Western Railroad Discussion > PSR Today (Yuma Sub, SoCal)

Title sounds like "USA Today?"

Maybe someone can start a publication discussing the "merits" of PSR (so-called Precision Scheduled Railroading), or a cult publication worshipping EHH? (E. Hunter Harrison). Parody/satire discussing today's railroading "practices" is certainly appropriate. :-)

I was chasing trains randomly along Union Pacific's Yuma Sub recently, and found some trains symbolic of "PSR." First such train was a Saturday ZLAMQ-ish train (eastbound, 5x2x0) with 718 axles. The day before, I stumbled onto a similar train further east, but I was behind most of the way, and couldn't really choose my location. This one, I caught it descending from Cabazon to Palm Springs, so I headed to Rimlon (SP 598) and got what I wanted, track speed and entire train.

Possible dragging hose near the rear triggered the defect-only detector at SP 599.5, so that's how I found out what the axle count of this long Z train was. ZLAMQ = Los Angeles to Mesquite, TX.

Thanks to mapboy for discussing Yuma Sub trains in this thread:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,6027138

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Later in the day, I stumbled onto a westbound 4x1x0 manifest, MFWLA-ish? (Fort Worth, TX, to East Los Angeles) The leader is UP 9000, SD70ACe, but UP's locomotive numbering practices have rendered class unit = zeros obsolete. FYI, I caught UP 8309, the class unit in Oregon during Winterail 2024.

In the past "kitchen sink" train like this was most likely the MTUWC (Tucson, AZ to West Colton, CA), but it's the first time I've seen a kitchen sink with many Evergreen marine boxes. Throughout the years DIT (Dallas Intermodal Terminal) originating trains carried lots of Evergreen boxes, hence my guess that this originated nearby, at Fort Worth, TX.

Evergreen Marine Corp. = Taiwanese shipping company.

I did not even consider documenting this train crawling up a grade, so I mixed in some location scouting and an ice cream break (check out how inefficient McDonald's have become from their own PSR, data-driven Precision Scheduled Restauranting) before picking a location, at the S curve near Beaumont where the train was already descending.

I had considered time-lapsing the video to make it shorter, but since the entire train fit within 6 minutes, I let it be, so we all can suffer from the agony of watching trains that are too long. But some people should find this train quite interesting.

Years from now, this might become nostalgia, as PSR will change the makeup (and symbols) of trains like this.
 

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The main theme of my visits to the Yuma Sub in 2024 was stalled Long Beach stack trains.

It didn't matter whether they were westbounds or eastbounds, I'd always run into one blocking one main, whether going up Beaumont Hill between Ordway and El Casco, or stopped in midst of the windmills between Garnet and West Palm Springs (west of Amtrak Depot).

Kudos to UP for running more manned helpers again. I saw at least two pairs going up and down Beaumont Hill on this trip. Whether the credit goes to Omaha (doubtful), or frontline managers of the Los Angeles Division, only the insiders know...

In 2025, it seems the un-PSR'ing is done to the often underpowered Long Beach (marine box) stackers. Possible response to the disasters I witnessed in 2024?

In the video, I caught a westbound manned helper set coming to a stop near SP 574 (Cabazon), where the crew waited for 2 eastbounds to pass before crossing over Main 1 --> 2. I found this angle earlier by lazily scouting around while MFWLA-ish train was inching up to Beaumont.

- IDILB-ish stacker, led by pair of GEs later.
- Mid-train DPUs. 2x2x0...
- Video of "light engines" helper.
 

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I'm a sucker for "modern" SD70Ms, especially the rare 52xx-numbered ones, even if not leading. I caught my share of them leading various Z trains before the trains became long enough to require DPUs. I believe SD70Ms, including 52xx ones don't have DPU-capable equipment, so they can only lead trains without DPUs.

I was near West Palm Springs (SP 582-583) to intercept a westbound 5x0 ZMNLA-ish train on Saturday. Wind was strong enough to knock tripods over (which I didn't use), but I almost got knocked over twice - so the entire train is not shown. I got a clean shot of UP 5222, though.

On Sunday, on my way to the airport, I ran into the same consist again, but on a 5x0 easbound Z, UP 5222 still 3rd in consist. Off to Rimlon for track speed and less-PSR-ish train in its entirety. (Symbol unknown)

- Manned helpers on the rear, IDILB-ish train mentioned above.
- Video of UP 5222 in Z trains going west and east.

That's it for "PSR Today."

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The MFWLA became the MFWWC between 5/25 and 5/29/25.  About the same time, the MEPWC became the MEPLA.  I've seen Evergreens and other marine containers on the MFWWC, MTUMC and MTUWC.  I've seen marine and domestic containers on the MTUWC and MTUMC.  After looking at the video... it could have been MFWLA, MTUMC or MTUWC. 

I see Jurassic World is spreading in your light engines video! 

5222 on the eastbound Z fits for the ZLAMN, although this would be the first one I've seen without a mid-train DPU.  I haven't looked at Sunset Route trains since my May report, but things change.  The horde of STG containers was the tipoff.  ZLAMN is by the Salton Sea around 19:00.  The ZLAMQ is in the area close to noon, so I ruled out a ZLAMQ without UPS.  ZLCG2 goes by during the night and usually doesn't have tofc. 

What is the date when you took these? 

mapboy



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/25 21:25 by mapboy.

Good coverage and good guesses on the Z's.    The ZLAMQ usually carries a head end block of autoracks, except on Tuesdays when it has from 70-100 trailers.  

ZLAMN is the last Z, which can be sleuthed by a small mixed headend block then a solid block of greenies (Hub EMP) which is overflow off the Meridian Speedway operated thru Memphis, followed by a solid block of CSX/UMAX/STG/Schneider heading for CSX in Memphis to go thru Nashville.   The Marion ramp block is last which usually has 5-15 trailers.   Westbound ZMNLA usually comes thru Big Sandy in the morning with 3 or sometime 4 on the headend and no DPUs.    The LA to Atlanta (AI) trains usually have solid greenies with a few reefer containers very few Schneiders, and no trailers.  

Perfectly timed picture of 5805.

One of those "caption this" pictures

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Nice videos and coverage!
GK

longliveSP Wrote:
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> Perfectly timed picture of 5805.
>
> One of those "caption this" pictures

Yeah, like the railroads going the way of the extinct dinosaurs....