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.