Wait for 2 East at South Fontana
South Fontana, at the far west end of SP’s West Colton Yard, is where single track begins as you go west toward Los Angeles.
As such, it was common to see westbound trains waiting for eastbound trains to clear up.
SP SD40T-2 8287 brings an Anaheim Hauler into West Colton on March 27, 1987 as an NOLXT waits at left.
“Hauler” was the nickname given to any transfer between SP yards in Southern California. The haulers were always fun to catch because they typically had interesting motive power, frequently combinations that were unique to the SP.
The power for the Anaheim on this day was SP 8287 / SP 4356 / SP 5315 / SP 5317 / SP 3202 / SP 5314. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s an SD40T-2 / SD9 / SD39 / SD39 / SDP45 / SD39, a lash-up possible only on the SP.
The going-away view from the other side of the overpass provides this view with I-10 at left. The train in the distance is an arrival at the west end of the West Colton receiving yard.
Right behind the Anaheim Hauler was the City of Industry hauler.
Ex-passenger service SDP45 3203 leads the City of Industry hauler eastbound at South Fontana, CA on March 27, 1987
As the 3203 passed by, it was preparing to stop as it had a red signal because the preceding train had not cleared up yet. I took advantage of the delay to re-locate to the next overpass to the east, Sierra Avenue.
On the move again, the City of Industry Hauler clears the caboose on the NOLXT. Note the classic SP- style speed board to the right of the 3203 and the generous speed limit for freight trains.
My new vantage point, with the NOLXT no longer blocking my view, allowed me to get a good view of the motive power consist.
The City of Industry Hauler comes through the signals at Sierra Avenue.
The motive power consist was SP 3203 / SP 3438 / SP 3316 / SSW 7783 / SP 4342, an SDP45 / GP9E / GP9E / B30-7 / SD9.
PS- All of the images for this post were scanned from 4×6 prints.
Southwest Rails 
Just to clarify, South Fontana (the siding) is just west of these pictures. The intermodal train is actually in the 100 (hundred) lead that runs into the recieving yard at West Colton,and the hauler is on the mainline. The way the switches are set up at the west end of the hundred lead, you can arrive or depart while another train is passing on the main going through the South Fontana siding. After many years of debate, they finally built a set of east and west crossovers at Sierra. ave. about 2 years ago when they relaid both the 100 lead and the mainline with concrete ties. The 100 lead has just recently been changed to the Sierra siding and is a CTC siding. The next big project through this area will be double tracking from West Colton to Pomona (but I’m not holding my breath).