· Passenger
Amtrak trains 3 and 4, The Southwest Chief, cover this entire route; Pacific Surfliners cover the route between Los Angeles and Fullerton in addition. Southern California’s Metrolink provides various services between Los Angeles, Fullerton, Riverside and San Bernardino.
· Intermodal
There are major intermodal traffic flows carrying imports from Pacific Ocean ports at Los Angeles and Long Beach, to other parts of the country served by the former Santa Fe lines, especially Texas and the Chicago area, with forwarding to other railroads in Chicago and Kansas City. There are also major flows westward from Willow Springs and Corwith yards in the Chicago area to Southern California points carrying package traffic and long-distance hauls for over-the-road carriers. Intermodal traffic has risen from two trains each way in 1975 to 16/18 trains each way on peak days in 1999. JB Hunt trailers started running on ATSF in 1990; 1993 was the start of JB Hunt containers. Schneider’s business moved from the Sunset (or Golden State) Route to BNSF sa a result of the UP service meltdown in 1997/8.
This intermodal traffic runs over the same route as the passenger trains from Los Angeles to the Belen/Albuquerque area of New Mexico. Observation from passing trains suggests that these are the major traffic flows on these lines.
There are five grades of intermodal service on these lines: Z—Expedited (also trains once symbolled with numerals); Q—Guaranteed; P—Priority; T—Standard; and S—Stack. In some lanes, priorities may be different, so that a P-CHISBD may be balanced by a Q-SBDCHI (say).
In 1991/2,
the following Santa Fe trains traveled over route:
198 (and the reverse?) between Chicago and Los Angeles
578 (and the reverse?) between Dallas and Los Angeles
885 (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Houston
893 (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and
Kansas City (Argentine)
QLABH (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Birmingham, AL via Waynoka, OK
QLACH (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Chicago
QLAFW (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Fort Worth
QLANY (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and New York
SLACH (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Chicago
In 1994, the
following Santa Fe trains traveled over this route:
1-698 (and the reverse?) between Amarillo and Los Angeles
9-198 and 9-891 between Chicago (Willow Springs) and Los Angeles (Hobart);
9-398 and 9-893 Kansas City (Argentine) and Los Angeles (Hobart);
9-896 (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles (Hobart) and ??;
P-CHLA (and the reverse?) between Chicago and Los Angeles
P-KCSB (and the reverse?) between
Kansas City (Argentine) and San Bernardino
P-LAME (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Memphis (via Avard, OK to BN)
Q-LAFW and QFWLA between Los Angeles and Fort Worth
Q-LANY and Q-NYLA between Los Angeles and New York City via ConRail connection
at Streator, IL
S-CHLA and S-LACH between Chicago and Los Angeles
S-LBDA (and the reverse?) between Long Beach (Harbor) and Dallas
T-CVLA (and the reverse?) between Clovis and Los Angeles
T-LADA (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Dallas
In 1999, the
following BNSF trains were observed on this route:
BALTLAC5 bare table from Alliance, TX, to Los Angeles
BKCKLAC bare table from Kansas City to Los Angeles
BKCKLAC2 second section bare table from Kansas City to Los Angeles
BKCKLAC5 bare table from
Kansas City to Los Angeles
BNEELAC bare table from Needles to Los Angeles
BNEELAC2 second section bare table from Needles to Los Angeles
BTACLAC5 bare table from Tacoma to Los Angeles (via high line new since UP/SP)
BSEALAC5 bare table from Seattle to Los Angeles (via high line new since UP/SP)
BWINSBD bare table from Winslow, AZ, to Los Angeles
BWSPLAC bare table from Willow Springs to Los Angeles
PCHILAC and PLACCHI between Chicago (Corwith) and Los Angeles
PLACCHI2 and PCHILAC2 second section between Chicago and Los Angeles
PLACNWO and PNWOLAC between Los Angeles and New Orleans (new since UP/SP
merger)
QBIRSBD (and the reverse?) between Birmingham, AL and San Bernardino
