I got a call for the "D NEESBD." My engineer and I were to take 5 motors out of Roundhouse 2 and 1 and bring them to Barstow. From there they would go on to San Bernadino. There was another crew taking some engines out of the Roundhouse that were to go to Winslow. We would have to stay out of each otgher's way. Fortunately our move was rather simple. We would have to back 3 of the motors out of Roundhouse 2 and then couple them to the other two motors on Roundhouse 1. My engineer started to release the handbrakes on the frist 3 motors, which were coupled together. To my horror they started to roll! If they kept rolling they would sideswipe another engine. I yelled, "They're rolling, stop!" and he did. The independant brakes weren't set. He started them up and released the handbrake. I worked the switches and guided him to a hook Once we had the hoses laced, we did the "Locomotive Air Brake Test." Our consist was ready to go in 2 hours and 20 minutes. Not bad. The dispatcher let us out of the yard. I only had to thorw one switch behind us as we left. :"Light Power," as we call it can go passenger train speed. But we had a throttle restriction of 5. Nonetheless, we made it to Barstow in about 5 hours. They brought us into the Rio Seco track. Since we were power only we could not tie our consist down. We would have to wait to be relieved. (Engines can not be left unattended unless they are coupled to a car, or unless there is a derail). The router told us that our outbound would be on duty in an hour. WE WAITED 3 HOURS TO BE RELIEVED. We had been on duty for over 10 hours. We tied up, went to the hotel, and I had a good breakfast. I slept for about 4 hours, went to get something to eat, and went back to bed for another 4 hours. I got my call at 10:35 pm. I was called for the Q LACATG. On duty time was 5 minutes after midnight. We got on at the steps. Our train had 4 motors on the head end. The second one was isolated and we cut out the dynamic brakes. It was a routine trip- until we got to Needles. As we were pulling into the yard I saw what I thought were fireworks behind me. I turned around and through the back window I cold see sparks and flames coming out of the compartment behind me. I told my engineer. He decreased the dynamic brakes and the sparks decreased. He increased them and the sparks increased. (This compartment had something to do with the dynamic brakes). There was another train coming in next ot us and they saw the flames too. We reported it to the dispatcher. and our outbound of course. After some consultation, and afer the flames subsided they decided to take the train,. They would isolate the lead motor and cut out the dynamic brakes. They brought the second motor online. I have attached a pic ture of our motor. You can see some smoke coming from the other side. I'm projected go out in the morning, but since New Year's Eve is coming up I'm sure some guys will lay off and I will go out much earlier. HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I got called for the "SALTLBJ1." On duty time was 7:10 pm. Traffic was light due to the holiday. Our trip was about 7 hours. When we got to Barstow we tied it down on Main 2. I only had to tie one brake. It was about 3 am when I got into bed. I got up at 6 for the free breakfast and went back to bed. Boy, did I sleep! I got up around 1, got dressed, and went across hte street to Barstow Burger for something to eat. The place was jam packed with people. I was in line when I got my call. I was going back to Needles on a another stack train- the S LBTMEM1. On duty tme was 3:15. I got down to the depot early. The engineer for this trip would be my next door neighbor. We got on at the steps. We had 3 motors on the head end and 2 on the rear. The inbound had reported that there was a problem with one of the DPS. We had to wait for Diesel Service to come and blue flag out train then they inspected the DPS. They coudn't find anything wrong so we departed. It was a good trip. About 7 hours. When we got in there was another train blocking the pad- so I had to climb over it with my grip and everything. Our outbound wasn't on duty just yet. We had to wait for a few. This morning I was saddened to learn that my Uncle Tom, my last living Uncle and my mother's last living sibling, passed away in Upstate New York. He was 87 or 88. My condolences to his family.

I got called for the S ALTHA1 going to Barstow. On duty time was 4 pm Pacific Time. It was a big train with 4 motors on the head end. Due to our length we were limited to 55 MPH. On the way we discovered that we were to be "flipped" back to Needles. As we got closer to Barstow it was pouring rain. The dispatcher told us that we would have to tie up "second out" at East Barstow on Main 3. My engineer said that due to our length we would have to "cut the crossing." If they had let us go up to the East Barstow signal and put the other train behind us, they would not have had to cut the crossing, but that's not what they did. I got off at the crossing. (Thankfully it had stopped raining by the time we got there). My engineer pulled ahead until the rear of our train was clear at the east end. I tied 10 brakes behind the crossing. We did a release test and it held. I started to walk up to the crossing to make the cut and thankfully a van showed up. He ran me up to the crossing. I closed the anglecock and made the cut. We had plenty of room and there was more that 250 feet on either side of the crossing. The van ran me to the head end of my train. I tied one brake and we did another release test. My engineer and I grabbed our stuff and got in the van. He ran us to the depot. We were suppposed to share the van with the crew of the train ahead of us. But when we got there we found the van had left with the other crew. My engineer callled the conductor in the van. They were at Ludlow and were not coming back. The trainmaster apologised and ordered another van for us. We were furious! Finally the other van showed up and got us to Needles just before we went DOL at 4 am. I tied up, went home, and went to bed. I'm supposed to go out tonight around 8 or 9 pm my time. No pictures.

Tuesday I got called for a stack train to Barstow. This was my 6th start. The trip back wold be my 7th start, and I would get 72 hours off. I would get to spend Christmas with my son and daughter. Well, it didn't work out that way. I got called for a deadhead back home yesterday. (4 of us came back to Needles in van). But I did get 48 hours off. So I got to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day home. I'm planning on taking my son and daughter to a movie today and then taking them out to dinner. I seldom get Christmas off, and we don't really have a Christmas tradition in this household, especially since my divorce. I hope you get to spend Christmas Day with friends and family. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Tony, James and Betsy

I got called for a train with an unusual symbol- the Q BELLHG. It was going from Belen, New Mexico to Los Angeles Harbor. On duty time was 5:20 am. It was a small, light train and it sould have been a 5 hour trip, but they stopped us at Troy, then Dagget, then at East Barstow. We finally got relieved at the Barstow signal after a 9 hour day. I got something to eat tat Barstow Burger and I went to bed. I was out like a light. Boy, did I sleep! I got my call at 4:30 am for a baretable. On duty time was 6 am. Lola's was closed. When I got to the depot I found out that we had been swapped to the H BARLUB. The yard crew was building it. We waited over 2 hours for them to build it. We got on the head end under the bridge. Our train was on Main 3. It had 4 motors on the head end. We moved up to the East Barstow signal and stopped. When it was time to get moving again my engineer noticed that the air on the rear of the train was going down, not up. He suspected someone had closed an anglecock. We notified mechanical, and the dispatcher. I would have to walk the train. Mechanical got out there and found the problem very quickly. I had made it back to the car when they found a closed anglecock and opened it. We were on our way. The rest of the trip was routine. I rolled my train by and tied up. I'm projected to go out around 7 am tomorrow. I have attached a couple of pictures of myself wearing my new "peak season hat" and my new shirt. My union, the SMART Union, gave out T-shirts to us union members who are veterans. It says, "Proud Union Member, Proud Veteran," on the back. I have also attached a photo of a UP train with an engine that says "ONE." I know there is such a railroad in Australia, but in the U.S.?. I have also attached a photo of our leader on the BARLUB, the 5860.

