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I began my Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 07:00 in the morning, at Lincoln Regional Airport, LHM, as the City of Lincoln was showcasing the airport in the annual Wings and Wheels event. The event included general and military aircraft on display, small fair shows, law enforcement displays, vintage cars and truck, along with a great selection of food trucks and trailers. It all was great, but by early afternoon, it was time to head over to the nearby Union Pacific Railroad Valley Subdivision to catch a freight train or two. I decided to spend the remainder of the afternoon at Ewing, milepost 121.0, just south of Brock.
Photo: Today I chose to set up shop at the north end of Ewing, Mile Post 121.0, just south of the south end of Brock, at Mile Post 121.6. I arrived a little after 14:00 in the afternoon, and at 15:10 I was rewarded with U.P. #9566, leading the southbound Z-Train, ZBRLC-28. This train was in a hurry, as it thundered by me at 60 mph, which is the top end of track speed for this section of railroad. To my utter surprise, near the end of the train, acting as the solitary DPU was #1111, the specially painted "Employee Pride Unit." Unfortunately, I wasn't able to grab a clear photo of this unit, as it was totally unexpected. Why didn't they put it on the point?
Photo: The tail ends rolls south, crossing over Chamberlain Rd., crossing at mile 121.04. Ewing station is an abandoned siding, complete with a couple of abandoned stub sidings from a long-closed cement operation. This is located along Lincoln-Wheatland Road, about five miles north of Lincoln, CA, in still-rural Placer County, but with subdivision just a few miles away, and enchroaching upon the rural serenity.
Photo: My second train came through twenty minutes later, at 15:32, as it heads south at the south end of Brock station. Note the switch and the very unused track that mark the north end of Ewing station. Thanks to the 95-degree weather, the heat rays distorted the telephoto shot, which made for an interesting artistic effect.
Photo: At 15:32, U.P. #7959 leads a southbound manifest heading into Mile Post 121.0. I "think" this train was MNPFR, as it was long, had three DPUs in the middle, and it had a little bit of everything.
Photo: The last car of the train, a Ferromex high-cube boxcar clears the grade crossing at Chamberlain Rd. The abandoned house track at Ewing is divided by a pile of ballast, complete with an "End of Track" sign.
Photo: I was considering leaving, as an early dinner was calling, but the Yellow-over-Yellow aspect at Brock came on, indicating a northbound train was on the way. At 16:08, U.P. #5622 appeared, leading a northbound manifest, complete with quite a few grain cars near the head end. Could this be the MFRSP? Note the abandoned house track, and severed sub switches which served the long-closed cement plant once located at Ewing. #5622 is photographed about to cross Chamberlain Rd at Mile Post 121.04.
Photo: End of train, as the manifest heads north to Brock, and ultimately over the Canyon Subdivision on it's way to Sparks. After this train passed, I figured the action was over, and I headed into Lincoln to enjoy dinner at Hops and Hogs. It turned out there was more action to enjoy...
Photo: I left the restaurant about 17:00 and I was just getting into my truck, when I heard railroad action happening. I was parked on Lincoln Blvd. between 5th and 6th streets, and the tracks parallel the street through town. I couldn't see the tracks from where I was parked, thanks to buildings in the way, but I could tell it was southbound, which was the direction I was headed, so I decided to give it a try. I got lucky and breezed through most of the lights in town. Also, the train was going very slowly, as it's destination was J.R. Davis yard in Roseville, so luck was on my side. I actually arrived at the north end of Sunset Whitney ten minutes before the train, so I had plenty of time to set up shop. I set up shop at Athens Ave. crossing, at Mile Post 113.1, about a fifty feet north of the north signal at Sunset Whitney. Athens Ave. is quite busy on late Saturday afternoons, as Thunder Valley Casino is located nearby, making both Athens Ave. and Industrial Blvd. - which parallels the tracks - busy.
Photo: The heat rays distort the photo, as the train rounds the curve near the south side of the City of Lincoln, with the Sierra Nevada foothills in the distance. The traffic on parallel Industrial Blvd. will soon be affected by this train, as it took nearly five minutes to pass. They didn't seem to be in any hurry to get into the yard at nearby Roseville.
Photo: At 17:18 in the afternoon, U.P. #8555 prepares to cross Athens Ave. leading a northbound manifest, and through the station at Sunset Whitney. I'm not at all certain of this train symbol... MPDRV? It had quite a few grain cars, chemical tankers and box cars.
Photo: This late afternoon manifest has just crossed the north switch at Sunset Whitney and is headed into the yard at Roseville.
Photo: The last car clears Athens Ave. and is just about ready to cross the north switch at Sunset Whitney. This train was slow, as it took five minutes to roll by, and it created quite a block of folks on Industrial Blvd. who wanted to cross Athens Ave. so they could try their luck at nearby Thunder Valley Casino. Look to the left and you can see some of the traffic stuck on Industrial Blvd. wanting to make a left turn on to Athens Ave. which is blocked by the train. Saturday action on the Valley Subdivision can be hit or miss, and today, I truly hit the railfan jackpot, as I was able to photograph four trains during the course of the afternoon, which rates as an excellent number for the Valley Subdivision. Although I didn't net a usable photo of her, it was a treat to see Union Pacific #1111, the "Employee Pride Unit," acting as a DPU near the rear of ZBRLC-28. I wish they would have put her on the point! Saturday afternoon, August 29, 2026 proved to be a great time to enjoy Union Pacific Railroad Valley Subdivision action. Union Pacific Railroad Copyright(c) 2026 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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