I got called for the "VBIRBAR," a vehicle train that goes from Birmingham, Alabama to Barstow. But it should have been labeled an H train- we had manifest cars at the head of the train and at the rear. I wondered how we were going to yard this in Barstow. I hoped that we would just take it to the Receiving Yard and take the power to the house, but usually with this train we have to take it to the storage yard and do some switching. It turned out to not be so bad. They told us to take it into storage 5, leave half of our cars there, and take the rest of the train to the Receving Yard. They sent a van out for us. I had to line both the west swtich and the east swtich for storage 5. Once our train had cleared the east end of the track I tied 3 brakes at the east end and made the cut. We followed my train into the Receiving Yard. They told us to leave it at the east end of the Receiving Track. Once the rear of my train had cleared I told my engineer to stop. The van ran me to the head end of my train. I tied 3 brakes and cut my power away. (We had 3 motors on the head end). We took it to the house. I had to thow 2 switches to line us in. We were done. When I got to the hotel I went to Fuzzy's and got a burrito. I was projected for 4 am. I wondered if I was going to be able to sleep until I got my call. I slept about 10 or 11 hours. I got called for the BARLUB. On duty time was 6:45 am. On the way to the depot I had the van stop at Lola's. I got a burrito. The yard crew was building our train. It was 3, 1, and 1. We had to wait a while. The van ran us to the head of our train when it was ready. Our work order said that we had to pick up a car at Nebo-right behind the Marine Base. It was a loaded tanker car and it contained hazmat. We decided to put it after the first 10 cars on our train. I got off and had my engineer pull ahead. I tied 9 brakes and we did a release test. The train moved slightly. I tied two more brakes and that did the trick. I closed the anglecock and made the cut. I had my engineer pull over the swich. I lined the swtich into the siding and dropped the derail. I shoved my engineer back to a hook. I laced the hoses and cut the air in. The anglecock on the rear of the card was open. I closed it and released the brake on the car. I put my air pressure gauge in the hose and opened the anglcock. It read 82 or 83 pounds. Within tolerance. I told my engineer to give me a set. The piston did not come out. We waited a few miutes for the air to charge. On the second try the piston came out. We also did the release. It was a good Class 1. I told my engineer to take it ahead over the swtich. I lined the switch back to the main and restored the derail. I shoved my engineer back to a hook. About this time the rapid respnder showed up in his truck . He had been helping another train and came by. He offered to run me to the head of my train when we were done. He slso told me that the car we picked up had been sitting there about 2 weeks. I released the 11 brakes and the rapid responder ran me to the head end of my train. The rest of the trip went well. They only stopped us a couple of times. I had been on duty for 10 and a half hours when we got to Needles so I was on overtime. I rolled my train by. It was supper time and they were having a barbecue at the depot. I was hungry so I got something to eat. I'm supposed to go out this afternoon. I have attached a pciture of our leader, the 5233.