I got called for the H AMSBAR. On duty time was 6 am. When I got donw to the depot I found out that we had been swapped to the H KCKBAR. There was a problem. The first cara in our train was 33 tons. The first car onour train needed to be 45 tons. The dispatcher said that the inbound crew was setting out a car at Yucca. Were they setting out the first car? We wouldn't know until they came in. When they did come in they said that the 33 tons car was not in the first 10 cars. They didn't know where it was. I updated my IPAD and the 33 tons car was no longer in our trrain. We were on duty for 2 hours and 45 minutes before3 we departed. They put us in the siding at Amboy for a couple of hours. We swapped with a stack train. At this pint we had been on duty for 6 hours and 45 minutes. We made good time to Barstow. They told us to tie it donw on I1. We were almost DOL. I tied one brake and it held. We went DOL while we were wating for the van. Wouldn't you know that the van showed up with our outbound? We had tied the train down for nothing. When I got to the hotel I went across the street for a burrito and there were orange lights in the sky. I have attached a picture. What were they? Flares? UFOs? I asked the employees at Barstow Burger and they didn't know. I slept like a log. I got called for the Q LACCHI at 5:30 am. At 6 am I had the option of getting in the van or eating breakfast. I ate breakfast. Wouldn't you knowthe pancake machine was on the blink? I had scrambled eggs and sauseges. Thevan showed up at 6:20 and I got to the depot in plenty of time. We got on at the steps. It was an 8 hour trip. I'm projected to go out around 10 am tomorrow. That would be great! I have attached a picture of oour leader on the Q LACCHI, the 6698, and an old CXS engine that is in our yard.

I got called for the H AMSBAR, wich goes from Amarillo, Texas to Barstow. On duty time was 9:20 pm. Our train had 8 motors on the head end and one on the rear. Most of the motors on the head end were either dead or isolatated. This train was gong to be fun to put away when we got to Barstow. They put us into the siding at Amboy and we waited there for 3 and a half hours. Then we were told to swap trains with the crew of the Q CHISBD. They had work to do . They had a set out in Bartow. I assumed we would be settting the cars out to the buggy tracks. My engineer said, "They might have us come into Main 4 and set out to the I Yard.."That was exactly what happened. I could not ride a van because there was no road for the van. When we pulled into Barstow I walked back 14 platforms and tied 4 brakes. That didn't hold. I tied 3 more and it did hold. I walked up and made my cut. I walked to the head end. I rode past the signal, got out, and had my engineer pull ahead. The car was very easy to ride. We had a red over a flashing red. So we shoved into I3. We were told to shove back to a hook. There were some intermodal cars way at the east end of I3. I got off about a car away and took my train back to a hook. I tied one brake on my cut and it held. I walked up to the motor, cut my motors away, and we were going to go back to our train on Main 4 but the router asked us if we had time. We had 15 minutes left. He told us to go back to the cut and call it a day. We did that. I called van while my engineer tied the brakes on the motors. . When we tied up my engineer and I were projected for the H BARKCK at 10:45 pm. I didn't think we would get it because you never get the first train that you are projected for. At the depot I asked the terminal manager for a new "peak season" hat and he gave me one. I got some new ear plugs from Diesel Service too. I grabbed a burrito and went to bed. I slept good for about 4 hours and then I couldn't get back to sleep. TCM was having a marathon of classic 1950s horror movies. I watched part of "The Thing From Another World," "Invaders from Mars" and "I Married a Monster From Outer Space." I finally got to sleep about an hour before I got my call. I got called for the BARKCK. On duty time was 9:36 pm. I grabbed a burrito from across the street and was down to the depot early. I found out, to my relief, that the yard crew had built our train. It was a big train; with 176 cars. It had 3 motors on the head end and one in the middle. The van ran my engineer and I to the head end- which was on Main 3 across from the Amtrak terminal. We relieved the yard engineer who was still on it. During the trip we lost communication with our ETD. My engineer suspected that the yard crew did not punch the ETD number into the DP. So for the rest of the trip we were limited to 30 MPH. When we got to Needles we volunteered to fix the problem. I got my radio and had the outbound pull ahead 91 cars. My engineer got on the DP and found out that the yard crew had not punched the ETD number into the DP. Once he did that communication was restored. I finished the roll by and tied up. I requested a SMART Rest. It looks like I will go out early tomorrow morning. Hopefully I will get a

I got called for rhe S LPCLBE. On duty time was 9 pm. It was over 8500 feet and we had head end power only, so we were limited to 55 MPH. We got to East Barstow at 6 am. They told us that our outbound would meet us there. It took them an hour to get there. I had the van dorp me off at the hotel. I had a good breakfast when I got to the jotel. I saw an engineer that Iknow and he said, "Back on the west end again?" Yes, I'm in purgatory," I said. He laughed. I had a good sleep. I slept about 9 hours and I got called for the H BARTUL. The yard crew was putting it together. The tranmaster told us tht our train was toghether and it was on the "Auxillary Lead," but someone told us over the radio that it was "under the bridge." We found out train. When we went to the ehad end we watited for the crew to come down but no one came down. We entered the cab and there wa sno one there. Our train was tied down. I only had to untie two brakes. Our train had 4 motors on the head end. The sun was up by the time we gotto Needles. They told us to take it to put our train into Yard Two and tie it down. We were lined into Yard 2 but our train was too long to fit in there, so they told us to foul the switch n the east end and leave the roundhouse in the clear. So, we did that. I only had to tie one brake. The van came out to pick us up. I don't know why but lately they haven't been callling our outbound crews at Barstow our Needles. They have us wait for the crew to come on duty, or tie our train down.

I was called to be deadheaded to Barstow yesterrday morning. On duty time was 9 am. Two crews were deadheaded to Barstow in a van. When we got there I asked the trainmaster if they had any trains for us (we were hoping they would "flip" us back on a train) but no such luck. We went to the hotel. Since we had run around a bunch of crews, we thought we would be there for a while, But I was projected to g out around midnight. I got a burrito from across the street and watched TV. I didn't think I would be able to sleep, but I did. I slept pretty good, and got called for a stack train. On duty time was 3:15 am Pacific Time. It was cold in Barstow at 3 am! Our train came in before we were on duty. The inbound waited for us at the steps. It was a big train- with 4 motors at the head end and 3 in the middle. Our HPT was 2.0, and they stopped us a couple of times. Just the same we got to West Needels by 9:37. It would have been a good trip. but they held us out there for a couple of hours. For some reason, they had not called an outbound for us. They finally told us to pull up to East Needles and tie our train down. They also saaid that security had about 40 containers on our train to close. I tied 3 brakes and it held. Security gave me a ride to the head end of my train. I'm projected to go out tomorrow morning around 8 am. No pictures.

On Thankgiving Day I got called for the worst train I could be called for- the KCKBAR, It had 9 motors on the head end, 2 in the middle, and one on the rear. Our paperwork said one of the DPs in the middle was to be off and the one on the rear was to be off. This made no sense. Our train came in with all of the DPs online, so we left it that way. We had a good trip to Barstow, and we had enough time to put it away, but they held us outside the yard for a couple of hours. Finally they told us to bring it into Receiving 3 and put the overflow in 1. (Our train was going to take up two tracks). We pulled into Receiving 3, I got off and had my engineer pull ahead, He stopped when we were clear of the east end. I had to walk back about 20 cars to the DPs,. I tied the 3 cars behind the DPs and cut the first half of the train away. I rode the DP over the switch, and then we shoved into Receiving one. I tied one brake and we did a release. It held. The van ran me up to the head end. I cut my 9 motors away. At first they told us to put them into Roundhouse 14. I knew that they wouldn't fit in there. So I told them ,"we have 9 motors." Then they said, "17." It's a much longer track. We shoved back over switch 25, and then into the roundhouse. I had to throw a couple of switches. By this time we had a half hour left to work. They told us we didn't have to go get the DPs. There was some food in the refigerator at the depot. I had some. Barstow Burger was closed. I went to bed and slept like a log. I got called at 1:37 am. I was callled for the BARGAL. I got down to the depot early. There were some fresh meals in the crew room. They had just been delivered by Denny's. I grabbed one. We had to take our power out of the roundhouse and put it on our train. We had 5 motors! Our train was small and light. We didn't need that much power. It was facing the wrong way. We would have to shove out of the roundhouse and I would have to protect it. We had to go around the balloon, and then used D6 as a runner. Our train was on D8. I shoved us back to a hook. I had to struggled iwth the hoses but I finally got them laced and cut the air in. There were no brakes on the east end. The van ran me to the west end. The ETD was already hung. I armed the ETD and we did the two way. I released the 3 brakes at the west end. We departed. About 20 miles outside of Barstow the detector said we had a hot bearing on the 11th car. All of the cars on the head end of our train were auto cars. I would have to check the bearing on the "hot side." (Just a couple of weeks ago one of our conductors was killed in Montana releasing the brakes on auto cars on the hot side). I walked back on the field, off of the track. I brought my temperature gun.One of the bearings was 89 degrees, another one was 99, another was 89, and one was 100. The brake on that car was tied! I released it. I got back to the head end and told the detector desk what I had found. They cleared us to procede. When we got to Needles we found out why we had 5 motors on the head end. They wanted us to set out motors 2 and 3 and put them in the roundhouse. The outbound helped us and it went pretty quickly. There were some sandwiches in the refrigerator when we got in. Due to the fact that I worked 6 days in a row I have 48 hours off, and I will RISA into my rest cycle. I need some time off. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving.

