Cajon Pass – Jim Pearson Photography

Film Wednesday – Southern Pacific 9768 leads a tank train as it heads through the Mormon Rocks, Cajon, CA

Film Wednesday – Southern Pacific 9768 leads a tank train as it heads through the Mormon Rocks area in the Cajon Pass in southern California, in this film scan from a Kodachrome slide that was shot sometime in the early 1990’s.

According to Wikipedia: The Southern Pacific (reporting mark SP) (or Espee from the railroad initials) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the names Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Company and Southern Pacific Transportation Company.

The original Southern Pacific began in 1865 as a land holding company. The last incarnation of the Southern Pacific, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, was founded in 1969 and assumed control of the Southern Pacific system. The Southern Pacific Transportation Company was acquired in 1996 by the Union Pacific Corporation and merged with their Union Pacific Railroad.

Tech Info: Camera, Nikon F3, Kodachrome Slide Film, no other data recorded

BNSF 7564 leads an downhill freight as it passes through a crossover at Summit in the Cajon Pass

BNSF 7564 leads an downhill freight as it passes through a crossover at Summit in the Cajon Pass at Cajon, California on the BNSF Cajon Subdivision, on September 20th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

The California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon. Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it is a popular location for railfans, and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines.

The Union Pacific Railroad owns one track through the pass, on the previous Southern Pacific Railroad Palmdale cutoff, opened in 1967. The BNSF Railway owns two tracks and began to operate a third main track in the summer of 2008. The railroads share track rights through the pass ever since the Union Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe portion negotiated under the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @200mm, f/5.6, 1/180, ISO 200.

Film Wednesday – Southern Pacific 9768 leads a tank train as it heads through the Mormon Rocks area

Film Wednesday – Southern Pacific 9768 leads a tank train as it heads through the Mormon Rocks area in the Cajon Pass in southern California, in this film scan from a Kodachrome slide that was shot sometime in the early 1990’s.

According to Wikipedia: The Southern Pacific (reporting mark SP) (or Espee from the railroad initials) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the names Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Company and Southern Pacific Transportation Company.

The original Southern Pacific began in 1865 as a land holding company. The last incarnation of the Southern Pacific, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, was founded in 1969 and assumed control of the Southern Pacific system. The Southern Pacific Transportation Company was acquired in 1996 by the Union Pacific Corporation and merged with their Union Pacific Railroad.

Tech Info: Camera, Nikon F3, Kodachrome Slide Film, no other data recorded

Union Pacific 9491 leads a lash-up of six locomotives pulls a freight up the famous Cajon Pass in southern California

Film Wednesday – Union Pacific 9491 leads a lash-up of six locomotives as they strain to pull their mixed freight up the famous Cajon Pass in southern California, in this film scan from a 6x17cm slide that was shot sometime in the early 1990’s.

According to Wikipedia: The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (reporting mark ATSF), often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996.

The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at various times, it operated an airline, the short-lived Santa Fe Skyway, and the Santa Fe Railroad tugboats. Its bus line extended passenger transportation to areas not accessible by rail, and ferryboats on the San Francisco Bay allowed travelers to complete their westward journeys to the Pacific Ocean. The AT&SF was the subject of a popular song, Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer’s “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe”, written for the film The Harvey Girls (1946).

The railroad officially ceased independent operations on December 31, 1996, when it merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad to form the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway.

Tech Info: Camera, Fuji 6×17, Kodachrome Slide Film, no other data recorded, Scanned with an Epson Perfection V700 PHOTO scanner.

Film Wednesday – Santa Fe 620 leads a mixed freight as move through the famous Cajon Pass

Film Wednesday – Santa Fe 620 leads a mixed freight as move through the famous Cajon Pass in southern California, in this film scan from a 6x17cm slide that was shot sometime in the early 1990’s.

According to Wikipedia: The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (reporting mark ATSF), often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996.

The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at various times, it operated an airline, the short-lived Santa Fe Skyway, and the Santa Fe Railroad tugboats. Its bus line extended passenger transportation to areas not accessible by rail, and ferryboats on the San Francisco Bay allowed travelers to complete their westward journeys to the Pacific Ocean. The AT&SF was the subject of a popular song, Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer’s “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe”, written for the film The Harvey Girls (1946).

