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.