I got called to relieve the KCKBAR on Sunday morning. There was a "maintenance window" because they were working on the tracks. Nothing was moving. The van ran us to Goffs and we relieved the crew that was on our train. It was a big train, - over 19,000 tons, with two motors on the head end, 3 in the middle, and 2 on the rear. We made pretty good time to Barstow. They told us to put it in "9 and 8." The Receiving Yard was empty. We nosed into Track 9 and I called for a van. When we got to the west end of track 9 I got off, and told my engineer to take it ahead. When the middle DPs were in front of me I told him to stop. I tied the brakes on the first three cars after the DPs and made the cut. I rode the last DP over the swtich and I yelled to the van driver "Meet me at the east end of 8" as I went by him. We had to wait for another train to go by. When it did the router threw the switch and I protected the shove into 8. We had lots o f room. The van ran me to the ehad end of our train. The router informed us that a yard job would grab our DPS so I released the van when I got to the head end. I tied 3 brakes at the head end, cut my motors away, and we took it to the roundhouse. We were done. Barstow Burger was open when I got to the hotel and I grabbed a burrito. I got called off my rest at 4:10 am. I called "Lola's " and ordered a burrito. Our train was at the steps when I got to the depot. It was a big stack train- over 14,000 feet long. It had 4 motors on the head end and 3 in the middle. It looked like it was going to be a good trip. They kept us moving. Then we sat at the signal before West Needles for over an hour. Then we sat at West Needles for while. That screwed things up for me because I wanted to run some errands when I got off work. It would be after 5 pm by the time I got home. We pulled down to East Needles because security had to close some containers on our train. We got relieved there. The hotel and Barstow Burger have put Christmas trees up. I have included a picure of our leader on the stack train- the 7234.

I got called for the "B KCKSCO," a baretable going from Kansas City to Long Beach. For some reason our train had 5 motors on the head end. A couple of them were isolated. My engineer and I went to a safety briefing while we wer ewaiting for our train to come in. . (Due to the number of incidents that have occurred lately the BNSF has instituted some safety briefings). The dispatcher called me during the briefing. They wanted us to set out the two lead motors on our train and put them in the roundhouse so they could be used as "helpers." (There were no motors in the roundhouse at the time). My engineer tied down the last 3 motors. I disconnected the MU cable, closed all of the anglecocks, and made the cut. We went over the switch. I just had one switch to throw. Since the roundhouse was wide open we shoved into the track we were lined into. I wish all set outs were that easy. We deparated and it was a good trip up until we got to Troy. They stopped us there for an hour. Then they let us go to Dagget and they held us for an hour there. We were close to going DOL. They told us to tie our train down. My engineer tied the 3 motors and that held us. The van came and took me straight to the hotel. It was too late for breakfast at the hotel, so I went across the street tfor a burrito. I slept good for about 3 hours and then woke up. I tossed and turned for a couple of hours, watched some TV, and finally got back to sleep. I got called for the BARTUL with the same engineer at 10 am. I was asleep when I got the call. I made it down to the depot and the trainmaster said that the yard crew was putting our train together. Our work order said that we were to set out 7 cars in Needles. That was unusual. We got swapped to a stack train that was at the steps because the yard crew had to set out a bad order. The trainmaster gave me a hard copy of our work order and the GTBs but I didn't have time to look at them because our train was at the steps. It was a big train- over 14,000 tons and over 14,000 feet, with 4 motors on the head end and 3 in the middle. We relieved the LA crew and started to pull. We stopped at Dagget. The dispatcher said he was having problems with one of the switches there. I was hoping that he wouldn't tell me to get down on the ground and "take it by hand" as we say. But eventually he did. He recited a script and I repeated it. This switch was connected to a "movable point frog." Just the other day we had a train derail because someone did not liine a "movable point frog" properly. In 7 years on the railroad I have not lined one before. We pulled forrward to the switch and I got out. It had stopped raining but it was cold and wet. I unlocked the swtich and threw the lever to manual. I tied to throw the switch arm- but I couldn't. My engineer came down. He is a larger man than I am and he was able to throw the switch back and forth. The switch was lined for our movement. I unlocked the frog. I thew it back and forth a couple of times. My engineer verified that it was lined the right way. (There was a man in one of our trucks watching us. He said something but we couldn't hear him). I had my engineer pull our train ahead and stopped him when the first truck as over the frog. I took the frog and the switch out of manual and I got back on my train. My job was done. We went over to Main Two and we were making good time. We were almost to Needles when our train went into emergency. I got on the radio and said what I needed to say. My engineer said that he thought someone cut our air hose. "We haven't stopped since we left Dagget," I said. My engineer said that someone may have been riding on our train since we left Dagget. "It's awfully cold and windy," I said. My engineer said that the cartels are "coyoting" some people across the border and forcing them to commit these crimes. He also said that they kidnap their family members and force them to work for them. 3 vehicles passed us, movng east. Two of them were trucks. My engineer said the had noticed them parked by one of our signals- as if they were waiting for us. Another train told us that we had several open containers. We were also told that there was a box on one of our containers that was burning. My engineer said that possibly the culprit was using a grinder to cut one of our hoses and the sparks set something on fire. The fire departement, security, and the rapid responder showed up. The fire department put the fire out. The rapid responder said that there were two hoses that had been cut. He repaired one and said that he "temporarily" repaired the other one. Our air started to come up. We started t pull. The independants would not hold the train. Finally there was enough air in the brakes to stop the train. We pulled into Needles and briefed our outbound about everything. They would have to pull down to East Needles so security could close the containers, and the rapid responder would have to repair that one hose. I didn't stick around to roll them by beause it would be a while. My engineer and I each took a SMART Rest. He said that he was going to do some off roading when he got home. I said, "I've had enough excitement for one day. I'm going to go home and have a good cup of coffee and relax." I'm projected to go to work at 9:28 tomorrow morning. I hope it's a routine trip.

I got called for the Z ATGLAC to Barstow. On duty time as 3:55 pm, Pacific It was pouring rain. We got on our train and we had a flasher. My engineer didn't want to start pulling until we had a clear because he was afraid that if we stopped on the hill we would stall out when we started to pull again due to the wet tracks. But, we didn't get a clear signal so he started to pull. We eventually came to a red signal and we started to stop. Wouldn't you know that the signal changed to green. My engineer tried to get going again, but he had already set air and we were almost stopped. He gave it some throttle. Our wheels started to slip on the wet tracks. We went down to about 3 MPH and I thought we were going to stall. But, we started to move. We didn't stall. It was about an 8 hour trip. We pulled into Main 2 at Barstow and our outbound came out to meet us. I tied up, went to the hotel, and went to bed. I got up at what I thought was 6:20 in the morning. I went down to the kitchen and was suprised tthat breakfast wasn't ready. Then I remembered that my watch was set to Mountain Time because I live in Arizona. I was early. I sat there and drank apple juice until breakfast was ready. The nice lady there had it ready early. I slept like a log until the afternoon, got a burrito from across the street, and couldnt get back to sleep. I watched TV for a while and eventually dozed off. I eventually got called for the "BARKCK." On duty time was 11:30 pm. I was working with an engineer I didn't kknow. We had a student engineer. The two of them didn't know each other. We were glad to find out that the yard crew was building our train. It was small for a BARKCK. It only had 3 motors on the head end and one in the middle. The train master told us our train was almost ready to go and the head end was behind Megatoms. I found us a van and we went to Megatoms. But the head end of our train wasn't there. It was father east. We asked the van driver to take us to the other side of the tracks, and he complained about it possibly being too muddy. My engineer said, "It's an asphalt road." The van driver took us there. We had to cross over 3 mains to get to our train. We also had to climb up a bank with our grips and coolers. I slipped and fell twice. We got on our train. The main reservoir in our DP was low but it eventually charged up. When we were ready to go I called the router. He did not respond properly. We toned up the dispatcher and told them we were ready to go. Eventually we got the signal. It was a pretty good trip considering we were an H train and we were underpowered. They stopped us 3 times. My engineer complained about some strange things that the train was doing. We were almost to Goffs and we heard that a train was in emergency. When we went through Goffs we saw that another trian was derailed on Main two. The lead truck had run through a switch. (The conductor did not throw the movable frog properly). It's been a weird night," said my engineer. We stopped at the Needles signal because it was red. The disptacher told us that her system was down and she couldn't see where anybody was. It really was a weird night. We sat there an hour before the dispatcher sent out outbound to us. The wouldn't be going anywhere for a while, but at least we could get off the train after 10 hours on duty. I tied up and I was first out! It was probably because they "flipped" the person ahead of me from Barstow back to Needles. I will go to work around midnight. And I haven't slept good. It really was a weird night.

