UP Sunset Route in West Texas

Producer: Big E

Locations: Sierra Blanca, Mile High, Small, McNary

Timeframe: 1998

Length: 1 hour 19 minutes

Source: Dick Eisfeller

Union Pacific Sunset Route filmed in April, 1998. The small towns located between El Paso and Fort Worth, Texas. The action is centered around Sierra Blanca. This junction splits into two Eastbound lines here. The northern route to Fort Worth is old Texas and Pacific. The Sunset Route heads South to San Antonio.

Union Pacific is gridlocked in Texas at this time. Most trains are late to very late. Big E films the trains, for a day and a half.

A single DVD. Fullscreen 4×3 aspect ratio. Live environmental audio.

Main Chapter Menu. Hidden chapter advance function. A Route map with a thorough explanation at the start of the show.

To the Trains…. 👉

Starts on April 3, 1998. An Eastbound freight out of McNary to the East. This train is M-WCEW. West Colton to Englewood Yard in Houston. Fronted by UP 9136. It is six days late.

Southern Pacific 8198 leads two UP 6320/6311 engines. 635 Out of El Paso at Small siding. WHOA! HEAVY FLICKERING DISTORTION AND SLIPPAGE RUIN IT! Extremely Annoying and best skipped ahead. Chapter 4 for has train M-EPFWCX. The runtime is just over 3 minutes. Too bad, as this has the train symbology explanations.

Moving to Chapter 5. Clean picture returns. A Westbound moves at Small Siding. Symbol M-SHWCX. This extra train is from Shreveport to West Colton. SP 8123/8144 (C44-9W) pair and Cotton Belt 8054 pull out of the siding.

Time is 2:30 pm. SD40-2 3303/ 3669 and Cotton Belt GE 8088. M-WCNL. West Colton to North Little Rock. Train is making 13mph and is  8 days late. A construction project in El Paso is the cause of the delays.1434 Dead trains are clogging the route badly.

A Westbound Union Pacific TOFC/ COFC move quickly advances from the Small Siding. The Engineer immediately applies dynamic brakes on this downgrade. Southern Pacific 9783 (GP60) and Cotton Belt 9404 (SD45T-2). The 9404 was the last SD45T-2 “Tunnel Motor” ever built. Train designation is I-EWLA. It is an Intermodal from Englewood Yard (Houston) to Los Angeles.

Cotton Belt 9849 leads 2 more engines with an Intermodal Train. Now, at Sierra Blanca Jct. The symbol is I-EWLB aka Englewood Yard (Houston) to Long Beach, California.

Night shooting begins at 28 minutes and ends at 42. A Chicago NorthWestern 8607. Train is I-MELBX. It runs extra and hauls bare tables from Memphis to Long Beach at 10:55 pm. Still not a fan of so many nighttime trains to sit through. This show is better lit than some other Big E productions.

This 10,000 ton freight was further wreck delayed. It has ample power! Union Pacific 9445 leads the M-HOWCB at Sierra Blanca. It is a 2nd section.

The hottest Westbound Priority of the day. UP 3251/3140 locomotives. Z-MELB. Struggling on the 1% grade. Running late. Memphis to Long Beach. . 5217.

Eastbound hotshot at top of grade at Mile High. CNW 8569 leads train I-LBME. It is two days late and was delayed at El Paso.

UP Sunset Route in West Texas

An intriguing show. The gridlock situation adds interest on the Union Pacific operations. The super detailed narrative provides fascinating insights. Well filmed and solid soundtrack.

The trains move at moderate speeds. Good viewing except the one defective scene. Not a deal-breaker if one uses the next remote button to skip the error.

However, the video flaw there is severe. Occurrence in 1 of 30 total chapters. Is it enough to trash the entire show? Perhaps not. Everyone can decide to take a chance for themselves.

Overall evaluation of this show. Good one for the most part. Caution is Caveat Emptor… Buyer Beware.

Rating: 2 Stars