The Nocturnal Railroad. Railfanning the San Diego & Imperial Valley

About 2-3 days a week in the wee hours of the morning a most unusual sound can be heard in the cities of National City and Chula Vista. The sound of a freight train on the MTS trolley line! This is the sound of the San Diego & Imperial Valley railroad, a Genesee & Wyoming owned shortline railroad that operates on the MTS Blue and Orange lines after trolley services have come to an end. The railroad's primary function is to shuttle cars between the BNSF in San Diego and the Baja California Railroad in Tijuana on the Blue Line, however a local also operates on the Orange Line to La Mesa and El Cajon to switch out local industries. Come along as we follow the SD&IV's Blue Line freight train at various locations throughout the South Bay.

July 27
Shot 1: The southbound manifest rolls through the Palm Ave. trolley station led by SD&IV 3GS21B Genset #702 and Arizona and California GP40-3 #3112.

Shot 2: Having delivered it's train to the Baja California Railroad, 3112 runs through the E St. station in Chula Vista with a killer RS3L as it returns light to downtown San Diego.

July 28
Shot 3: An MTS highrailer slowly rolls through the Beyer Blvd. station in San Ysidro carrying an MTS crew back to the main trolley yard in downtown

July 31
Shot 4: Running long hood forward, 3112 crosses Beardsley St. in Barrio Logan as it leads the southbound freight out of downtown.

Shot 5: 3112 knocks down the green and kicks up a bunch of trash at the Iris Ave. station with just a mile left before it finishes its short run.

August 21
Shot 6: 702 & 3112 cross Beyer Blvd. with the southbound freight as it pulls into the San Ysidro yard.

Shot 7: The two locomotives re-position to the front of the northbound freight after uncoupling from the train they just brought in.

Shot 8: With that awesome RS3L blazing, the two engines lead the northbound freight through the Palomar St. station in Chula Vista

Shot 9: The train slowly crawls through the Barrio Logan station as it enters the downtown yard.