I got called for another dog catch on Sunday evening. It was almost identical to the previous evening. We had to get on our train at the sding i Berry. The only differences were that it was a stack train this time, and it wasn't raining cats and dogs. After that we shadowed another train form Yucca. Yesterday they cut several people from the extra board and I was forced back to Board 31, so I will be going to Barstow for a while. I'm not happy about that, but at least I will be working.

It was raining cats and dogs yesterday when I got called for a dog catch." My engineer nad I had to releive the H GALBAR at Berry. When we got back they told us to wait until two trains came in, annd then they let us tie up. It's not raining today. It's nice and sunny, but there rare a lot of large water puddles on the road. By the way, it's that time ofyear when those of us at BNSF who served in the miltary get our pictture posted on the computer screen at the depot.

I got called for the H Barlub to Winslow. On duty time was 11:40 am. It was a nice, small train for an H train. It only had 3 motors on the head end, but it was short and light . Our trip was about 9 hours. When I got to the hotel they kept the grill open for me. I had a bandit burger and went to bed. I got up time for the free breakfast., then went back to bed. I slept like a log! I got up at noon. It said I was going to go to work at around 2:30 pm. Then 4:30. I went downstairs and got one of the frozen dinners. I got called for the "Q CHISTO." On duty tme was 4:05 pm. I got down to the depot early. When I got down there I found out we had been swapped to the "Z WSPSTO," which goes from Willow Springs, Illinois to Stockton. I was happy to get this train. It had 4 motors on the head end, and our horsepower per ton was a whopping 3.8! It was a good trip, about 8 hours. I rolled my train by and tied up. It looks like I won't go out until tomorrow, if then. I'm going to catch up on stuff around the house. No pictures.

got called for a grain train that weighed over 16,000 tons. We had 3 motors on the head end and 3 in the middle. When we came on duty it was tied down "second out" on Main 2." The van ran us out there. A note on the conductor's desk said, "power plus 13 or 14." My engineer and I thought that was an excessive amount of brakes, even for a 16,000 ton train. It's pretty flat there. I released the brakes and we were on our way. Even though our HPT was only 1.5, and we were going 15 MPH uphill, we made it to Barstow in pretty good time. Before we got there they told us that we would be "flipped." They told us to to our train down on Main 1, leave room for one, and go to the roundhouse to get another motor and "tack it on" to the head end of our train. They didn't tell us to do the "Locomotive Air Brake Test," link the DP and do the Class III. The motor was on "Ready 4." We got permission to come out. Since it was facing the wrong direction we would have to go "around the balloon." They stopped us at the pullback, and told us to go out the "north entrance to receiving and shove back to our train." My engineer and I were both confused, we clarified it with the router. We would have to go up R11, and out the west rentrance to the Receiving Yard onto the Mohave Connector, and shove bakc to our train. I had never done a move like this before and neither had my engineer. Since it was just one motor I didn't have to ride the steps but I did anyway. It was cold! We had to flag one signal. I shoved us back to a hook, laced the hoses, connected the MU cable, and cut the air in. We were done. A yard van took us back to the terminal. The other crew that we were supposed to share the van with was there, so we piled into the van and it took us to Needles. I tied up after 2 am. I'm not showing out again in the next 24 hours. Hopefully I will be able to get my free breakfast at Denny's tomorrow.

I got called for the Q STOATG, which goes from Stockton to Atlanta, Georgia.On duty time was 1:05 am. We almost hit a buck elk but he got out of the way in time. . It was a good trip about 6 hours. When we got relieved the outound engineer wasn' there yet, so I didn't stick around to give them a roll by. I had breakfast at the hotel, slept for about 6 hours, had a bandit burger when the grill opned, waatched TV, and then went to sleep. Boy, did I sleep! I was still there for the breakfast the next day. I had just started to eat my waffle when I got a call for a deadhead at 6:06 am. I finihsed my breakfast, got donw to the depot, and got on the third motor of a Z train. The trip back was about 7 hours. I caught up on my reading. I'm back on the extra board now. No pictures.

I got called for the "Q SBDCHI," which goes from San Bernadino to Chicago. On duty time was ten minutes after noon, Mountain Time. We were followoing another train and we couldn't move very fast. It was almost a 12 hour trip. I didn't have time to roll my train by. I was surprised that the grill in the hotel was open. I had something to eat. I got up at 6 am and had breakfast. Boy, did I sleep! I got up around 2 pm. I forgot about the time change. )Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time, but the railroad does). I finally got called for the "Z ATGSBD." On duty time was 6 pm, Mountain Time. There was a probelm Our train only had tow motors on the head eand. It did not have enough power to make it to Needles, and then San Bernadino. Our work order said that we had to add a motor. But another train was doing work in the yard and was blocking our train from coming in. The inbound would have to help us with the pickup- but they were running out of time. We notified the trainmaster and he asked a dog catch crew to replace the inbound when they came in. They helped us. My engineer and I got on the motor, in "roundhouse 3," and I threw the switches. I had to throw two siwtches to get us out of there, then I dropped the derail and threw the switch to the main. The dog catch crew made the separation and took our two motors ahead. My engineer made the hook then saved tme by lacing the hoses himself instead of waiting for me to do it. I guided him back to make a hook with our train We took over at that point. We did the "locomotive air brake test." I laced the hoses between the last motor and the first car, and cut the air in. After being on duty for over two and a half hours we finally departed. We followed an H train for most of the trip. They finally ran us around it at Berry. Our trip was over 10 and a half hours. I rolled my train by. I'm taking a rest day tomorrow. I have included a picture of our leader, the 7026.

I got up at 5 am yesterday because Iknew I was going to be called at 6 am. I was called for the "Q PHXSBD," which goes from Phoenix to San Bernadino. A van takes us to Cadiz, where we take it out of the siding. (Another railroad leaves it there). We have to ask the dispatcher's permission to come out onto the main, and take the train to Barstow. Our cargo is empty intermodal containers that are going to San Bernadino to be loaded. An engineer who was being deadheaded to Barstow hitched a ride in our van. The van driver later got permission to take him all of the way to Barstow. The other engineer helped out by getting the switch for us so I didn't have to do it. (Normally I would have had to throw the switch, roll my train by, and then throw the switch back, and the van would run me to the head end of my train. In this case we didn't to do that. Normally the PHXSBD has 2 engines at the head end. This one had 3. One of them was dead. My engineer and I guessed that we would have to set it out in Barstow. We were right. My engineer notified me that there is a new rule in the Barstow yard. If there is any work to be done the inbound has to do it. We had a good trip to Barstow. They brought us into I1. I tied 3 brakes, and cut away our first two motors.We had to shove into Diesel Service. This was tricky. I can't go "in between" in Diesel Service, so I disconnected the MU cable between the two motors before we shoved in there. I had to line the switches. They told us to bring it onto track 15 and we did. We cut the motor away, and went back to our train. I hooked up all of the hoses, the MU cable, and we did the "Locomotive Air Brake Test." We were also told that we had to test the dynamic brakes. My engineer did not know how to do it. That is something that they do on the Cajon subdivision. They told us that Diesel Service would be come out to conduct the test. Two men came out, ran my engineer through the test, and we were done. A van came to pick us up. When my engineer turned on his cell phone he found out that we were being "flipped" back to Needles. I thought we might share the van with another crew, but it was just us two. When I got back to Needles and tied up I found out that I had won a bid to get back to Board 36. I'm back on the east end.

