Operate Union Pacific and Trona Railway freight trains on the Lone Pine Branch in this detailed railroad simulation. The line runs 50 miles from Mojave Yard to Searles Yard, with connections to the Trona Railway's 30-mile route to Trona. Local trains haul empty cars to Searles for loading with sulfuric acid, soda ash, salt cake, coal, military equipment, and minerals, then return loaded ones to Mojave for classification. Unit coal trains run as needed, and crews sometimes tie down power at Searles before heading back by van.
Switch facilities at Searles Lake and Navy Siding to manage inbound empties and outbound loads, mirroring real daily operations on the historic Jawbone, Searles, or Owenyo Branch. Custom achievements track your progress-check them in the System Menu. Railroad enthusiasts who enjoy authentic freight switching and branch line routines will find precise operations here.
The Southern Pacific (SP) railroad established a yard in Mojave and made it a division point. In subsequent years tracks were laid to Lone Pine that still connect the main line with the busy Trona Railway on the Jawbone Branch, and to the CalPortland Cement company west of Mojave on the Oak Creek Branch.
The Union Pacific / Southern Pacific Lone Pine Branch starts at the Main 2 Switch just north of the Mojave Yard, heading northeast passing through Highway 14 grade crossing. The branch originally ran for 150 miles to Lone Pine, CA until in the early 1980's when SP filed for abandonment of roughly 100 miles of the line from Lone Pine, CA to Searles, CA.
Present-day, the branch line is only 50 miles in length from Mojave, CA to Searles, CA. Union Pacific Railroad operates local trains almost daily, which is mostly taking empty cars to Searles Yard for the TRC to take from there, and brings back loaded cars to Mojave Yard for future classification. On an as-needed basics, Union Pacific will bring a unit train of coal to Searles Yard and bring back the empty coal hoppers. Sometimes the UP crew will leave their power tied down at Searles Yard and ride back to Mojave in a crew van depending on the day's needs.
The Trona Railway Company (TRC) was incorporated in March of 1913, and opened in 1914. Today TRC continues to operates freight service from Trona to a connection with the UP at Searles, CA, which operates roughly 30 miles in length from Searles Yard to Trona, CA.
TRC will normally start their day switching the main facilities at Searles Lake. All of the facilities receive empty cars, and send out loaded cars, with the exception of acid tankers. Along the way towards Searles Yard, the Navy Siding will be switched out if necessary.
This branch was also known as the:
~ Jawbone Branch
~ Searles Branch
~ Owenyo Branch
Traffic that operates on the line includes sulfuric acid, soda ash, salt cake, coal, military equipment and minerals.
Special Features:
This DLC includes custom achievements that can be obtained. To view the achievements, to go System Menu > Achievements.