QLACALT (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Alliance, TX
QSBDSPM (and the reverse?) between San Bernardino amd Springfield, MO
SHOULAC (and the reverse?) between Houston and Los Angeles
SHOULGB (and the reverse?) between Houston and Long Beach
SLGBCHC3 Sealand (and the reverse?) between Long Beach and Chicago
SLGBCLO6 Sealand (and the reverse?) between Long Beach and Clovis (connects to
Chicago, St. Louis, and points in Texas)
ZALTLAC3 and ZLACALT9 between Alliance, TX and Los Angeles
ZCLOLAC3 (and the reverse?) between Clovis (see above) and Los Angeles
ZKCKLAC9 and ZLACKCK9 (ex 398 and 893) between Argentine and Los Angeles
ZLACMEM9 and ZMEMLAC9 between Memphis and Los Angeles
ZLACMEM2 second section between Los Angeles and Memphis
ZLACNYC9 and ZNYCLAC9 (ex QLANY and QNYLA) to TV-10, from TVLA
ZLACNYC2 second section between Los Angeles and New York City
ZLACWSP9 and ZWSPLAC9 (ex 991 and 199) between Willow Springs and LA
ZLACWSP8 and ZWSPLAC8 second section between Willow Springs and LA
ZLACWSP7 and ZWSPLAC7 third section between Willow Springs and LA
ZSBDWSP4 (and the reverse?) between San
Bernardino and Willow Springs
ZSBDWSP5 second section (and the reverse?) San Bernardino and Willow Springs
In 1999, the
following UP trains were observed on this route:
IG2LA (and the reverse?) between Global 2 at Proviso (Chicago) and Los Angeles
ILASC (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City
ZAPLA and ZLAAP, APL trains between Global 1 at Proviso and Los Angeles
ZLADV (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Denver
ZNPLA (and the
reverse?) between North Platte and Los Angeles
In 1999, UP traffic has not recovered from the 1997/98 congestion. In 1997, UP rerouted some Chicago and Kansas City intermodals from the Salt Lake route to the Golden State route.
In 1999, the
following UP trains traveled over the Palmdale Cutoff:
IBRCI and ICIBR Swift Roadrailers, bi-weekly, Brooklyn and City of Industry
IWSMN (and the reverse?) between Warm Springs (San Jose) & Marion, AR
(Memphis)
ZLTMN (and the reverse?) between Lathrop and Marion, AR (Memphis)
In 2004-5, the
following BNSF trains ran over this line (some of them in multiple sections):
Z-KCKSBD (and the reverse?) between
Kansas City (Argentine) and San Bernardino
Z-LACALT (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Alliance, TX
Z-LACKCK and Z-KCKLAC between Los Angeles
and
Kansas City (Argentine)
Z-MEMSBD and Z-SBDMEM between Memphis and San Bernardino
Z-NYCLAC and Z-LACNYC between New York
City (CSX/NS) and Los Angeles
Z-SBDALT and Z-ALTSBD between San
Bernardino and Alliance, TX
Z-WSPLAC and Z-LACWSP between
Willow Springs (Chicago) and Los Angeles
Z-WSPSBD and Z-SBDWSP between Willow
Springs (Chicago) and
San Bernardino
P-CHILAC and P-LACCHI between Chicago (Corwith) and Los Angeles
P-CHISBD (and the reverse?) between Chicago (Corwith) and San Bernardino
P-CLOWAT (and the reverse?) between Clovis, NM, and Watson, CA
[also carries auto carriers]
P-LACCHF (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Chicago (59th Street CSX)
P-LACNWO and P-NWOLAC between Los Angeles and New Orleans
P-MEMLAC (and the reverse?) between
Memphis and Los Angeles
P-PHXCHI (and the reverse?) between Phoenix and Chicago (Corwith)
Q-ALTLAC (and the reverse?) between
Alliance, TX, and
Los Angeles
Q-CHILAC (and the reverse?) between
Chicago (Corwith) and
Los Angeles
Q-CLOLAC (and the reverse?) between
Clovis, NM, and
Los Angeles
Q-LACAUG and Q-AUGLAC between
Los Angeles and Austell, GA
Q-LACMEM (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles and Memphis
Q-LACLPC (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles and
Logistics Park, IL
Q-LACATG and Q-ATGLAC between Los Angeles and Atlanta, GA
Q-LACWSP (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles and Willow Springs (Chicago)
Q-NYCLAC and Q-LACNYC between New
York City (CSX/NS) and Los Angeles
Q-SBDCHI (and the reverse?) between
San Bernardino and Chicago (Corwith)
Q-SBDKCK (and the reverse?) between
San Bernardino and Argentine
Q-SBDMEM and Q-MEMSBD between San Bernardino and
Memphis
Q-WSPSBD (and the reverse?) between
Willow Springs (Chicago) and San Bernardino
S-CWSLBP (and the reverse?)