I got called for the H BARKCK, or the "BARKICK" as we call it. On duty time was 3:20 pm. It was smaller than usual- just over 7,000 feet with 3 engines son the head end and two on the rear. The only track we would fit into at Barstow was Receiver 6. We relieved the inbound crew at East Needles because they were almost DOL. When we got to the Barstow signal they held us there for a while until that track was clear. They brought us into the yard with just two hour left. I tied 3 brakes, cut the power away, and we took it to the house. I had to throw a couple of switches. We had to wait a while for a van. Finally a van showed upa nd took us to our DP. I cut it away. It was facing east. We had to wait for a yard job that was kicking cars in front of us. Finally they were done. The router gave us permission to come out. As luck would have it another KICKBAR was coming in the yard. So I started to to call my engineer by his name to avoild confusion. Since we were facing east, I had to protect the shove. I had to line us into the track in Diesel Service. We tied up just before we were DOL and claimed the RO for getting on our train at East Needles. (It was later denied because we worked overtime, so I forwarded it to my union rep). I slept a couple of hours in the hotel, got up for breakfast, went back to bed, and got called for the H BARTUL. I groaned. When I got down to the depot I found out that we would have to put it together. It was "solo" as we say, (head end power only). Our power was on Ready 5, the front half of our train was in Receiver 8, and the rest of it was in Storage 5. Our power was facing the right direction. I had to throw one switch to get us out of Diesel Service. The router let us use Receiver 9 as a runner. So I was able to check my track list. All of the cars were there. We went over the switch and shoved back. I brought my engineer back to a hook, laced the hoses, and cut the air in. The anglecock on the first car was closed. We called for a van. The van ran me to the rear of the train. The anglecock on the rear of the train was open. I closed it and released 3 brakes. We would have to wait to go to the storage yard as we were frogged in by another train. Finally we had permosson to go. The van ram to out there,but the van swapped with aother van. My flashlight was in the cab of the locomotive, and it was getting cold. I didn't have my carhart on. I had my engneer pull over the swtich, threw the 9 switch, and lined us into storage 5. I brought my engineer back to a hook. I laced the hose and cut the air in. There wre 5 brakes at that end. I released them. I got in the van and checked my track list. The van driver was very hellpful. All of the cars were there. When we got to the rear of the train there was no ETD. My engineer called Mechanical. After about 10 or 15 a man came out 3with an ETD and handed it to me. I hung it and we did the Class III. We were finally ready to go. The van driver ran me to the head of my train, which was behind Megatoms. It took a whkle for me to get there because we wer eblocked by a train for a while. By this time we had been on duty for about 5 hours- due to the fact that: -our power wasn't ready when we came on duty -we were frogged in by anoher train and had to wait -we had no ETD. -it took a whle or the van to get me to the head of the train because we were blocked My engineer pulled up to the signal at East Barstow. They would not let us leave. We had to wiat for Amtrack to go by. Finally they let us move upt to teh Dagget signal. We sat there for a while. We had about 5 hours left on duty when we left Dagget. We might have made it to Needles but they releived us at "Old Fenner." I tied up with just under ten and a half hours on duty and took a SMART Rest. I'm projected to go towork around 5 am California time tomorrow morning on a stack train. I don't want another H train.

I got calle for the S ALTSCO. On duty time was 3:30 pm. My engineer had recenlty moved here from Bakersfield. Our train came in on Yard 2, which is unusual. It was a good trip. When we got to Barstow they told us to tie it down at the Barstow signal on Main 3. There is a grade there. I had to tie 5 handbrakes, but it held. We got in around midnight. I went to bed, got up or the free breakfast at 6am, then went back to bed. Boy, did I sleep! I was at Fuzzy's getting a burrito when I got my call for the Z LACALT. On duty time was 7:10 pm. I got down to the depot early. I was going back with the same engineer. Our train came in before we were on duty. There were no vans to take us to it. The terminal manager gave us a ride. Our train was at the east end of Main 2. We had to climb over another train to get to it. Fortunately my engineer knew the engineer on the train and my engineer texted him to tell him we were on our way. It was a good trip. They only stopped us once. Our work order said that we had to set our our third motor when we got to Needles. This was unusual. We had 4 motors and usually we have to set out the last motor. My engineer had never sone this move before. The outbound came out there to help us. It went pretty smoothly. We parked our motor on Roundhouse 1 as we were told. I'm expectiong to get called any minute.