The railroad officially ceased independent operations on December 31, 1996, when it merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad to form the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway.

Tech Info: Camera, Fuji 6×17, Kodachrome Slide Film, no other data recorded, Scanned with an Epson Perfection V700 PHOTO scanner.

A BNSF freight and a BNSF rock train pass each other at the Summit of Cajon Pass in southern California

September 20th, 2024, A BNSF freight and a BNSF rock train pass each other at the Summit of Cajon Pass in southern California and the BNSF Cajon Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

The California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon. Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it is a popular location for railfans, and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 110.

June 24, 2006 – Blast From The Past – Amtrak locomotive #56

June 24, 2006 – Blast From The Past – Amtrak locomotive #56, leads the Southwest Chief as it passes the signals at MP 604 as it heads west to Los Angeles through the Cajon Pass in southern California at Cajon Junction, CA.

Tech Info: Nikon D200, Sigma 24-70 @ 65mm, RAW, 1/320, f/7,1, ISO 100.

A Southern Pacific tank train makes it's way through the Cajon Pass in Sothern California in March of 1995 with 5 units pulling hard.

I spent a lot of years railfanning the pass between 1981 and 1995! It's a great place to catch trains and I've been back several times over the years since then.

In fact I'm headed back again this coming September for a week or so to see how much it has changed since I was last there several years ago. In fact, it was before I had a drone, so I'm really looking forward to railfanning from the air this next trip!

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m).[1] Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad's maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet (1,167 to 1,151 m) while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

Nikon F3 Camera, Nikon 70-300mm lens, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded

A Southern Pacific tank train makes it’s way through the Cajon Pass in Southern California

A Southern Pacific tank train makes it’s way through the Cajon Pass in Southern California in March of 1995 with 5 units pulling hard.

I spent a lot of years railfanning the pass between 1981 and 1995! It’s a great place to catch trains and I’ve been back several times over the years since then.

In fact I’m headed back again this coming September for a week or so to see how much it has changed since I was last there several years ago. In fact, it was before I had a drone, so I’m really looking forward to railfanning from the air this next trip!

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m).[1] Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet (1,167 to 1,151 m) while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

Nikon F3 Camera, Nikon 70-300mm lens, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded

September 19th, 2024, BNSF 4196 leads a stack train as they approach the Summit of Cajon Pass in Southern California

September 19th, 2024, BNSF 4196 leads a stack train as they approach the Summit of Cajon Pass in southern California and the BNSF Cajon Subdivision at dusk.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

The California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon. Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it is a popular location for railfans, and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines.

The Union Pacific Railroad owns one track through the pass, on the previous Southern Pacific Railroad Palmdale cutoff, opened in 1967. The BNSF Railway owns two tracks and began to operate a third main track in the summer of 2008. The railroads share track rights through the pass ever since the Union Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe portion negotiated under the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @240mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 12800.

September 19th, 2024, BNSF 4196 leads a stack train as they approach the Summit of Cajon Pass

September 19th, 2024, BNSF 4196 leads a stack train as they approach the Summit of Cajon Pass in southern California and the BNSF Cajon Subdivision at dusk.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

The California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon. Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it is a popular location for railfans, and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines.

The Union Pacific Railroad owns one track through the pass, on the previous Southern Pacific Railroad Palmdale cutoff, opened in 1967. The BNSF Railway owns two tracks and began to operate a third main track in the summer of 2008. The railroads share track rights through the pass ever since the Union Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe portion negotiated under the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @240mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 12800.

October 20, 2008 – The late evening light rakes across the base of Mormon Rocks…

October 20, 2008 – The late evening light rakes across the base of Mormon Rocks as UP 5958 and 6266 (ex-Southern Pacific Unit) lead a west bound freight down the Cajon Pass in southern California.

Local legend has it that the rocks were named for the Mormon pioneers who camped here after their descent from the pass ridgeline. Another legend calls the rocks the ‘Chanting Rocks,’ as when the wind would blow across the portholes in the rocks it was said the sound made was similar to a low chanting or singing.

Nikon D300, Nikon 70-300 @ 300mm, 1/640, f/8, ISO 200, RAW.

