I got called for the Z LACMEM, which goes form Los Angeles to Memphis. On duty time was 11:20 am, Mountainn Time. The disptacher asked us to go get on our train at West Needles because the inbound crew was on the verge of going DOL. We were happy to do that. It's an RO good for a basic day. It was a god train, but htey didn't run us like a Z train. Our work order said that we had to set out our 4th motor when we got to Winslow. When we got to WInslow it was night. The oubound helped us set out the motor. It went very smooth. We Our day was over 11 hours, so I got some overtime. The grill was still open at the hotel when I got ther eand they gave me my usual- a burger with potato chips and a ginger ale. I got some sleep. got up for the free breakfast at 6, ten went back to bed. I got called for the Q LPKLAC on the way home. On duty time was 1530 Mountain Time. Our train was already at Hibbard when I got the call. It was in WInslow before we were on duty. The inbound conductor baby sat it until we were on duty. It was aq very light train because all of the containers wer eempty. We only had two motors on the head end. It was a good trip home. About 9 hours. The sun was in our eyes for a good part of the trip. But, we made it in safely and I rolled my train by. I'm supposed to go out around midnight, tonight. I have attached a picture of the 8389, our leader on the Q LPKLAC.

I got called for the Q LACATG, which goes from Los Angeles to Atlanta, Georgia. It had 3 motors on the head end. When the train came in they pulled past the pad. They asked us if anybody had told us that the second motor needed water, and we said, no. Nobody told us anything. My engineer said that he had not added water to a locomotive in his 30 years with the railroad, so he wanted to help out. Adding water to a motor is a clumsy affair. You have to put a graduated nozzle on the hose, and put it up to a pipe and put water in the pipe. I asked if a certain valve was in the right position. It wasn't. They threw the valve and it was much easier to add water. We had been on duty for 2 hours by the time we departed. We did not make it to Winslow. We got dog caught at a place called Sunshine and got to the hotel around 2 am. I got up for breakfast at 6:30 am and went back to bed, and got my call at 4:30 pm Mountain Time. I was called for the H AMSBAR, going from Amarillo, Texas to Barstow. It was a 10,000 ton train, with 3 motors on the head end and 2 on the rear. Our work order said that we were supposed to pick up a dead motor from the siding in Selgiman. We saw a big buck elk and some deer near Flagstaff. By the time we got to Seligman it was dark. That was nice because it was't hot. I only had to tie 3 handbrakes. I made the cut, had my engineer pull the consist over the switch, and lined theswitch. I dropped the derail and shoved him back to the motor. We made the hook. My enginer helped me lace up the hoses and connect the cable. We pulled it out of ther enad went back to our train andmade the hook. We did the "locomotive air brake test." I laced the hoses, and released the 3 brakes. We were done. I went back to the cab and we waited for the disptadcher to line us out of the siding. We got to Needles with an hour left to work. I rolled my train by and tied up. Tomorrow I start a 2 day rest cycle. I can use it.

I got called for a big stack train. Over 14,000 tons. It had 4 motors on the head end, 2 in the middle, and 2 on the rear. It was tied down at East Needles. I only had to untie 5 handbrakes. On duty time was 7:20 pm Mountain Time. We went DOL before we got to WInslow. We got dog caught at Loop road, about 10 miles outside of Winslow. I got to the the hotel in time for breakfast, went to bed, got up around 3, and watched TV, then went down to the grill to eat. I slept pretty good. I got called at 11 pm for a baretable going from Cicero, Illinois to Long Beach. We had two motors on the head end, and our IPADs said that we were to set out our second motor in Needles and pick up another motor. That made no sense. It was a good trip. We were on duty just over 8 hours. When we were close to Needles I asked the Needles disptacher about the work, and he said to "higfhball it because another train was in the yard." When we got in we saw an eastbound going into the yard, but when our outbound came out they said they had been told to do the set out and pick up. They said they would do it and we thanked them. I did a bunch of running around when I got home today (catching up on the things I've been meaning to do but I've been working a lot). I'm going to have a good supper and go to bed now. I'm tired! It got up to 109 degrees in Mohave Valley today. No pictures.

