Union Pacific Roseville Subdivision Action

Here's the day: Sunday morning, Mother's Day, 2026. After enjoying an amazing breakfast of "Prime Rib and Eggs" at Granite Rock Grill, located in Rocklin, CA... what better way to burn off a few calories than enjoy some Sunday morning railfanning? Union Pacific Railroad's mainline east, the Roseville Subdivision, runs just behind the restaurant, which makes both life and railfanning convienient.

Photo: It's 08:44, Sunday morning, May 10, 2026 and U.P. #8155 leads MRVNP east at M.P. 110, approaching the Farron St. crossing, in Rocklin, CA. This milepost marks the beginning of the grade, that will take the Roseville Subdivision east over Donner Pass, and to the train's destination of North Platte, NE,, over 1,200 miles to the east. Today's weather was perfect for railfanning!

Photo: There were two DPUs near the end of the train, as this manifest was well over a mile long. The Roseville Subdivision has a ruling grade of 2%, near Midas, so ample power is needed.

Photo: A little over an hour later, a eastbound local backed out of the nearby Roseville yard on the #1 track, and stopped just short of the Farron St. crossing, at M.P. 110.17. The crew - brakeman and conductor - got off the tank car and stood by the tracks, chit chatting. I waited, assuming they were waiting for a westbound train to clear, so they could work one of the industries to the east.

I did some research and I determined this train was Roseville Yard Job YRV16, which is called nearly every day to work the industries east to Auburn. Since there isn't a wye track, it's a east back-up ride up the #1 track for the crew to work the industries. When the work is complete, the train will head back to Roseville yard using the #1 track, which normally is the westbound track.

Photo: At 10:54, the scheduled westbound light engine movement appeared in the form of ESPRVH, moving four units from Sparks to Roseville. The units are just about ready to cross from the #1 to the #2 track, as YRV16 has the #1 track occupied.

Photo: After the engine movement had cleared, the crew jumped on the tank car, as the engineer slowly backed the train east. The crew seemed to be in a great mood, as we exchanged pleasantries as they passed by.

Photo: U.P. #9919 backs YRV16 east on westbound #1 track, just past the Farron St. crossing, M.P. 110.17 in Rocklin, CA. They're most likely going to be working the lumber yard in Newcastle, or perhaps the petroleum distributor in Auburn.

This little adventure wasn't planned in advance, as it simply happened... I'm always interested in photographing the action on Union Pacific Railroad's Roseville Subdivision.