I got called for the "S ALTSCO," which goes from Alliance, Texas to Long Beach. On duty time was the same as the previous night, 9:15 pm. It was a good train. We had 3 motors on the head end. It started out as a good trip, then they stopped us a couple of times. We came in to Main 4 and were relieved there. By the time we got to the hotel they had started serving breakfast. The pancake machine was out of order! I had an extra helping of scrambled eggs. I slept for about 4 hours, went across the street to grab a burrito, slept some more, went across the street to grab a turkey sandwich, and may have fallen asleep again. I got my call around 10:30 pm. I was called for the "Q LACATG," which goes from Los Angeles to Atlanta, Georgia. On duty time was a minute after midnight. We got on at the steps. We had one extra car. It was an extra 3 packer, and it was going to Fot Lauderdale, Florida. This was not a problem as we had other cars that were going to Fort Lauderdale. Also, it did not put us over 8500 feet, so we were still good for 70 MPH. It started out as a good trip, then when we got closer to Needles they stopped us. They told us that they were spacing trains going to Winslow, and our outbound wouldn't be on duty for 2 hours. We went to East Needles and tied it down. I only had to tie one handbrake. We tied up after 7 am. I requested a "Smart Rest" because I had 5 starts. It looks like I will go out tomorrow morning as soon as I am rested. I have been doing some running around, but I am exhausted. I think I'm going to go to bed soon. No pictures.

I got called for the S CHILBE, which goes from Chicago to Long Beach. On duty time was 3:30 pm. The trip was pretty good. We got to Barstow around 11 pm. I went to bed and slept like a log. I got up at 6 am for the free breakfast. I slept for another 4 hours or so, got up for a burrito, and went back to bed. Boy did I sleep! I got called for another stack train going back to Needles. On duty time was 7:40 pm. Our train pulled up to the steps.We got on and sat there for over 2 hours! We had to wait for Amtrak to go by, and then a Z train. When we did get going it was a good trip. We got to Needles before sunrise. It looks like I will go out this evening. I have attached a picture of the 7932, our leader. We are sad to hear of the death of one of our conductors in Montana. He had to untie handbrakes on several auto cars that were at the head end of his train and had to walk on the same side as the main line (we call it the hot side). You cqan't cross over those cars. I have been in situations like that myself. He was hit by a passing train. It's just another reminder that this job is dangerous.

I went to bed early on Friday night because I expected to be called around 2 am. Instead I got called at 10:10 pm. I was called for an X train- 115 empty grain hoppers going from Bakersfield to ? (I think it was someplace in South Dakota). I got a short call. It didn't matter because it took a while for our train to come in. I could have used more sleep. It started out as a good trip and then the closer we got to Winslow the more they stopped us. We had 11 hours on duty by the time we got to WInslow. There was another train on Main 2, but they pulled just in time. I stayed long enough to roll my train by, and tied up under 12 hours. They had stopped serving breakfast at the hotel, so I went to Maverick and got a burrito. I slept for about 4 hours, went down to the grill to get a "Bandit Burger," and went back to bed. I got a call around 2 40 am. I was called for the "Z ALTSBD," which goes from Alliance, Texas to San Bernadino. On duty time was 5:41 am Mountain Time. I asked the van driver to go through the drive thorugh at McDOnald's. Some drunk guy came up to the van driver's window and asked him if he could use his cell phone to call his mother. The van driver said no. The drunk went up to another car in the drive thorugh and I heard a woman yelling at him. The service at the McDOnald's was slow, (it always is at this one) but I fnally got my order. It took over 2 hours for our train to come in. We departed right at 8 am Moutnain Time. I saw some deer outside of Flagstaff. It wasn't a bad, trip- just over 7 hours. I got in and rolled my train by. I also filed a claim for a "run around" because another conductor said he got called when I was first out. I don't know if I filed it correctly, but I will find out. I have attached a picture of the 7083, our leader on the Z ALTSBD. I am now on my rest cycle.

I got called for the "Z LACWSP," which goes from Los Angeles to Willow Springs, Illinois. Our horsepower per ton was a whopping 6.6! This was a hot rod of a train. There were times when we were going uphill at 60 MPH. Our trip to WInslow took 6 and a half hours. When we got there another train was on Main 2. I had to climb over it with my gear. I couldn't roll my train by aftterwards because the other train was in the way. The grill at the hotel was open by the time we got theree. They finally fixed the refrigerator! I had a Bandit Burger. It tasted good. I got in bed around 11 pm, got up for the free breakfast at 6, went back to bed, and one of the hotel maids woke me up around noon trying to get into my room. I had the door barred. I complained to the manager and he gave me a frozen dinner. I couldn't get back to sleep. I got my call for the "Northbay" at 4:20. It was a short call. It said I was on duty at 7 pm Mountain Time. I made it down to the depot in time and printed out my paper work. Two crews were deadheading with us. We had 5 motors on the head end and our horsepower per ton was 3.9. Our trip home was 5 hours! That's the fasted trip I have ever had going to Winslow, and the fastest trip I've ever had coming home from WInslow. I had attached a pciture of our leader, the 6995. I'm projected for another Z train around 3 am. Three Z trains in a row? Now that would be great!

I got called for a Z train to WInslow. On duty time was 7:15 am. I was lucky I had gotten up just before I got my call and I was having my coffee. Even though we were a Z train they didn't run us very well. It was raining as we got closer to WInslow. And we were on duy for almost 12 hours by the time we got in. They brought us into Main 4. Another train was on Main 2. I would have to climb over some tanker cars with my gear. I usually don't like that but in the case the tankers had the platforms with double rails to grab so it was easy to climb on. I didn't roll my train by since I couldn't see it, and I was almost DOL. When I got to the hotel I had to wait for a room, so I wet to the grill and got something to eat. There were a lot of people there- both railroaders and non -ralroaders. I got my room and went to sleep. I got up for the free breakfast at 6am. When I went down to the kitchen there were a bunch of guys there already eating. I found out they were electricians. I went back to bed, and got called at 8:45 am for a Z train. I shared the van with 4 other guys on the way to the depot. (They had called some deadheads). I printed out my paperwork, briefed with my gnineer, and then found we had been swapped to a stack train. I had to print out new paperwork. Our train came in on Main 2. It was a pretty good trip even though we were a stack train. It had rained a great deal and we saw a lot of puddles and small lakes on the tirp. Our day was about 10 hours. When we got to Needles they had not called an outbound so we tied our train down on Main 3. I only had to tie one handbrake. On the way home I saw a lightning storm on the horizon. Believe me, this photo doesn't do it justice. After I got home and logged in I found out that I had been "bumped" off of Board 36. This morning I didn't win any of my bids, so I was forced back to the extra board. SIGH. Im back on the Extra Board for a while. Hopefully I will win a bid to Board 36 soon.