I got called for a stack train. On duty time was 1:30 am. When I got to the depot I discovered that my engineer and I had been swapped to a grain train. Our work order said that we would have to set out our leader at Barstow. When our train came in the inbound told us that the dynamic brakes on the leader weren't working. It would need dynamic brakes to go on to Bakersfield. We guessed that we would have to add another in Barstow too. It wasn't a bad trip. They brought us into Main 4. They told us to take the leader to the house and grab another motor. We tied the train down and I cut the motor away. We brought it into track 12. I had to throw two switches. We walked over the the "ready side" and found the motor we were to take. Since it was facing the wrong way we had to take it around the balloon. I brought my engineer back to a hook, laced the hoses, and connected the MU cable. . We did the locomotive air brake test. We could not do the 2 way, and my engineer could not go back to the DP in the middle of the train to "condition" the DP and link to it becasue we didn't have a van. We asked the trainmaster and the router if our outbound was coing out to us. They both said that they were on the way. We were williing to help them. Finally, after they had been on duty for 90 ninutes they appeared. They said that no one had told them that we were on the train. They also said that on one gave them the information they needed. We told them that we hadn't done the two way and linked to the DP because they had no van and they said that they would do it. We tied up and I went to the hotel. I tried getting some food from "Fuzzy's" for the first time. I got a chicken and rice burrito. It was pretty good. I slept like a log until 5:30, watched some TV, and then went back to sleep. I was asleep when I got called for the "KCKBAR." I groaned. It was a cold, windy night. I hoped that the yard crew was putting it together. When I got to the depot the trainmaster told me that we would have to put it together. It was "solo" as we say. (head end power only). Our power was in Ready 2. The first half of our train was in I4. The rear half was in D2. We went out to the ready yard and got on our motor. Our consist was facing the wrong way. I had to shove us out of the ready yard. It was dark, and it had started to rain. I had to throw 2 switches. We went around the balloon and used I 3 as a runner. I was able to check all of the cars on my list. They were all there. We went over the switch and I guided my engineer back to a hook. I laced the hoses and cut the air in. There were no brakes at the head end. I had the van run me to the other end and I released 3 brakes. My engineer took the cut over the switch, and I protected the shove from the van. I brought him back to a hook. I laced the hoses and cut the air in. I checked all of the cars while the van ran me to the rear of the train. They were all there. The ETD had been hung. It took a while for the air to come up because it was so cold. When it did we did the Class III and the two way. I released 3 handbrakes and the van took me to the head end of my train. The hard part was done. Our train was ready to go. I had to cross over several tracks to get to my engine. We were ready to go, but it was a while before we stared moving. There was a broken rail ahead. It was really pouring by the time we departed. Fortunately I had missed that. . I had been on duty for over 10 and a half hours before I tied up. They brought us into Main 4 and we were relieved. I rolled my train by and tied up. I have the rest of the day, and all of tomorrow off. I can use it.

I got called for the Q CHISBD. On duty time was 9 pm. We had 4 motors on the head end and 1 on the rear. 2 of the motors on the head end were dead. Our HPT was only 1.5. When we got close to Barstow they told us we would be flipped. The brought us into Main 4 and told us "hold back, we will add another engine to the head end." I wasn't sure if he meant we were oging to add an engine to the head end, so I told him, "We will be DOL in 90 minutes." After a pause the router said the outbound would add the engine. I tied 3 brakes and it held. Our van showed up right away and took us to Needles. I'm projected to go out around 2 am. I barely slept yesterday and I'm tired. No pictures.

I got called for the "Z ALTLAC." On duty time was 8:50 pm Pacific Time. Even though it was a Z train we were ellimited to 55 MPH due to our length. Also, our HPT was only 1.8. Nonetheless, they ran us really well and our trip was only 6 hours. I took a nap when I got to the hotel got up for reakfast, and slept until 1 or so. I grabbed a sandwich from Barstor Burger and went back to bed. I didn't think I would be able to get back to sleep but I did. Boy, did I sleep! I had a long stay in the hotel. (21 hours). I finally got called for the "H KCKBAR" at 11:40 pm. I groaned. I hoped that we wouldn't have to put it together. When I got down to the depot I found out that we had ben switched to the Q LACAT. The KCKBAR was blovcked by another trian and the yard crew hadn't put it goether yet. We had a good trip back. I will probably get called off of my rest tonight. I have attached a picture of our leader, the 4277.

