In a scene not often seen since BNSF returned the LMX B39-8s to the lessor, a team of 5 B39-8s are hauling an Arizona Eastern freight train east on the UP Sunset Route, passing Steins, NM bound for Lordsburg.

After joining the ex SP Clifton Branch at Lordsburg, the AZER is now northbound passing through Summit, NM, past an abandoned cattle loadout.

The arrival of the AZER breaks the relative silence of Duncan, AZ as the train rolls into this town that often serves as a crew change point.

Duncan is as far as this crew will go, and an evening crew will take the train to interchange with the Phelps Dodge mining railroad at Clifton, NM and return to Duncan.  By the end of 2010, the GEs will likely be gone, as Iowa Pacific (parent company of the AZER) has purchased a group of CITX SD9043MACs with the intention of replacing the B39-8s.

Central California Traction GP18 1790 makes a headlight meet with the BNSF 103 local at Stockton, CA to pick up a cut of nearly 50 cars for Lodi, CA.

Lodi local passes a classic industrial scene in Stockton, CA

The Lodi local northbound out of Stockton.

Lodi local passing the Bear Creek Winery and vineyards in Bear Creek, CA.

Sierra Northern assumed operation of BNSF's Oakdale branch in late 2008.  Here, the SERA local is returning from the Riverbank Industrial Park, headed for Oakdale.

SERA 48 looks right at home as an ex ATSF GP20 working a branch line complete with typically Santa Fe "pink ballast."

Miss Etta, you sure are a pretty lil' thing! Close up of FWWR 2011.

A matched quartet of GP50s is hard to find just about anywhere these days, as seen here on the Fort Worth & Western at Cresson, TX. The GP50s were acquired to handle the heavy Forth Worth - Cresson train.

Another interesting operation on the FWWR is the "Peanut line" between Dublin and Gorman, TX. This line was formerly part of the Texas Central, and local 402 is seen switching at Gorman.

Train? What train? I was too interested in the farm equipment, blue bonnets and the old oil company across the tracks. 402 passing DeLeon, TX enroute to Gorman.

Richmond Pacific SW1200 2285 (still proudly wearing a full SP light package!) pulls the BNSF interchange around Stege wye at Richmond, CA with UP interchange traffic.

RPRC 2285 switching at the Port of Richmond.

RPRC 2285 brings home the point of the sign at the west end of 23rd St. Yard in Richmond.

A view of the east end of Richmond Pacific's bustling 23rd St Yard in Richmond.

A close-up of the classic Alco end-cab switcher. Built for the State Belt RR in 1945, this locomotive has called San Francisco home ever since.

San Francisco Belt RR S-2 #25 at Pier 96 in San Francisco, now working for LB Railco, "San Francisco's Short Line Railroad." LB Railco is affiliated with Waste Services Group, and handles shipments of waste through Pier 96.

PHL 50 leaves the yard office, bound for the Alameda Corridor to pick up an inbound baretable train from the UP.

Dawn of a new era-- brand new Boise Locomotive MP20-3Cs are now replacing the older EMD power on the PHL. Here, PHL 61 works Pasha Marine.
These are all-new low emissions diesel locomotives, surpassing Tier II emission standards.

Pacific Harbor Line is an extremely busy shortline serving the ports of LA/Long Beach. Classic SD40T-2 #50 is rolling through Wilmington, CA headed for the yard office.

PHL 62 shoves a single well car into the yard at Pier B.

PHL 37 & 38 shift the large Pier A Yard at Wilmington, CA.

Brand new PHL 63 at Pier B Yard in Long Beach, CA. 14 MP20-3Cs and 2 MP20-3Bs will comprise the roster of the PHL by the end of 2007.

PHL 50 shoves over a mile of baretables to the Yang Ming facility at the LA Harbor. These photos are black and white to signify the nearing end of such power on the PHL.

Another view of PHL 61 at Pasha Marine.

Oakland Terminal Railway is a small switching railroad in Oakland, CA, utilizing a former ATSF GP7u, seen here at the company's headquarters near the Port of Oakland.

OTR 97 crosses Wood St. as local traffic patiently waits.

 OTR 97 pulls a BNSF covered hopper of sand to set out at Pyro Minerals.

A black and white view of the typical industrial scene on the OTR.

105 (Bowie-Miami) power at Miami, an eclectic combo of 3 GP20s and a GP35.

The shop foreman throws the switch as we get a better look at chop nosed ex GN GP20 2171.

Arizona Eastern train 101 brings train 105's power back from the Phelps Dodge smelter at Miami, AZ.  Note old WP style headlight on the GP35.

GP20 2170 (also ex GN) at the AZER's Claypool, AZ shops.

Former Texas Northeastern GP9 92 now works for the AZER, still wearing her former dress.

AZER 2039 wears the early Kyle colors.  Today's AZER is owned by Iowa Pacific Holdings, which purchased the property from RailAmerica in 2004.

101 working hard headed "up the hill" to Phelps Dodge.

AZER train 101 prepares to depart the yard at Miami for the Phelps Dodge copper smelter.

The expanse of the Arizona desert makes this 65 car train look miniscule in comparison to its surroundings.

