased engines we saw that day. Tom was doing some extreme angle video-ography with his digital camera so we could all see what it was like to be in a turbocharger.
This manifest train sat in the yard the whole time I was there as trains came and went around it. It had 1 of the two CEFX leased engines we saw that day.

Tom was doing some extreme angle video-ography with his digital camera so we could all see what it was like to be in a turbocharger.
A view of the cantilevar signal with it's searchlight signals at the east end of the yard.
A short tank car train lead by two SD90's and an SD70M passed through the yard and headed out to the Cajon Pass via the Palmdale Cutoff. UP 5735 seen here shoving a mixed manifest train along the outside of the yard. UPY 1065 was stuck in the middle of this consist. Most likely a hauler to Los Nietos or Anaheim.

A short tank car train lead by two SD90's and an SD70M passed through the yard and headed out to the Cajon Pass via the Palmdale Cutoff.

UP 5735 seen here shoving a mixed manifest train along the outside of the yard.

UPY 1065 was stuck in the middle of this consist. Most likely a hauler to Los Nietos or Anaheim.
This stack train led by UP 4135 came in under the cutoff and continued through the yard. And here they are ... continuing passed the yard. Scott points out one of our favorite containers "China Shipping"

This stack train led by UP 4135 came in under the cutoff and continued through the yard.

Scott points out one of our favorite containers "China Shipping"

And here they are ... continuing passed the yard.
And then pays respect to the "Hanjin" containers A manifest train utilizes the baloon track to exit the yard west. Another photo of the manifest train as they pass the searchlight signal that controls the baloon track.

A manifest train utilizes the baloon track to exit the yard west.

Another photo of the manifest train as they pass the searchlight signal that controls the baloon track.

And then Scott pays respect to the "Hanjin" containers
And one last photo of the manifest hauler as they return back to leave the yard. A conductor rides on the outside of UP 5771 as they reverse back towards the yard tracks. The BNSF engine power for their interchange train MWCLBAR came east along the outside track

The BNSF engine power for their interchange train MWCLBAR came east along the outside track

And one last photo of the manifest hauler as they return back to leave the yard.

A conductor rides on the outside of UP 5771 as they reverse back towards the yard tracks.
Another photo of the engine consist for the BNSF BNSF 5133 brings up the other end of the consist as they prepare to back up to their train. And here they are after getting assigned to the track with their train to take to Barstow.

And here they are after getting assigned to the track with their train to take to Barstow.

Another photo of the engine consist for the BNSF manifest interchange train.

BNSF 5133 brings up the other end of the consist as they prepare to back up to their train.
We watched as this UP ballast train came in from the Palmdale Cutoff track and proceeded presumably to the Yuma Sub. A yard crewman seen here riding some ex-SP power after bringing a manifest train to the east end of the yard. A UP manifest came in from the Cajon Pass via the Palmdale Cutoff track.

A UP manifest came in from the Cajon Pass via the Palmdale Cutoff track.

We watched as this UP ballast train came in from the Palmdale Cutoff track and proceeded presumably to the Yuma Sub.

A yard crewman seen here riding some ex-SP power after bringing a manifest train to the east end of the yard.
Jeff aims his camera east using the guard railing from the overpass to steady himself in the wind. I finished the trip off with a few photos of the ESPEE set of SD40M's that were being used as yard power.

I finished the trip off with a few photos of the ESPEE set of SD40M's that were being used as yard power.

Jeff aims his camera east using the guard railing from the overpass to steady himself in the wind.

My evening plans required that I leave before the rest of the group. It was a good trip and worth the 40 minute drive out. Hope you enjoyed the photos..... Chris