between Chicago Western Avenue and Long Beach (COSCO)
S-FTMLAC (and the reverse?) between
Fort Madison, IA, and Los Angeles
S-FTMLBT (and the reverse?) between
Fort Madison, IA, and Long Beach (Pier T, Hanjin)
S-HOULAC (and the reverse?) between Houston and Los Angeles
S-KCKLAC (and the reverse?) between
Argentine and Los Angeles
S-LBACHI (and the reverse?) between
Long Beach (APL) and Chicago (Corwith)
S-LBACLO (and the reverse?) between
Long Beach (APL) and Clovis, NM
S-LBPCHI (and the reverse?) between
Long Beach (COSCO) and Chicago (Corwith)
S-LBTCHI (and the reverse?) between
Long Beach (Pier T, Hanjin) and Chicago (Corwith)
S-LBTLPC and S-LPCLBT between Long Beach (Pier T, Hanjin) and Logistics
Park, IL
S-LHAAUG (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles Harbor (Pier 400) and Austell, GA
S-LHACHI (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles Harbor (Pier 400) and Chicago
S-LHALPC (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles Harbor (Pier 400) and
Logistics Park, IL
S-LHAPTR and S-PTRLHA between Los Angeles Harbor (Pier 400) and Houston (PTRA)
S-LHTCHI (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles Harbor (TICTF) and Chicago
S-LHTCLO (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles Harbor (TICTF) and Clovis, NM
S-LHTKCK (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles Harbor (TICTF) and Argentine
S-LHWCHI (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles Harbor (West Basin) and Chicago
S-LHWNWO (and the reverse?) between
Los Angeles Harbor (West Basin) and New Orleans
S-LPCLHT (and the reverse?) between
Logistics Park, IL and Los Angeles Harbor (TICTF)
S-LPCLHW (and the reverse?) between
Logistics Park, IL and LA Harbor (West Basin)
S-MEMOIG (and the reverse?) between
Memphis and Oakland International Gateway
S-MEMWAT (and the reverse?) between
Memphis and Watson, CA
B-PEALAC between Pearland, TX (Houston), and Los Angeles
B-SBDWSP between San Bernardino and
Willow Springs (Chicago)
In 2007, the following UP trains were observed in this
line:
Z-LADV (and the reverse?) between Los
Angeles and Denver
In 2009, the following BNSF trains ran over this line (some in multiple sections)
| Z-LACATG | Los Angeles | Atlanta | |
| Z-LACNYC | Z-NYCLAC | Los Angeles | New York City |
| Z-LACWSP | Z-WSPLAC | Los Angeles | Willow Springs (Chi.) |
| Z-SBDALT | Z-ALTSBD | San Bernardino | Alliance, TX |
| Z-SBDWSP | Z-WSPSBD | San Bernardino | Willow Springs (Chi.) |
| Z-ALTLAC | Los Angeles | Alliance, TX | |
| Z-ALTSTO | Stockton | Alliance, TX | |
| Z-CHIPHX | Phoenix | Chicago | |
| Z-CLOPHX | Phoenix | Clovis | |
| Z-KCKLAC | Los Angeles | Argentine, KS | |
| Z-KCKSBD | San Bernardino | Argentine, KS | |
| Z-KCKSBD | San Bernardino | Argentine, KS | |
| Z-MEMLAC | Los Angeles | Memphis |
| Q-LACBIR | Los Angeles | Birmingham | |
| Q-LACCHI | Q-CHILAC | Los Angeles | Chicago |
| Q-LACMEM | Los Angeles | Memphis | |
| Q-LACNYC | Q-NYCLAC | Los Angeles | New York City |
| Q-LACPEA | Los Angeles | Pearland, TX | |
| Q-LBACLO | Long Beach, Pier A | Clovis | |
| Q-LBALPC | Long Beach, Pier A | Logistics Park, Chicago | |
| Q-LBTLPC | Long Beach, Pier T | Logistics Park, Chicago | |