Apache C424 98 on the ready track at Snowflake, AZ.  This ex CP unit was built in 1966, and after 40 years is still hard at work.

C420 82 leads an Apache Railway train to the BNSF interchange at Holbrook, AZ.

With interchange complete, APA 98 leads the train back south to Snowflake, charging upgrade at MP 5.

Apache Railway train nearing Holbrook, AZ, passing through a cattle guard.  APA 82 was originally built for the Tennessee Central in 1965, and served on the L&N prior to joining the Apache.

A trio of retired Apache Railway RS36s, now supplying parts to keep the active Alcos in service.

APA 98 nearing Snowflake, AZ as the sun quickly fades.

GCK-1 prepares to set off a car of fertilizer.

Garden City Western train GCK-1 arriving in Lowe, KS.

GCW 200, now owned by Wind River Grain in Garden City, KS, offers a look at the pre-Pioneer Railcorp days of the GCW.

708 approaching Cadiz, CA, showing the vast expanse of the Mojave.

ARZC SD40-2M 4001, former SCL SD45-2 2050 (a unit I grew up with!) crossing a dry wash in the Mojave desert at Archer, CA.

Arizona & California train 708 westbound at Archer, CA enroute from Parker, AZ to the BNSF interchange at Cadiz, CA.

After interchange with BNSF's Barstow local, 807 is ready to head east to Parker and will be trailed by a high-railer.

708 at Cadiz, CA on a beautiful Mojave afternoon.

708 approaching Cadiz, CA. ARZC interchanges with BNSF here six days a week, Sun - Fri.

Clouds build quickly at Archer as yet another storm approaches the Mojave in one of the wettest years on record.

The entire road fleet of the AT&L idle at Greenfield, OK 

Roster of ATLT GP9 1948 in the road's attractive green scheme

Farmrail 316 North on the Grainbelt trackage at Rocky, OK

FMRC 316 passing an old co-op elevator at Cordell, OK

Switching the co-op at Bessie, OK

Westbound on the Farmrail headed for Elk City at Clinton, OK

Grainbelt 8253 East departs Elk City for Clinton

GNBC 8253 East at Stafford, OK

Three pristine Modesto & Empire Traction GE 70 tonners tie onto about 50 cars at the UP interchange in downtown Modesto, ready to depart for Empire.

MET 11PM Job on the move through downtown Modesto, CA

Street running after leaving the UP trackage on the MET

MET 600, the last unit in consist, bought new in 1947

MET 7AM Job ready to pull the BNSF interchange in Empire

MET 11PM Job arriving at the yard in Empire

7AM conductor makes the final cut of the day, and crew heads for the barn

CVR 3023 east working the Sublette, KS Co-op.

SW 2602 west splits the elevators at Hickok, KS.

CVR 3023 heads east from Satanta, KS for Dodge City.

SW 2602 west at Hickok, KS.

SW 2602 west departing Satanta, KS for Johnson City.  This unit and sister 2601 are GP26's from CVR sister Southwestern RR (the only two in existence) and are filling in for some out of service CVR power.

SW 2601 south departing Moscow, KS for Elkhart.

CFNR 112 South on the main at Genevra, CA pulling hard on a cut of 25 cars. A mirage is visible in the field to the right side of the photo.

CFNR 112 South switching the siding at Harrington, CA.

After exchanging trains with the Woodland local at Cortina, CA, CFNR 103 heads north for Corning.

Having turned at Warnerville, the "Golden Sunset" is now westbound at Paulsell for the return trip to Oakdale, CA.

Yolo Shortline GP9 133 at Woodland, CA shortly after returning from a day pulling the excursion train. Yolo Shortline and the Sierra RR have recently merged their operations to form the Sierra Northern RR.

Sierra Northern's "Golden Sunset" brunch train rolls east as passengers take in the view at Paulsell, CA.

This is the new look of the Kyle, following RailAmerica's lease of several ex SP SD45T-2's from CIT. CEFX 9345 is in charge of a westbound freight at Kanorado, KS on a blustery March afternoon, bound for the UP interchange at Limon, CO.

These out of service searchlight signals show that the Kyle mainline was once part of a much larger system. This is the former Rock Island mainline from Chicago to Colorado Springs. Relics of the Rock Island can still be found along Kyle's trackage in Kansas and Colorado.

Kyle westbound at Burlington, CO. Under RailAmerica ownership, Kyle painted units are harder to find. The SD39 second out is one of a handful of active units in Kyle colors.

A Kyle local working at the company's base of operations in Phillipsburg, KS.

AOK has adopted this Rock Island inspired paint scheme for its newly acquired B23-7's. These are former NS, ex Conrail units.

Shortly after RailAmerica purchased StatesRail, one of the first changes on the Kyle was motive power. The company's fleet of six axle GE's, including these ex BN U30C's, were quickly placed in storage and placed up for sale.

AOK 4062 gets some TLC at Shawnee, OK

Utah Railway water tank at the company’s headquarters in Martin, UT.  With the company now owned by Genessee & Wyoming, the headquarters and shop will reportedly move to Provo, UT ending many years of tradition in Martin.

Great Western Railway GP9 211 at the company’s yard in Loveland, CO, also home to the OmniTrax shops.

Great Western Railway GP9 296 at Longmont, CO.