I had to make a service call to Needles last week. In 30 years this was the first time I've had to go on a call so far from home that I had to take a hotel room for the night and return the next day. Just East of Barstow next to the I40 is a large pile of BNSF's red volcanic ballast. I think it is a storage yard for ballast. I noticed a cut of either brand new, or freshly rebuilt ballast hoppers on the siding next to the ballast yard, and they all had HERZOG stenciled on the sides in large letters. Is HERZOG a leasing company? Is BNSF selling ballast to other companies?