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.