On that small of a train, would have been about 9 hp/ton - talk about overkill. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a larger SD made it up to Lone Pine considering an SD45 weighed less than an SD39. Except for Inyokern to Searles, the line was pretty much downhill from Lone Pine to Mojave and most of the loads were outbound (until Trona started getting coal).

The USN China Lake GEs - I see railroad "logic" was still in full force even then. Wouldn't it have been easier to hand them to AT&SF at Mojave? It makes no sense to haul them all the way to West Colton (probably with a 30 mph speed restriction), interchange them to UP or ATSF and have them hauled all the way back to Barstow. The USMC base at Barstow are actually in two sections, both just east of Barstow. Nebo is mainly offices, used to have housing, the PX and some warehouses. It straddles old Route 66 and is on the ATSF/BNSF, though I heard the switches to the main might now be gone. This was where the GE was assigned. Yermo is primarily used for Army trains being unloaded for the desert warfare training at Ft. Irwin. There is an interchange yard at the west end of the UP Yermo yard (what's left of it). Not sure if BNSF has trackage rights to deliver or if a UP crew picks it up at Barstow. So the GEs might have gone UP or ATSF from West Colton to either Yermo or maybe Nebo.

Thanks for all the info - an interesting insight on rare events for a mostly forgotten line.

Railroads almost never move any small GE or similar engine on their own wheels these days - though I did see a short move happen last month.