Featured Collection: Trains at Tehachapi Pass

This is a companion piece to my blog post “Railfanning the Tehachapi Loop and Surrounding Area.” These are all the photos from my two October 2020 trips to the Tehachapi Loop and points nearby.

"Building America" [Union Pacific Freight Train and Cement Plant in Monolith, California]

UP 8773 at the Lehigh Cement Company in Monolith, CA, about 3 miles east of Tehachapi.

"Bells and Whistles" [Union Pacific Freight Train at Railroad Crossing in Caliente, California]

…Four hours later it was, at the crossing in Caliente.

"Sign of the Times" [Union Pacific Freight Train at a Grade Crossing in Caliente, California]

A GE ET44AH and a GE ES44AC pull a Union Pacific intermodal train through the crossing on the horseshoe curve in Caliente.

"Rounding the Horseshoe" [Union Pacific Freight Train in Caliente, California]

UP 8773 got to the Caliente crossing about 15 minutes after the 2583. Both photos were shot with my 11-16mm Tokina.

"Three Kinds of Pumpkin" [BNSF Freight Locomotives in Bealville, California]

Two views of BNSF 5732. Here it is approaching the crossing in Bealville.

"The Great Pumpkin" [BNSF GE AC4400CW in Caliente, California]

Here it is at the crossing in Caliente an hour and a half later.

"The Slow Climb" [BNSF GE ES44AC in Bealville, California]

BNSF 3732 passed through Bealville at 3:03pm…

"I've Been Working on the Railroad" [BNSF and Union Pacific Trains in Caliente, California]

…and got to Caliente at 4:35pm. The train on the left is a Union Pacific work train.

"How Many Trains?" [BNSF Freight Train on the Tehachapi Loop, California]

Both sides of the Tehachapi Loop. This train is wrapped all the way around on its way up the grade, photograhed from the top of the overlook looking toward the inside of the loop…

"Peeking Out From Below" [Union Pacific Freight Train on The Tehachapi Loop, California]

…and this Union Pacific train has looped under itself and is exiting the tunnel on the outside of the loop.

"Twists and Turns" [BNSF Intermodal Train in the Tehachapi Mountains, California]

The train in the tunnel is a westbound Union Pacific. The back of the eastbound BNSF intermodal train is still working its way around the Tehachapi Loop as the locomotives pass Tunnel 10.