I got called for a long pool to San Bernadino- the ZWSPSBD. On duty time was 12:30 pm. We had lots of power and it was a good trip. We had 3 hours to work when we got to San Bernadino- more than enough to put our train away. The "herder " came out to the head end of our train to brief with us. It was the same herder that helped me yard my train the last time I yarded my train in San Bernadino. We were told to put our train in 19/29 and 14/24. (The tracks have two numbers). The herder gave me a ride to the crossing on 19/29. My train pulled ahead and the herder protected the shove into track 19. A van pulled up to assist me. San Bernadino is a big, busy yard. There are always trucks driving around the yard. As the rear of my train apporced the crossing I picked up the shove, and "lit up the crossings" as we say. I had to throw flares on either side of the crossings so no truck would cross there. The train shoved through the crossings and the herder picked up the shove. He spotted the rear end of my train, tied 4 brakes, and I made the cut to clear the crossings. My train pulled ahead. We were supposed to shove the rest of our train into track 19. But, there was a problem. A yard crew was buildiing a train in track 19. They said they would be another hour and a half. I had the van run me to the head end of my trian so I could brief with my engineer. I told him that I was going to talk to the trainmaster and ask him if we could tie our train down and tie up, because we would be DOL about the time the yard crew was finished. The trainmaster told me that they were almost done, and they were. They did not take 90 minutes. Someone else from the yard volunteered to help us with the set out and my engineer shoved into the track. All I had to do was cut my power away and we had to take it to the roundhouse. I cut my power away and I had to throw one switch to get us to the right track. The herder came up to help us. He threw a switch behind us and protected out shove. We shoved back into the track we were supposed to be on. We had five motors, and I helped my engineer tie the handbrakes and isolate the motors. We were done. We tied up, but we found out there were no vacancies at the hotel that we usually stay at. We went to the Surestay in Ontario. It was bout 2 am by the time I got inot bed.. I got up for the free breakfast at 7 am and I was dissapointed. A machine had broken down and there were no eggs or sausage. I had some creamed beef on biscuits and a waffle. I went back to bed and got my call at noon while I was asleep. I was going back to Needles on the Z SBDALT. The van showed up an hour and 15 minutes after we had been called. I asked him to swing by "El Pollo Loco" and got a burrito. We got to the depot and they were still putting our train together. We had been on duty for an hour and 20 minutes when our train was ready to go. The van ran us to the head end of our train, which was at 14th street. We departed at 3:40 pm. Our HPT was 2.7, but it is uphill as you leave San Bernadino and we were moving slowly. San Bermadino has a lot of ugly industrial buildings, graffiti, and homeless camps. Still the mountains are scenic. Our day was just over 8 hours. I have attached a picture of the skyline from the van, at Baseline Street, and our leadaer, the 6826, before it departed Needles. By the way, when I was in San Bernadino I found out that I had won a bid to get back on Board 36, so from now on I will be going to Winslow.

I got called for a hot train to Winslow- "The Northbay." This is the hottest train you can be called for. On duty time was a minute after midnight- Pacific Time. They ran us pretty good for most of the trip. But as we got closer to Winslow they kept stopping us. It was a 10 hour day. We didn't make it to the hotel in time for breakfast so I went to the Maverick for a burrito. I slept about 4 hours, went down to the grill when it was open, and had a "bandit burger." I went back to bed and slept for a few hours. I woke up just before I got my call. I was called for a Z train. On duty time was 4:45am Pacific Time. I had the van swing by McDonald's and I grabbed a couple of burgers. I printed out my papwerwork and briefed with my engineer when he came in. Then we got swapped to the H BELBAR. The trainmaster said, "It has no work." That made it a little better. I had to print out new paperwork. We also had a familiarizer out here from Lincoln, Nebraska. We had been on duty for two hours when our train finally came in. We got as far as "Canyon Diablo." They put us in the siding and we waited there for 4 hours. We got rellieved there. My engineer asked if he could have the front seat because he had a bad knee. (Usually the conductor sits in the front seat). I granted his request. I told the familiarizer, "You didn't learn much today," (although he said he did learn a few things). The van driver was a good driver. We stopped in Kingman and I got a burrito. It was a long, boring day. I slept like a log las night and I'm not projected to go out in the next 24 hours.

I got called for a trip to Winslow on a stack train with a female engineer. We had a student engineer. It was a long trip. Over 10 hours. I complained about it being too cold and the student engineer did turn the AC off. He must have turned it on again because I was still cold. My nose was running. I out on my carhart and my wool cap and didn't say anything. I wanted to get off that train. As we entered Winslow I saw 5 emergency vehicles on the I-40. A car had overturned and caught fire. The fire was out by the time we got there but it was still smoking. We pulled into the yard. I told the outbound, "The AC works good." I waited 15 minutes and they hadn't departed. I went inside and tied up. I had heard that I might not get a hotel room due to the fact that it was the weekend of the "Standing On the Corner Festival." but I had no trouble getting a room. I was in time for the breakfast. I slept until 4 pm, went down to the grill, and watched the Green Bay Packers play the Dallas Cowboys while I ate something. I went back to bed. I got my call at 1 am. I was going back to Needles with a different engineer. I was called for the "H BELBAR." It was a very small train. It only had 42 cars, was just over 3700 tons, and was over 2600 feet. "We probably won't be setting out any cars," I said to myself. I had the van stop at McDonald's on the way to the depot and I got two hamburgers. I printed out the work order. We were supposed to pick up 8 cars in the yard. I talked to the trainmaster and he said that 7 of the cars were in one track and one car was in another. He said that if it were up to him we would just pick up one car but it wasn't up to him. There was no herder on duty. I told my engineer about the pick up. We waited. Another train had to pick up a motor, and another H train had a great deal of work to do in the yard. After a long wait the trainmaster came out and told us to take the van out to East WInslow and get on our train. They highballed our pick up. We were happy about that. The van ran us out to East Winslow. SInce he was what we call a "radius driver' he wasn't sure how to get here but he got us there. We got on our train and started moving. We hadn't gone very far when we heard someone say that a car was rolling free at Purina (the Purina Dog Chow factory in Flagstaff). We weren't sure if the car was rolling down the main line or not. Traffic stopped for a while. We started to move again. We came to a red intermediate signal. The disptatcher told us to proceed at 10 MPH and look for a broken rail. We did. My engineer saw the broken rail and stopped the train before we went over it. I reported the location of the broken rail. We would have to wait for the track supervisor to give us permission to go over the break. It took him over an hour to get out there He photographed it and measured it as being over 4". He gave us permission to proceed over the break at 10 MPH. We did so. The disptatcher told us that we would be relieved at Flagstaff, in front of the Purina factory. We had been on duty for nearly 7 hours by the time we got there We saw the car that had run away. It had not made it onto the main. It was a hopper. It had tipped over in the siding. There was a lot of dog food on the ground. Our relief crew was glad to get our ttrain because it was small and had a lot of power (We had 3 good engines, and 3 dead engines on the head end). I asked the van driver to stop at Maverick and got a burrito. He took us to Needles and we tied up under 11 hours. I don't know when I will go out again. I have attached a picture of the broken rail, and our leader on the Belbar, what we call a "red nose."

I got called for a U-train going to Winslow, but there was a traffic jam and our trian was held up So, we got swapped to a stack train. It still took a couple of hours for the train to come in. Then the inbound told us that we had 74 open containers and that we needed to pull down to the east end so security could close them. So we pulled down to the east end. Then the dispatcher said that they wanted to "highball" closing the contianers and get our train moving. The dispatcher asked security how many containers had debris falling out of them.They said about 10. So she told them to close those containers only. Still, that took a while. So we had been on duty for over 4 horus by the time we departed. As we got close to Berry they told us that we would be releived there. We had been on duty for 6 hours and we were only as far as Berry. The van took us the rest of the way to WInslow. We were ehading into a fantastic electrical storm! We saw all kinds of lightining. (I have attached a picture). When I got to the htoel I took a nice hot shower and went down to the grill. "The WIzard of OZ" was on the TV in the gril. I told the bartender, "I've never seen this movie before." She knew I was kidding. I had something to eat, watched TV till about 9 pm, and slept good. I got up at 6n for the free breakfast, and went back to bed. I slept until I got my call. I was being deadheaded to Needles on a Z train. When we got down there we found out that the trian we were deadheaddeing on had work. Then the dispatcher called me and said that he had ordered a van. We were to get in it with another crew and chase a couple of trains. I was hundry, We stopped ina Mavericka nd got a chicken and rice burrito. (Their burritos are really good). I hadn't had anything since breakfast. My engineer and I got on a stack train at Seligman. The other crew got on an H train. We had a pretty good trip. Our day was under 9 hours but it seemed longer. When we got to Needles we were told to tie our train down. I tied 3 handbrakes and that did it. It looks like I will be going to Winslow again in a couple of hours. It is the weekend and a lot of jokers liad off or took their rest cycle. Also, it is the weekend for the "Standing on the Corner Festival" in WInlsow. (Dedicated to the song by the Eagles). A lot of guys don't want to go to Winslow this weekend because supposedly there won't be any hotel rooms and they will have to go to overflow. I will go to Winslow.

