>I have a question for some of the more knowledgeable railroad folks here. Yesterday I went train watching with my grandchildren (7 y.o. boy, 6 y.o. girl, and 1 1/2 y.o boy) in Sacto. We thought we were going to see a westbound UPRR mixed freight cross the Sacramento River at I street, but it stopped on the east side curve leading to the old Espee station. This is where all the bridges to nowhere are, now. It then proceded to back up all 85 cars onto the SP/WP connector and onto the American River bridge on the old WP line, where it reversed and then proceeded southbound through downtown SAC on the WP. I assume that it eventually ended up in Stockton, which, since it came through Elvas, seems like a going around your elbow to get to your nose.

They probably decided to run it on the Sac Sub (former WP) instead of the Fresno Sub (former SP), and this is the only way to go to Stockton on the former WP from Elvas. With "coming from Elvas", there are two possibilities: from Rosevile or Polk, and since the train went down the WP to Stockton, "from Polk" is unlikely.