BNSF 4617 East at summit of East Ash Hill

Though half of its train continues to ascend a 1.0 percent grade, BNSF 4617 East has crested the summit at East Ash Hill, about seven miles east of Ludlow, Calif., on the morning of Oct. 8, 2009. Within a few thousand feet, all 50 autoracks of BNSF Train V-SDGCLO1-07 (Vehicles, San Diego, Calif. — Clovis, N.M.) will be descending the 1.4 percent grade toward Bagdad and Saltus. Sayre Kos photo