"Lew Hodgett" wrote in news:549b2a33$0$44734
:

What is amazing is to see one of those unit trains heading
east out across the California desert.

I'm guessing that those trains are at least a half mile long.

9,000 to 10,000 feet would be typical for a train on the
western railroads. If it's bulk, like coal, 10,000 tons;
if it's cans (intermodal containers) maybe 6,000 tons or
less.

And yes, when you see one of those double-stack container
trains in open country like the desert, it looks like the
Great Wall of China moving across the landscape.

John