I got called for the S LPKLBE7. Our work order said that we were supposed to split the train in Barstow. On duty time was 3:30 pm. When we got to East Barsstow we were told that we would have to split our train on oour own. It had 3 motors on the head end and two in the middle. A van sowed up to give me a ride to the middle of the train. The rapid responder was there and had dropped off an ETD. The van could not take me to the safe side of the train. I had to cross over two mains to get to it. I tied the brakes on the two motors and then 5 handbrakes. I made the cut and had the engineer pull the first half of the train ahead. I hung the ETD and did the rwo way. The van ran me to the head end. The engineer was nice enough to tie the head end of our train down while I was gone. We grabbed our stuff and the van ran us to the rear train. My engineer got on the lead motor and set it up. The van took us to the hotel. When we got there we had been on duty for 10 and half hours. I looked in my cell phone and saw a deadhead ticket. They were going to flip us home. My engineer said that he was exhausted and didn't want ot ride in a van back to Needles. I was exhausted too. We tied up and checked in the hotel. I slept a couple of hours, went down to breakfast, and slept until about a half hour before I got my call. I got called fo a stack train. On duty time was 3 pm. The trip was uneventful. The next day I got called for another stack train. On duty time was 11:01 am. It was a small train with head end power only. When we got to Barstow they told us to tie it down on Main 1. I only had to tie one brake. The next day I got called for another stack train. On duty time was 11:01 am. I was ready when I got my call. Myself and the other two men in the van all stopped by Lola's for food. On the way to the depot I heard that two trains ran into each other in the storage yard. No one was hurt. It was a routine trip back home. We saw them repairing the damaged track in the storage yard where the accident took place. I took a SMART Rest and I should go out this evening. I have attached a picture of what Cadiz looks like from the conductor's window. We were stopped when I took this picture.

On the 26th I was called for the "U NEEPPH." An ususual symbol. I found out it was a "ballast train." There were some ballast cars in Yard 6. There were two engines on the east end. My engineer and I had to take 2 motors out of the roundhouse and put them on the west end. After the locomotive air brake test we took it to Amboy. A fellow from Herzog got onthe second motor there. We had to go 16 MPH while he dumped ballast using a laptop. Once done, we took the train to Barstow. The next day were deadheaded back to Needles in a van. On the 28th I was called for the "S OMASCO." When I looked at the work order it said that we had to pick up several cars, and some engines. I called the dispatcher and she said that two inbound crews were putting two trains together. A baretable with two motors coupled to the rear of a stack train with one DP and 3 motors on the head end. I had to go to the middle DPs and do the locomotive air brake test. They flipped us home in a van. The next day I got called for the H GALBAR. The work order said that we had to set out 21 cars in the Needles Yard. The first car was 18 cars back. I had my engineer pull ahead. I tied 3 handbrakes, made the cut, had my engineer pull over the swtich, and then shoved him into Yard 6. I was going to ride the shove but the car was not safe to ride. I watched it from the van.I tied 3 brakes, had the van run me up to the head end, and we departed to Needles with 4 hours on duty. We had 2 and a half hours left when they stipped us at Dagget and told us to swap wit a Z train. We took the train into Barstow and we were relieved. For the trip home I got called for the "Q LACATG." On duty time was 11:30 am Pacific Time. It was a routine trip home On the 31st I got called for a stack train. We had a "qualfying engineer." He was an engineer who has been out for a while due to some medeical issues and he wand to refamilarize. For the trip back I got called for the "Q LACCHI" with the same two men. We had 3 motors on the head end, and two on the rear. Our instructions were to set out our number two motor when we got to Needles. Usually we set out the last motor but this time they wanted the second one. This would be more complicated than usual. Also, the outbound was not available because the van was tied up. We started the setout on our own. We got the head motor back to the train, and had started the locomotive air brake test when the oubound showed up and took over. I am now on my rest cycle. It was a busy week.