October 20, 2008 – A BNSF ballast train makes it’s way west from the Summit of the Cajon Pass

October 20, 2008 – A BNSF ballast train makes it’s way west from the Summit of the Cajon Pass in Southern California with BNSF 6735 leading.

Nikon D300, Nikon 70-300 @ 112mm, 1/500, f/6.3, ISO 200, RAW.

October 20, 2008 – Union Pacific 5411 leads a mixed freight westbound past Mormon Rocks…

October 20, 2008 – Union Pacific 5411 leads a mixed freight westbound past Mormon Rocks in the southern California’s famous Cajon Pass.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass (/k?’ho?n/; elevation 3,777 ft (1,151 m) is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California in the United States. It was created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault. Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Railroad improvements in 1972 reduced its maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet (1,167 to 1,151 m) while also reducing the curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit, elevation 4,260 feet (1,300 m). However, the entire area including Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit is often collectively called Cajon Pass. Sometimes the entire area is called Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit in detail.

Mormon Rocks
In 1851, a group of Mormon settlers led by Amasa M. Lyman and Charles C. Rich traveled through the Cajon Pass in covered wagons on their way from Salt Lake City to southern California. This prominent rock formation in the pass, where the Mormon trail and the railway merge (near Sullivan’s Curve), is known as Mormon Rocks.

BNSF 7902 leads an eastbound intermodal up the Cajon Pass at the location known as Sullivan’s Curve…

BNSF 7902 leads an eastbound intermodal up the Cajon Pass at the location known as Sullivan’s Curve, on September 27th, 2011, on the BNSF Cajon Subdivision.

According to what I find on the web: Railfanning in the Cajon Pass Sullivan’s Curve Sullivan’s Curve is a specific section of the railroad through Cajon Pass that features a sharp curve, providing a challenging and visually striking portion of the route. The curve is named after Herbert S. Sullivan, who made promotional photos at this curve for Santa Fe in the 1940s and 50s.

Tech Info: Nikon D700, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @ 62mm, f/11, 1/500, ISO 640.

September 24th, 2024, of a Westbound BNSF intermodal as it starts its downhill run from the summit in Cajon Pass, CA

Analog Wednesday – I’ve recently added a like new Mamiya C330 Professional 2 ¼ square film camera to my camera bag and on Wednesday’s I’ll be sharing images I’ve shot with it. This shot is from September 24th, 2024, of a Westbound BNSF intermodal as it starts its downhill run from the summit in Cajon Pass, CA.

Tech Info: Mamiya C330 Professional, Ilford HP5 Film, Mamiya 80mm, f/4, 1/400, ISO 400.

September 24th, 2024, of a Westbound Union Pacific freight at Mormon Rocks, Cajon, CA

Analog Wednesday – I’ve recently added a like new Mamiya C330 Professional 2 ¼ square film camera to my camera bag and on Wednesday’s I’ll be sharing images I’ve shot with it. This shot is from September 24th, 2024, of a Westbound Union Pacific freight with six units leading through Mormon Rocks as it heads downhill in Cajon Pass, CA.

Tech Info: Mamiya C330 Professional, Ilford HP5 Film, Mamiya 80mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO 400.

Three way meet between a Union Pacific Freight, a BNSF freight and a BNSF rock train at the Summit of Cajon Pass

September 20th, 2024, Today I had the good fortune of catching a three way meet between a Union Pacific Freight, a BNSF freight and a BNSF rock train at the Summit of Cajon Pass in southern California and the BNSF Cajon Subdivision as Hwy 138 and the tracks head into stormy weather.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

The California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon. Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it is a popular location for railfans, and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines.

The Union Pacific Railroad owns one track through the pass, on the previous Southern Pacific Railroad Palmdale cutoff, opened in 1967. The BNSF Railway owns two tracks and began to operate a third main track in the summer of 2008. The railroads share track rights through the pass ever since the Union Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe portion negotiated under the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.

BNSF 4037, 4549, CP 8125 and BNSF 5733 lead an eastbound intermodal at Phelan, CA

BNSF 4037, 4549, CP 8125 and BNSF 5733 lead an eastbound intermodal at Phelan, CA, as they cross the dry wash east of Hwy 138 in the Cajon Pass on September 20th, 2024, on the BNSF Cajon Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

The California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon. Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it is a popular location for railfans, and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines.