Saturday morning I woke up an couldn't get back to sleep. So I got up and started drinking coffee. At 4 am I got a call from the BNSF, but it wasn't an automated call. It was a live person. They told me I was called for the "Kingman Switcher" and asked me if I wanted to be the brakeman or the conductor. "Brakeman," I said. I don't like that job, and I don't like to be the conductor because I don't know the job very well. If I work as the brakeman I make less money, but I'm not in charge of the job. I just do what the conductor tells me to do. The Kingman Switcher has a regular crew on Monday through Friday, but on Saturday they call people off the extra board. I was a llittle confused because I had heard that lately they haven't been calling a brakeman for the job on weekends. When I got to the depot I found out that the trainmaster had requested a brakeman. The conductor, the engineer and I were all off of the extra board, and none of us knew the job very well. We showed up at the depot in Needles, called the trainmaster, and he said he would meet us at the depot in Kingman. The van showed up and took us there. The trainmaster gave us our switch lists and told us what to do. He said if it looked like we couldn't get it done in 12 hours to call him about 90 minutes before we went DOL. The van tookd us to Berry. The van would be with us all day. We had to pull some cars out of a track and flip flop them.. The two tankers were going one place and the hoppers and gondolas were gong to another place. We had to hang an ETD and do a Class I Air Brake Test. We got on our train and went to McConico. I helped my conductor as much as possible. I did a lot of walking and threw a lot of swtiches and derails. We shoved the two tankers into one siding and left them there. We went ot Mcconnico and shoved the other cars into an empty track. There were a bunch of cars on the other two tracks and we were confused about which ones we were supposed to take. There were cars that weren't on the list. My conductor called the trainmaster and he said to take them all. It took us a while to put them together and to do the First Class Air Brake Test. Then we had to "run around our train" as we say to put the engine on the other end. We were getting close to 12 hours on duty. When we had permission from the disptacher I threw the swtich, dropped the derail, and rolled my train by. I got in the van and we met my train at Berry. I threw the swtich and rolled them by. My conductor and engineer tied the train down while the van ran me to the head of the train. We were done. We had finished t job, but it had taken almost 12 hours. Then, the van driver told us that she couldn't take us back to Needles. They can't work past 12 hours unless their dispatcher gives them permission. We called the trainmaster and our dispatcher. The dispatcher told a train to stop and pick us up. I was exhausted, We were tired and thirsty and hungry, and we had to ride a train to Needles. The ride wasn't so bad. I We got in and I tied up. My conductor and my engineer did a good job considering that the didn't know the job that well. Boy, my legs were tired! I slept like a log. I'm not projected to go out for the next 24 hours, of course that can change. I hate the Kingman Switcher.

I got called to dog catch a Z train going to Winslow- before 5 am and before I had my morning coffee. We were supposed to share a van with another crew. The dispatcher told us to call hiim when we got to Seligman, which was half of the way to Winslow. By default I got to sit in the front seat of the van-but the sun was right on me. Oh well. We called the dispatcher at Seligman and he said to call him at Darling. We called him at Daarling and he said to ride the van the rest of the way to Winslow. So we tied up at the depot and the van took us to the hotel. We had a 30 minute wait for a room. I helped myself to some coffee and my headache went away. Since I wqasn't tired I stayed up and watched TV. The refrigerator in the hotel is still out of order. I bought a frozen dinner. I expected to fall asleep very easily.- but I didn't. Finally I fell asleep. I had a bad dream that my train broke down, and somebody gave me a ride home. I said, "I have a few things to do." Then I couldn't find my truck in the parking lot, and my cell phone wouldn't work. I said, to myself, "I'm still on duty, I have to call the trainmaster." Then I woke up. I went back to sleep and had another bad dream but I can't remember any of it. I got up for the free breakfast at 6 am. I was finally awakened by my call. I was called for the Q ATGLAC, on duty time was 12:45 pm Mountain Time. Our train came in a few minutes before we were on duty. The inbound was okay with waiting for us. It was a small, light train with lots of power. There was a grain train in front of us, but there were no trains in fornt of it and no trains behind us. They ranus good. As we got closer to go to Needles we were going into an electric storm. There was a traffic jam in Needles and it took us a while to get in once we went over the Topock bridge. I stayed around to roll my train by, but they were frogged in by another train that had work to do so I tied up and left. I am not projected to go out in the next 24 hours but that can change any time. I have attached a picture of our leader, the 6968.

I had just gotten into bed on Saturday night when my phone rang. I was being called for a dog catch. We were to dog catch the H BELBAR near Darling. I printed out my paperwork and waited for our van to show up. We waited and waited. Fortunately another crew gave us their van. We wound up dog catching our train at Valentine. The Belbar was a big, heavy train with 114 cars. It was a Key train so we were limited to 50 MPH. It had 4 motors on the head end and 2 on the rear- but one of the motors on the rear of the train was dead- so one of the motors on the head end had to be isolated. It had an early version of Trip Optimizer that didn't work very well. We brought the train into Needles. The dispatcher asked us to "shadow" another train from Berry to Needles. I claimed 328 miles when I tied up. I am now on my rest cycle. I'm going to try to stay up for the rest of the day and sleep like a log tonight. I have attached a picture of our leader, the 9258.

I was planning on getting up just before 5 am on Thursday, but my phone rang at 4:41 am. I was called for the Z STOWSP, which goes from Stockton to WIllow Springs, Illinois. On duty time was 6:41 am Pacific Time. I gulped down two cups of coffee and went down to the depot. It took a while for our train to come in. There was a lot of talk at the depot about Charlie Kirk being assasinated.When the Mexican place across the street opened up at 7 am I phoned in an order for a burrito. Our train came in at 10 after 7. I threw my stuff in the cab, went and got my burrito, and got back on my train. My engineer complained about me not getting a burrito for him. (He was only kidding). It was a pretty good trip. We got to Winslow after the grill was open. They still haven't fixed the refrigerator in the kitchen, but I took a chance and ordered the "Bandit Burger." It was okay. I watched some TV and went to bed. I got up in time for the breakfast at 6 am. At 6:30 I was back in my room watching TV. They were just announcing that Charlie Kirk's killer had been caught when I got called for a stack train. I got down to the depot and printed out my paperwork. Our train was being held out at Coronado Junction. Two Z trains were going around it. We got swapped to one of the Z trains- the Z ALTSBD. It had 4 motors on the head end, 77 cards, and our horse power per ton was 2.9. This was a powerful train. We had been on duty for over an hour when we departed. It was a good trip. Just over 7 hours. We saw a fire just north of the tracks at mile post 356.8. I reported it but they already knew about it. Other than that, it was a pretty uneventfull trip. When I got back to Needles and was rolliing my train by there was a couple ther from Germany asking about the "old train station." I told them that the old Amtrak station was next door and they could go over and look at it, but there might be some homeless people there. I told them about my time in Germany, and that I was stationed at a place called "Miesau." They had never heard of it. (It's such a small town that most Germans have never heard of it). I told them it was near Landstuhl. Ramstein and Kaiserslautern. They knew where all of those places were. I also told them a ittle bit about the BNSF. As I was walking back to my car some fat slob asked me if I could spare some money so he could get cigarettes. I didn't give him anyhting. In the 7 years I have worked at Needles nobody has ever asked me for money outside of the depot. Prayers for Charlie Kirk's family, and thank God that his killer is in custody. I have attached a picture of the 3776, our leader on the Z ALTSBD. The 5142 is in the foreground.

was called onto duty at 1:21 am Mountain Time for the "S LBTALT." It was a big train with 4 motors on the head end and 1 on the rear. It had 118 cars. We departed at 2:25 am, Mountain Time. We tied up at 12:51 Mountain Time- just under 12 hours. The refrigerator at the hotel is still out of comission. The grill was closed when I got into the hotel so I walked to the Maverick for a burrito. They had a hard time taking my order. The burrito was okay, but not as good as I expected it to be. I slept for about 4 hours, got up and bought a frozen dinner from the front desk, and went to bed. I got called ar 2:13 am for a deadhead. I deadheaded back to Needles on a Z train. It was about a 9 hour trip. It gave me a chance to catch up on my reading. I have the next 3 days off. I have attached a picture of our leader on the SLBTALT, the 3928.

