Special Leaders on the UP

Over the past summer , Union Pacific trains have had several unique leading locomotives that have come in and out of the Los Angeles basin. This video is a compilation of these exceptional trains from spectacular settings all around the Southern California area. You will see rare leaders such as a KCSdeM SD70ACe, the Lackawanna heritage unit NS 1074, the CNW heritage unit UP 1995, a nowadays rare UP leader still carrying its SP paint, and rarest of all, a UP SD70ACe Tier IV.

Ironically, the Tier IV ACes are the newest power on Union Pacific but due to their lack of reliability, they have been virtually non-existent in the SoCal area with the times that they have led in the past 9 months almost countable on one hand. Suffice it to say, a Tier IV ACe leader is a unique treat and RailfanJunction now has two videos showcasing this power!

UP 3038, a Tier IV Ace leading train KG3LB, made for a remarkable chase from just south of Las Vegas, NV all the way through the High Desert of California with no other railfans in sight. Part of this exclusive chase shows it winding through Afton Canyon past the remains of a recent coal train derailment, with the scene shot with multiple cameras. The chase was especially exciting as we raced the train and clouds down to Daggett, only for there to be no green waiting for the train.

After 3 hours of watching clouds build in and fully expecting the train to leave in shadows, a small hole in the cloud cover appeared. With a flashing yellow, the train quickly exited Union Pacific's LA&SL line and entered BNSF rails for a rare Tier IV ACe trip down Cajon Pass. Be sure to pay close attention to the plume of smoke coming from the train in the views from Bryman and Oro Grande- that smoke is spewing from what is supposed to be the latest in clean air technology to reduce locomotive pollution!


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Canon 7D Mark II - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Canon 5D Mark III - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 Tripod - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...

I use hexagonal plates for my tripod mounts, though your usage may vary with those

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Canon XHA-1S - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Bogen 3040 Video Tripod - No link, but it's relatively easy to find on eBay for about $150

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ATCS Monitor - https://groups.io/g/ATCSMonitor
Uniden Bearcat BC245XLT - https://wiki.radioreference.com/index...
Final Cut Pro X - https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/