| Q-LHACLO | LA Harbor, Pier 400 | Clovis | |
| Q-LHALPC | LA Harbor, Pier 401 | Logistics Park, Chicago | |
| Q-SBDCHI | Q-CHISBD | San Bernardino | Chicago |
| S-LBLCHI | Long Beach, LBCT | Chicago | |
| S-LHACHI | LA Harbor, Pier 400 | Chicago | |
| S-LHTLDR | LA Harbor, TICTF | ? | |
| S-LHWCHI | LA Harbor, West Basin | Chicago |
| Q-ALTLAC | Los Angeles | Alliance, TX | |
| Q-ATGLAC | Los Angeles | Atlanta | |
| Q-LPCLAC | Los Angeles | Logistics Park, ChIcago | |
| S-CHISCO | Thenard (LA Harbor) | Chicago | |
| S-CLOSCO | Thenard (LA Harbor) | Clovis | |
| S-HOULAC | Los Angeles | Houston | |
| S-HOUSCO | Thenard (LA Harbor) | Houston | |
| S-KCKSCO | Thenard (LA Harbor) | Argentine, KS | |
| S-LPCLBG | Long Beach? | Logistics Park, ChIcago | |
| S-LPCLBL | Long Beach, LBCT | Logistics Park, ChIcago | |
| S-LPCTMI | Terminal Island | Logistics Park, ChIcago | |
| S-PTRLHA | LA Harbor, Pier 400 | Port Arthur, TX |
| B-BARBWW | Barstow | Brownswood |
| B-ESSSBD | San Bernardino | ? |
· Coal
In 1995, UP ran coal trains between Utah points and LA Harbor.
· Steel
In 1999,
imported steel is loaded onto rail cars at Kaiser Yard and travels on local
LSCA121
U-KAIPIT is a BNSF unit train of imported steel coil from Kaiser Yard to Pittsburg,
CA
In 2004, the following BNSF trains were observed on this
route:
U-PUESBD, rail, between Pueblo and San Bernardino
In 2007, the
following BNSF trains were observed on this route:
occasional unit trains of steel
coil
UKAIPIT is a unit train of imported steel coil from Kaiser Yard to Pittsburg,
CA
· Automotive
Automotive traffic into Southern California from the midwest runs into a major automotive yard in San Bernardino, just west of the passenger stations. Much of this traffic enters the former Santa Fe line in central Illinois, via connections from the Detroit area, but major portions of it also originate in Kansas City.
The following
Santa Fe trains were observed in 1994 on this segment:
V-CHLA (and the reverse?) between Chicago and Los Angeles
In 1994/5,
the following SP trains traveled over the Palmdale Cutoff:
KCOAF (and the reverse), dedicated auto rack trains between Kansas City and
Oakland
In 1999, the
following BNSF trains were observed on this route:
VBARSDG3 (and the reverse?) between Barstow and San Diego
VBARSDG4 (and the reverse?) between Barstow and San Diego
VLACCHC (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Chicago (Cicero Yard)
VLACCHC3 second section (and the reverse?) between Los Angeles and Chicago
VMCILAC8 (and the reverse?) between IHB Gibson Yard, IN, to Los Angeles
In 1999, the
following UP trains were observed on this route:
ANPLA (and the reverse?) between North Platte and Los Angeles
ANPML (and the reverse?) between North Platte and Mira Loma
Ford Autos from KC to ML were rerouted onto the Golden State route in 1999
In 2004, the following BNSF trains were observed on this
route:
V-MCISBD and V-SBDMCI between McCook, IL (for
IHB), and San Bernardino
In 2009, the following BNSF trains ran over this line:
| V-SDGCLO | San Diego | Clovis | |
| V-SBDBLU | San Bernardino | Blue Island, IL |
· Grain
In 1992/3, there were grain deliveries to the Cargill facility at Verdemont.
