[HD] Industrial Switching in Vernon - Union Pacific YJY68 J Yard Switcher Chase

Подробнее о видео

Here is a full, comprehensive chase of the UP YJY68 J Yard Switcher performing all of its work, running from J Yard to the LA Times Lead to serve SA Recycling and transferring cars at 4th Street Yard, then on another day working the Alameda Industrial Lead and transferring cars at Weeds Yard.

We begin at UP's Los Angeles 'J' Yard located on the western border of the city of Vernon, as the graffiti-covered UP 1373, a rare GP40P-2, heads lite to switch cars on the north end of the yard. It digs out a single empty gondola for SA Recycling, and crosses over the Alameda Corridor main line to shove into the LA Times Lead. SA Recycling is the last remaining customer on both the LA Times Lead and within Downtown Los Angeles itself, as the LA Times plant closed a couple years ago. This industry is seldom served, making a rare treat as the train traverses a gritty industrial spur with trash and graffiti covering the area.

With the car dropped off at SA, the engine proceeds lite passing CP East Redondo up the Metrolink River Subdivision to 4th Street Yard on the East Bank of the LA River to pick up its next days' cars, meeting LOW10 with the other GP40P-2 leading, number 1375. UP only rosters two of these units, making a rare surprise to have both of them in the same yard simultaneously. The train switches out the north end of 4th Street with the scenic Downtown LA city skyline in the background, and then shoves back to J Yard.

The next day, the J Yard Switcher heads lite down the Alameda Industrial Lead in Vernon longhood forward, showcasing the engine's unique blunt end. A string of hoppers is pulled from Sweetener Products, located down a tight alley of factories and warehouses. Proceeding back to J Yard, the local switches the north end for a few more cars before making a setout at Weeds Yard on the Los Angeles Sub, serving a couple more industries along the way, though these are unfortunately inaccessible to filming.

Once the setout at Weeds is complete, the engine comes back to J Yard lite power to couple onto a set of cars that will be dropped off at Sweetener Products. The train heads down the Alameda again, shoving down the tight alley before cutting away and returning lite to J Yard where it will conclude its work.

The EMD GP40P-2 was originally built for the Southern Pacific in 1974, three of these were bought for the San Francisco Peninsula commuter service between San Francisco and San Jose. The engine differs from the base GP40-2, sporting a flared radiator and an extended carbody that housed a steam generator to power the passenger cars. After Caltrain assumed the commuter operation along the corridor, the three engines were placed into freight service with the steam generators removed. Union Pacific owns 1373 and 1375, while the Indiana Harbor Belt owns the 4010. Thanks for watching!

© 2025 LARailProductions