Western Railroad Discussion > A Very Long Hopper Train Through Pomona, CA 8.07.07

Hello. I caught this one headed Westbound through Pomona, California at 3:30 Tuesday afternoon and it definitely was a sight to see, especially as it was just the 3 engines and all those hoppers in the consist. The lead engine was UP 6647, second was UP 7043 and the third unit I did not get the number of as I was too busy gawking and using the older Problem Child camera I had with again. If you may would someone please enlighten me as to what the train was and why all the hoppers in one consist? Thank you.

GP30

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Looks like the Trona train

cs16 Wrote:
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> Looks like the Trona train

Exactly what I thought upon seeing the AJPX reporting marks on the 4650cf-type covered hoppers: trona, borax, borate, etc. The lime-like weathering kind of give that away. Excellent train; good business for U.P. and Trona Railway.

Yes, it's the export train for Long Beach from the Trona (soda ash, I think). Symbol is (usually) OTRLB. They seem to be running more often as of late...


AM

Any idea which terminal they export from? Thanks in advance.

The museum in Trona, CA, was selling HO hopper cars decaled with the red logo several years ago.

The La Mesa Model Railroad Club was given a bunch of these cars several years ago, and we occasionally run a 38-car train of them on the layout. A pretty unusual move over Tehachapi, but it looks neat.

Winston Hill

winstonhill Wrote:
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> The La Mesa Model Railroad Club was given a bunch
> of these cars several years ago, and we
> occasionally run a 38-car train of them on the
> layout. A pretty unusual move over Tehachapi, but
> it looks neat.
>
> Winston Hill

You can always think of those "unusual" moves as Trona Co. selling their bulk commodity to some firm up north (in Canada, perhaps?) for farm use. ("There's always a way..." to explain model train movements, no matter what kind.)

efisp Wrote:
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> Any idea which terminal they export from? Thanks
> in advance.

Traditionally these have been shipped out of Metropolitan Stevedore in Long Beach.
—Mac

Ok, they have to take the long way around to Long Beach, sucks Metrolink can't squeeze him over the SAugus line because of the weight! The Long Beach Coal Trains SP ran had to do the same thing!

So, how long WAS it?
-Wes