It was a sunny and pleasant day on May 12, 2026. After visiting with friend Paul Beverung, several of us decided to set up at a private crossing (with permission) on the UP’s Baird Subdivision about a mile west of his ranch. A local hawk joined us and perched on the nearby PTC radio antenna.
Cameras and phones were ready at 1:05 pm when a westbound auto rack train rolled by led by two old SD70M’s with flared radiators.
We were treated to some variety when the hot ZAILA (Atlanta Intermodal to Los Angeles) rolled through at 1:59 pm with a NS SD70ACe leading a second NS unit followed by three UP units.
The radio let us know we would be treated to a third different Class One railroad leader in the form of a CSX EH44AC heading up a unit gas pipe train at 3:27 pm.
Now we cycled back to two UP leaders and a UP DPU powering a long merchandise train westbound at 3:59 pm.
We were very happy to have caught three different Class One locomotives leading three consecutive trains. All we were missing would have been three more trains with BNSF, CPKC and CP locomotives on the point!