I got called to dogcatch the H BARTUL. First the dispatcher told us to get on a Q train because there were no vans available. Then after we departed they told us a van would meet us at Franconia. We got off the train and got in the van at Franconia. We got on our train at Seligman. The dispatcher had just told them to pick up a motor in the siding at Seligman- but it was not possible to do so the dispatcher highballed it. Our IPADs said that we were to set out a motor when we got to Winslow. Then when we got to Winslow they told us to highball the set out. We were happy about that, but then they asked us if anyone had told us that we had a car to inspect. No one had told us anything about that. They gave us a car # and an axle #. It was the 16th car back. We had a bunch of gondolas filled with scrap metal on the head end of our train followed by some auto cars. The car in question was the first auto car. They told us "track 12, in the pocket." My engineer and I weren't sure where that was, but the trainmaster helped us. As it was we were lined in and I didn't have to throw any switches. We met the outbound there. The outbound engineer took the train ahead. I stood on one side of the train and the outbound conductor stood on the other side. I got out my heat gun and checked the temperatures on one side and the other conductor checked the other side. The temperature on the second axle was higher than the other axles. We passed it on to the yard. It looked like the car in question woud have to be set out. At this point we turned it over to the outbound. My engineer and I had to climb over two trains to get to the depot. I really don't mind climbing over trains- except when I have my cooler and my grip with me. I had to put my stuff on the car, cimb onto the car, get off the car, and reach up and grab my stuff. My engineer had a truck and was nice enough to give me a ride to the hotel. They still haven't fixed the refrigerator at the hotel so I opted for a frozen dinner. I slept ike a log, went down for breakfast at 6 am, and got my call right as I was sitting down for breakfast. I was called for the Q CHISTO. We were to pick up a motor. Our train already had 3 motors on the head end and it didn't need another, but this motor was supposed to be taken to Stockton to be repaired. The inbound helped us. It was just the same as when we set a motor out in Winslow- but everything was reversed. My engineer and I took the motor out of the roundhouse. I had to line switches, then connect the hoses and the cable. We had to do a locomotive air brake test. We departed after being on duty only 55 minutes. It started out as a good trip- then they stopped us for a while, and then they started to give us high wind warnings that slowed us down to 20 MPH. Then we had flash flood warnings. It did rain pretty bad We were going into an electrical storm. When we were at Walapai there was a cloud of dust on the horizon. It looked like Armageddon. Our trip was almost 12 hours. I rolled my train by and tied up with only 15 minutes left. I have been off all day and I'm projected to go to work tomorrow morning. I have attached a picture of out leader- the 6734

got called much quicker than I expected to on Friday evening. On duty time was 7:55 pm Mountain Time for the Z LACNYC, which jgoes from Los Angeles to New York City. It was a small, light train. It was a good trip, About 8 hurs. I got to the hotel too early for breakfast. So I slept an hour or two then went down to eat. I slept for severl hous, and at 4:30 pm I went down to the grill to get something to eat. The refrigerator in the hotel is still out of order, so they have a limited menu. I could have the "bandit burge," my favorite. Because they took the meat out of the freezer and microwaved it. It tasted like a brick, and I said so. Still it filled me uip. I got calledat 11:20 pm for a big stack train. It was over 14,000 tons and over 15,000 feet long.It had 4 engines on the head end and 2 in the middle. I went down to the depot and noticed right away that there were a lot of guys there. I had heard earlier in the day that there had been a derailment at Winslow. I found out eventually that 3 things had happend- a train had rear ended another train at East Winslow, someone had stolen a skidsteer, parked it on the tracks, and a train had hit it, and shortly after an axle had locked up on another train. No one had been killed or injured in any of these incidents, but it had slowed traffic down and a lot of guys were hanging around the depot waiting for their trains. My engineer and I were on duty for nearly two hours before we got on our train and departed. The trip was just over 8 hours, and our day was about 10 hours long. We saw some deer and a small herd of elk near Flagstaff. I have attached a picture of our leader on the stack train, the 6058. I'm projected to go out tomorrow afternoon. Labor Day is going to be just another day for me.

I got called for the Q BARNSA. On duty time was 3:26 am. It wasn't so bad because I got up before I was called and had my morning coffee. It looked like it was going to be a good trip. They kept us going. Then they stopped us, once or twice. Then they gave us wind warnings that slowed us down t 35MPH. They told us we would be relieved at "Sunsine." We weren't sure where that was. We went by one siding that had a vehicle stopped in it, but it wasn't a Halcon van. We saw a man wearing one our vests getting out. It turned out that was Sunshine. The vehicle was a rental. We got to Winslow and tied up just before our 12 hours was up. The grill at the hotel had just opened. I had my usual. Then I went to bed. I got called for the H KCKBAR at 4:45 am. They hadn't started serving breakfast at the hotel yet, so I had the van driver run me to McDonald's. I gave the guy at the counter a coupon good for a free egg McMuffin. He didn't know what to do with it. I waited a few while another employee showed him how to ring it up. I still made it to the depot in plenty of time. Our train was a monster- over 15,000 tons. We had 3 motors on the head end, 2 in the middle, and one on the rear. We started out okay. Then we got an alarm indicating that one of our motors had stalled. We were going uphilll at about 13 MPH. I went back and found that the third motor was not loading. We called Mechanical. The had me flip some switches and cut out the traction motors, one at a time. When I cut out traction motor #2 the engine started to load and our speed increased. I had fixed the problem. Our day was just over 9 hours. I have attached a picture of the 7407, our leader on the KCKBAR. I had a long rest- longer than I wanted. By the way, some of you may have heard that I have started work on a new CD. It's true. More on that later.

I got called for an "X train" (in this case it was empty hoppers). Our work order said that we had to set out a defective car at Needles, but the inbound started it, and by the time we came on duty and headed out there in the van they were done. The inbound conductor asked if we would give him a ride to the head end, and we did. On duty time was 2:45 in the afternoon, and it was hot! Since we were an X train we were low priorty, and they didn't run us very well. We finally got dog caught at ? (I can't remember). It was about 2 am. We shared the van with another crew. The van brought us to the depot and we tied up. All of the other guys had cars. The van driver didn't know how to get to the hotel but I helped her with my GPS. (She was new). It was about 4 am when I got into bed. I slept for a couple of hours, got up for ther free breakfast, slept some more and went down to the grill. I was surprised it was open at 2 pm. They are supposed to open at 4, but sometimes they open early. I had my usual. I timed it just right. I got my call right after I finished eating. I was called to dogcatch the H BELBAR near Darling. We shared the van with another crew. They caught the train ahead of ours. We each got on our trains at "Airport Road." The train ahead of us had two motors go dead so they picked up a couple at Purina. This took time, and they blocked our train while they were doing that. On the way to Needles they told us we had to pick up two cars out of Yard 7 and add them to our train. One was a tanker, and the other was a coil car. We would have to put them 5 back and do some switching to flip flop the cars so the tanker was behind the coil car. When we pulled into the yard the "rapid respnder" called us on the radio and said that he had to inspect two defective cars. This was new to us. Also, our outbund met us and said that we didn't have to pick up those two cars. The dispatcher had gotten us confused with another BELBAR. We could tie up and go home. So we did. I'm on my rest cyle.