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SP 8380 East arrives into Tucson with a WCHOM train and parks next to an Ex-Southern SD45 3155 on lease to the SP in March 1989.

Cotton Belt (SSW) 9630 east leads the WCHOM-5 manifest up Beaumont Hill with SP 8568, Rio Grande 3068 and SP 7272.

SP 7828 East departs Tucson under a colorful rainbow with a "rainbow" consist. The consist includes MP 3051, HL (MP) 2057, VMV Paducah 6673 and SP 7485 on train symbol WCHOM in October 1988.

SP 7943 leads two sets of GP40-2 and TEBU (tractive effort booster units) into Tucson with the Nogales local. The consist: SP 7943, SP 1605, SP 7942, SP 7949, SP 1604, and SP 7954. The sets were popular assignments on Tucson locals in 1984 before being transferred up to Oregon.

SP 9333 West powers the BSMFF as it meets SSW (Cotton Belt) 8091 East with the LBEST at Mescal in the late afternoon of March 1998.

SP 8266 East leads the LBCHT double stack up Beaumont Hill through San Timoteo Canyon in March 1990.

SSW (Cotton Belt) 9371 is the point helper waiting as SP 8270 West comes onto the double track at Beaumont, CA in November 1985.

SP 8266 West leads seven units on the hot BSMFF "Blue Streak" at Chamiso, AZ under crystal clear December skies in 1987. The train is just east of the summit at Mescal and will soon be in Tucson for a crew change.

The quintessential SP photo of the Sunset Route. Cotton Belt 9712 East roars over the Cienega Creek Bridge with the LBHOT-16. Units SSW 9714, SP 6869 and SSW 9653 round out the consist as the high priority double stack train goes the wrong way up the westbound #2 track as no westbound are approaching Mescal summit in March 1995.

SP 3846, SP 1500, and SP 1502 are heading to the Colton engine facility after bringing an eastbound local freight to the yard. Meanwhile, SSW (Cotton Belt) 4142 leads an impressive consist on the WCLAY with SP 7640 and 6 SD7's: 1530, 1536, 1509, 1542, 1537, and 1517. Capturing 8 SD7's in one photo made this a memorable day in June 1985.

SP snoot 8350 is the lead helper along with SSW (Cotton Belt) 7777, NHL (BN) 6466 and SP 7278 on the HOWCM as it passes the iconic coaling tower at Mescal in November 1987.

SP 9346 West leads SP 7500, SP 8992 and SP 9172 through the horseshoe curve at Caliente in Tehachapi Pass. The train is the WCEUY also know as the Eugene empties in March 1985.

SP 9192 East leads the WCHOM-13 into the morning sun at the Redlands crossovers in November 1985. Many merger units were on the point of trains in anticipation of the SP-SF merger being approved.

A Severe weather alert got me out of bed and raced down to the SP yard in Tucson. A large thunderstorm was approaching from the west. I grabbed my camera and quickly setup the tripod and tripped the shutter and just watched lightning bolts explode from the sky. As the storm got closer and the thunder got much louder, it was time to close the shutter and make a sprint to the truck before torrential rain and hail hit. This is one of my favorite train/lightning photos I've taken over the years. Note the CP 5901 visiting from the north in the engine facility.

SP 7516 West leads the KCPXM-15 (Kansas City-Phoenix Manifest) over the Cienega Creek bridge with a colorful consist of CSX, MPI and SP units in beautiful late afternoon storm light.

SP SD45T-2 9305 and UP GP30 713 sit side by side at the SP Los Angeles Taylor yard. The SP 9305 is about to depart up the coast to San Francisco and the UP 713 is on a transfer job.

SP 9612 East departs Tucson under stormy skies with a manifest train.

Brand new SP 8028, 8029, 8030, 8031 lead the LANTA (Los Angeles-North Texas Autos) through the summit at Mescal, AZ on a beautiful October 1987 morning.

Colorful rainbow consist were very common on the former SP in Tucson. Take this example of SP 7302 East with NS 6635, CNW 8810 and UP 3722 on a double stack.

I had opportunity to visit the NRE plant in 2019. Here is SP Tunnel Motor 9273 in on elf the many long storage lines of units.