Here's a photo I took FORTY-SIX YEARS AGO, on September 24, 1976, of a UP Junior Old Timer's Special on the return leg of an event where the train was spotted near the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Here the train is crossing the ex-Pacific Electric L.A.-Long Beach line at Cota Crossing, MP 17.4 on UP's San Pedro Branch, adjacent to the Long Beach Freeway. This area is almost unrecognizable today. The Metro Blue Line now crosses over the line on an elevated flyover and the ex-PE right-of-way and bridge over I-710 are now incorporated as part of East 208th St.

Here are some GOOGLE photos of what the area looks like today. When I took the photo, I was standing in the approximate area of where that long string of white tractor rigs is situated on the south side of the UP San Pedro Branch looking west toward the diamond of the PE and UP.

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I was chasing the train with some friends and one of the reasons we went to this location for a photo was because, at that time, all UP and SP trains had to stop and proceed at this location and that gave us some time to get in position and set up our cameras.

The lead E Unit was painted in a "Preamble Express" paint scheme and this was associated with a special train that went around the country working out the logistic details for what would later be the nationwide tour of the American Freedom Train. It took them a while to paint the locomotive back into UP colors.

The days of the UP Old Timers and Junior Old Timers Specials are gone. ETTS.