image003-Victorville
Union Pacific in Victorville, California, March 1982
My 1982 Air National Guard "summer camp" was a deployment to George AFB in Victorville, California in support of Gallant Eagle 1982 in March and April.
It turned out to be a vacation for which I got military leave from my civilian job at McClellan AFB, so my regular full pay, plus my E-5 pay from the Guard.
And, I worked maintenance standby on grave shift, so, unless something broke, we pretty much slept in the shop van and had the days to do what we wanted.
I drove my VW bug to Victorville, so I had transportation and, since Victorville is at the east end of Cajon Pass, I spent most days doing at least some railfanning.
Not a bad deal at all!
Early on in the deployment, perhaps the day I arrived, I saw a couple of Union Pacific trans at the Southwest Portland Cement plant at Victorville. UP 3540 led a pig train that ran around UP 3680 while it was switching the plant. UP 3680 looked sharp in fresh paint in the low afternoon sun.
At the time, UP SD40-2s were everywhere on the UP system and as pool power on other roads, so these were very everyday photos. As proof of the durability of these units, UP is still using some of them in switching work.
image003-Victorville
Union Pacific in Victorville, California, March 1982
My 1982 Air National Guard "summer camp" was a deployment to George AFB in Victorville, California in support of Gallant Eagle 1982 in March and April.
It turned out to be a vacation for which I got military leave from my civilian job at McClellan AFB, so my regular full pay, plus my E-5 pay from the Guard.
And, I worked maintenance standby on grave shift, so, unless something broke, we pretty much slept in the shop van and had the days to do what we wanted.
I drove my VW bug to Victorville, so I had transportation and, since Victorville is at the east end of Cajon Pass, I spent most days doing at least some railfanning.
Not a bad deal at all!
Early on in the deployment, perhaps the day I arrived, I saw a couple of Union Pacific trans at the Southwest Portland Cement plant at Victorville. UP 3540 led a pig train that ran around UP 3680 while it was switching the plant. UP 3680 looked sharp in fresh paint in the low afternoon sun.
At the time, UP SD40-2s were everywhere on the UP system and as pool power on other roads, so these were very everyday photos. As proof of the durability of these units, UP is still using some of them in switching work.