For many years, SP ran seasonal Beet trains north from Imperial Valley to Central Valley processing plants over the Palmdale Cutoff.
In 2004, the following trains were observed on this route:
G-ISISWA between Island Park, IA, and Swanson, CA
G-LINSWA between Lincoln, NE and Swanson, CA
X-SWAEDU between Swanson, CA, and East Dubuque, IA
In 2009, the following BNSF trains ran over this line:
| X-WATMMX | Watson, CA | Mendota, TX | |
| G-HTISWA | Swanson, CA | Hinton, IA |
· Chemicals
UP (and earlier SP) carried Potash, etc., received at Mojave from Trona Railway on manifests over the Palmdale cutoff, such as MSTWC (in 1999)
In 1999, chemical hoppers ran on the following BNSF trains: MWATBAR, and chemical containers traveled on the following BNSF intermodal trainss: PNWOLAC; SHOULGB
· Oil and other tanks
In 1999, vegetable oil tank cars travel loaded on UP’s MNPWC and empty on MWCNP between North Platte and West Colton.
In 2004, the following BNSF trains were observed on this
route:
X-ABEWAT and X-WATABE, ethanol (w.)/empty (e.) tank cars between Aberdeen, SD,
and Watson, CA, every four days
· General Merchandise
There are two grades of Santa Fe general merchandise manifest service on these lines: H—Priority Manifest; M—Standard Manifest.
In 1999, the
following BNSF trains were observed on this route:
MBARLAC and MLACBAR between Barstow and Los Angeles (Hobart)
MBARLAC2 and MLACBAR2 second section of the above, 12 hours later
MBARSDG and MSDGBAR between Barstow and San Diego
MBARWAT and MWATBAR between Barstow and Watson Yard (LA/LB Harbor)
MBARWCL and MWCLBAR between Barstow and UP’s West Colton Yard
In 1999, the
following UP trains were observed on this route:
MNPWC and MWCNP between North Platte and
West Colton (change since merger)
MPCWC and MWCPC between Pocatello and West Colton (change since merger)
In 1990/91,
SP manifests on the Palmdale Cutoff included:
EUESM (and the reverse?) between Eugene and East St. Louis (Alton & Southern
Yard)
WCEUM (and the reverse?) between West Colton and Eugene
In 1994/5,
the following SP trains (among others?) traveled over the Palmdale Cutoff:
EUWCM and WCEUM between Eugene and West Colton
EUWCQ and WCEUQ between Eugene and West Colton
RVHOM (and the reverse?) between
Roseville and Houston
RVWCQ (and the reverse?) between Roseville and West Colton
SARVM (and the reverse?) between San Antonio and Roseville
WCBNM (and the reverse?) between West Colton and points on the Burlington
Northern
WCPTM (and the reverse?) between West Colton and Portland
WCRVM (and the reverse?) between West Colton and Roseville
In 1999, the
following UP trains (among others?) traveled over the Palmdale Cutoff:
MEUWC and MWCEU between Eugene and West Colton, mostly lumber traffic
MPDWC and MWCPD between Portland and West Colton, mostly lumber traffic
MSTWC and MWCST between Stockton and
West Colton
· Local Peddlers
In 1999, the
following BNSF trains were observed on this route:
LSCA111 and LSCA121 (Barstow to Kaiser Yard local and the reverse)
In 1999, the
following UP trains were observed on this route:
LJY55 and LJY54 (Yermo to West Colton
and the reverse)