The Union Pacific Railroad owns one track through the pass, on the previous Southern Pacific Railroad Palmdale cutoff, opened in 1967. The BNSF Railway owns two tracks and began to operate a third main track in the summer of 2008. The railroads share track rights through the pass ever since the Union Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe portion negotiated under the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/4000, ISO 140.

BNSF 6673 leads an eastbound intermodal as it rounds a curve coming down hill in the Cajon Pass at Cajon, California on the BNSF Cajon Subdivision, on September 24th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad's maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

The California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon. Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it is a popular location for railfans, and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines.

The Union Pacific Railroad owns one track through the pass, on the previous Southern Pacific Railroad Palmdale cutoff, opened in 1967. The BNSF Railway owns two tracks and began to operate a third main track in the summer of 2008. The railroads share track rights through the pass ever since the Union Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe portion negotiated under the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 220mm, f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 280.

#railroad #railroads #train, #trains #railway #railway #steamtrains #railtransport #railroadengines #picturesoftrains #picturesofrailways #besttrainphotograph #bestphoto #photographyoftrains #bestsoldpicture #JimPearsonPhotography #trainsfromtheair #CajonPass #bnsf

BNSF 6673 leads an westbound intermodal at Cajon, CA

BNSF 6683 leads an westbound intermodal as it rounds a curve coming down hill in the Cajon Pass at Cajon, California on the BNSF Cajon Subdivision, on September 24th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

The California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon. Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it is a popular location for railfans, and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines.

The Union Pacific Railroad owns one track through the pass, on the previous Southern Pacific Railroad Palmdale cutoff, opened in 1967. The BNSF Railway owns two tracks and began to operate a third main track in the summer of 2008. The railroads share track rights through the pass ever since the Union Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe portion negotiated under the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 220mm, f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 280.

I didn’t have a clue that Union Pacific 1989, Rio Grande Heritage Unit, was leading…

I didn’t have a clue that Union Pacific 1989, Rio Grande Heritage Unit, was leading this eastbound freight until it appeared from behind Mormon Rocks in the Cajon Pass on September 24th, 2024.

I was set up on the BNSF double track below the UP line as there was another BNSF train approaching there. I had to scramble and switch from the video I was planning to shoot and pull up my D810 with the 70-300mm on it to grab this and a couple other shots before it disappeared behind brush and hillside. I would have much rather had it coming out of Mormon Rocks, but it wasn’t meant to be, I guess.

According to the Union Pacific Website: Incorporating historic colors and graphic elements of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, No. 1989 pays tribute to the men and women of the railroad who “went everywhere the hard way.”

Founded by Gen. William J. Palmer, a Union veteran of the Civil War, the Rio Grande started building a narrow-gauge line south from Denver in 1871 toward Mexico. At its peak mileage in 1917, the Rio Grande was operating nearly 6,000 miles of track.

On-line coal, bridge traffic with friendly connections, and the opening of the 6.2-mile Moffat Tunnel in 1928 that dramatically shortened its Denver-Salt Lake Route, the Rio Grande became known for its competitive spirit and mountain scenery. The “Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River,” known as the Royal Gorge, was one of the highlights on the route through the Rockies when The Denver & Rio Grande was known as the Scenic Line of the World.

Rio Grande Industries purchased Southern Pacific Lines on Sept. 12, 1988, and combined the systems on Oct. 13, 1988, operating under the name Southern Pacific. Union Pacific and Southern Pacific merged on Sept. 11, 1996.

According to Wikipedia: The Union Pacific Railroad owns one track through the pass, on the previous Southern Pacific Railroad Palmdale cutoff, opened in 1967. The BNSF Railway owns two tracks and began to operate a third main track in the summer of 2008. The railroads share track rights through the pass ever since the Union Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe portion negotiated under the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 175mm, f/5.3, 1/800, ISO 100.

June 6, 2006 – BNSF 4419 leads a business train east bound through the Cajon Pass in southern California

June 6, 2006 – BNSF 4419 leads a business train east bound through the Cajon Pass in southern California, headed to Barstow, CA.

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

The California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present-day cities of Barstow and San Diego. Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon. Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it is a popular location for railfans, and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines.

Tech Info: Nikon D200, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 200mm, f/6.3, 1/400, ISO 100.