I was called for a big stack train, on duty time was 9:40 pm. We got swapped to the Z LACMEM, a nice small Z train. There was a stack train ahead of us and we followed that all of the way. Our trip was about 9 hours. I rolled my train by and made it to the hotel in time for breakfast. I slept until arout 4 pm, went down to the grill for my usual, and went back to bed. I got called at midnight thirty Mountain time. I was xcalled for the Q LPKLAC, which goes from Logistic Park, Kansas to Los Angeles. On the way I had the van driver go through the drive through at McDonald's. He was a little screwy. I told him to order me two hamberugers and he asked, "Do you want cheese on them?" Our train had no set outs. We had to wait over an hour before our train came in and we got on it. We saw some deer and elk by the tracks outside of Flagstaff. It was hot when we got to Needles in the afternoon! Over 100 degrees. I rolled my train by and tied up. I went on my rest cycle as soon as I tied up, and I only requested one day off. I will mark up this afternoon but hopefully not go out until tomorrow. Cameras and Recordinng Devices Each of our engines has a camera pointing out the front windshield. Usually they rattle. If you put a water bottle betwen the camera mount and the glass it usually quiets it down. We als have a camera in the roof of the cab, on most engines. It tapes us while we are working. If there is a derailment and the tape shows somebody on their cell phone, they are in trouble. In fact, people often get into trouble for using their cell phones when they are not supposed to. There is a purple box in the nose of the cab that is an "event recorder." It's like the black box on an airplane. It records everthing the engineer does. When we went forward, when he went backward, how wfast he was going, how much air he appied to teh brakes at a certain time. In the event of an accident, if will be reviewed. Everything that we say on the radio is also recorded. So if there is an incident the railroad has lots of informtaion to work with to conduct an investigation. That's why if you work for the railroad, don't break the rules and do what you're supposed to! I have included a picture of the 7932, our leader on the LACMEM.

I got called for the Z LACALT to Winslow. On duty time was midnight 20, Mountain time. It was probably the best trip I had going to Winslow- less than 7 hours. We saw some elk outside of Flagstaff. I rolled my train by and made it to the hotel in time for the free breakfast. I slept until 4, went down to the grill when it was open and went back to bed. Boy, did I sleep! I slept until I got called for the Bargal the next morning at 4:40. I got dressed and went down to the breakfast room. They were ready early and I had someting to eat. I went down to the depot. We had a student engineer, and a set out. It was a set out of 32 cars- but our train wasn't in yet and the outbound was going DOL. We got swapped to the Z WSPLAC. It was a 7 hour trip. I rolled my train by and tied up. I had requested Monday off as part of my rest cycle, but it looks like I might go to work around 3 am. We will see what happens. I have attached a picture of the 7954- our leader on the Z LACALT. By the way, on the trip back our engineer was telling is that he has a daughter in the Air Force Academy. As a result he was able to spend some time on an Air Force base and some air force pilots showed him some of our latest and greatest aircraft. They asked him what he did for a living and he said, "I'm a railroad engineer." All of a sudden those Air Force pilots started treating him like a hero. They asked him what it was like to be a railroad engineer, etc. It just goes to show that even an elite bunch of people like Air Force pilots can become little kids when they find out somebody is a railroad engineer.

