The summit of Cajon Pass, a spot the railroad inexplicably calls "Summit", sits 3,775-feet above sea level. The day after a massive snowstorm hit the area, dropping snow at elevations around 1,000-feet, BNSF Railway train Q-LACFTM1-25L has gotten to the top of the hill, and in the process found bright sunshine, unlike the rest of "the Pass" that is still experiencing snow flurries. This Guaranteed Service Intermodal train (94 loaded cars, weighing 6,508 tons and 8,951-feet in length) originated in Los Angeles CA and is bound for Fort Madison IA. Thanks to a storm-caused power outage at BNSF's Hobart Yard the night before, this train was already over four hours late departing LA. Engineer Mooney and conductor Davis will have no problems, though, the rest of the way to Barstow, where a new crew will take over. This train has a visitor from above the 49th Parallel as well, with BNSF ET44C4 3818 teamed with ES44C4s 7970 and 6827, ES44AC 5921, Dash 9-44CW 5297 and Canadian Pacific AC44C6M 8068 (CP calls these rebuilt AC4400CWs "AC4400CWM" and classes them as DRF-44, and this particular diesel is the former CP 9527). Curiously, the BNSF computer listed CP 8068 as a "GP38-2"! (Cajon Pass, California – February 26, 2023)
Landscape photography is difficult due to the challenge of combining good light and good scenery. Good railroad photography enters another level of complexity since it requires the first two while there is a train in view.