I got called for the H BARTUL to Winslow. On duty time was 2:31 am. It was a routine trip. They gave us a high wind warning and then cancelled it when we were about an hour out. That meant that instead of going 30 MPH we could go 55. Origninally our work order didn't say that we had to set out a motor- but when we got to Winslow they told us to set out our 4th motor. (We thought that was why they lifted the High Wind Warning). The outbound helped us with the set out and it went very quickly. It was hot in Winslow! I got to the hotel and it was too late for breakfast and too early to get anything from the grill- so I bought a frozen dinner. I slept for about 4 hours, went down to the grill, and the girl down there knew what I was going to order because I always order the same thing. I went back to bed after eating and slept like a log. I got my call at 4:30 am. It was too early for breakfast at the hotel. I asked the van driver to go through the drive through at McDonald's I asked for two hamburgers but they were only serving breakfast. I said, "No thanks" and had a nutrition bar instead. Our trian was the Z ALTSTO- the same train I had the last time I left Winslow. It was a small, light train with 3 motors on the head end. Our trip was 9 hours. I have attached picture of the 7082, our leader on the ALTSTO.

I got called for a Z train at 10:55 pm the night of July 4th. I got no sleep. When I got down to the depot I discovered we had been swapped to "the Northbay," the hottest train there is. Still, our trip was 9 hours. I got to the hotel too late for breakfast,, but the employee was nice enough to give me some eggs, potatoes, and sausage. That was nice of her. I slept about 4 hours, watched some TV, and went down to tthe grill for supper. I went back to bed and slept until 5:30 am when I got my call. I got dressed and went down for breakfast. I had been called for a grain train, but I got swapped to the Z ALTSTo. The trip home was 9 hours. I have attached a picture of the 6996, our leader on the Northbay.

When I woke up The other day we had no internt and no TV. I thougt it was just me. Then wehn I went to the bank I saw a long line. The bank had no internet either. Someone in the bnak told me they haad come all of the way from Bullhead City and ther ewas no internet or phone service there either. I also heard it had something to do with tower in Las Vegas being blown over at 4 am. Later on I went to the post office and they had a sing that said, "cash only.' Their computer were down. I heard that this was from Las Vegas to Barstow. I had thought that my phone was okay, but I got disconnected during a couple of calls, and I could not call crew call. I was projected to go to work at 3:30, and I was afraid that I would miss my call. So I got ready for work, got in my car, and started to drive to the depot. I went around the corner and I got my call. I was called for a large stack train. On the way a big buck was out in the tracks in front of us near Flagstaff. He moved at the ast minute. We got relieved at Flagstaff. When I got to the hotel I was beat. I got up a couple hours later for the free breakfast, went back to bed, and slept until about 1. I got called for the "WINKING," which goes from WInslow to Kingman. (It actually jgoes to Nelson Industries). The trainmaster told me that our train was on Track 14. All we had to do was the air test. My engineer and I took the yard van to our train and found that the 3 motors on our train were not the 3 motors that we were supposed to have. Also, the cars were not singed. The air hoses between the last motor and the first cqar had not been laced. The herede came out and said that he would help us witht the Class I. First, my engineer wanted to do a "Locomotive Air Brake Test" so we did it. I laced the hoses and cut the air in. I relased the 3 brakes and the helper did the Class I. My engineer notified the trainmaster that our leader did not have an event recorder. He said that as long as one of the other motors had an event recorder we were okay. I called the dispatcher aqnd changed the # of our lead motor on our GTBS. With all of that done, and with the rain starting to come down, I asked the trainmaster if we could leave. "Talk to the dispatcher, "he said. "We're on Track 14," I reminded him. "Oh," he said. We had to wait for one train to come in. Finally, we pulled ahead. I had to throw one switch. It was raining, and it was cold. The trip to Nelson was uneventful, except that we saw lots of deer and elk. (It was evening, and it had just rained). When we got to Nelson the van was there. I threw the switch and dropped the derail. I rolled the train by, restored the switch and derail, and had the van run me up to the first car. I tied 3 brakes. We did a release test and it held. The van took us to Needles. I tied up around midnight and took a SMART Rest (first one I've taken in a long time). I'm projected to go to work around midnight. When I was at the depot in Winslow the other day someone from corporate gave me a pin that says, "Drive Down the Summer Spike" in reference to the fact that this is the hottest time of the year. I have attached a picture of it.