East Broad Top (EBT) steam locomotive #16 pulls a mixed freight through the early morning fog as they head to Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania on October 5th, 2024, during the museum’s Friends of the East Broad top event.

This is my first post from a week-long trip I took with Bryan Burton (Photography) where we traveled 2,800 miles and covered steam operations at Reading and Blue Northern Railway (2102), East Broad Top Railroad, Strasburg Railroad and then a two-day photo charter by Dak Dillion Photography at the Valley Railroad in Essex, CT. It was a long, but fun and exciting trip for sure! You’ll see a lot of steam action over the coming weeks!

According to the East Broad Top Website: Locomotive #16 was built in 1916 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

Entering the age of modern steam in 1916, the EBT received its first of three large Mikados. Unlike the previous three smaller locomotives, #16 came with superheaters, piston valves, and Southern valve gear. One story mentions #16 pulled 60 empty hoppers from Mt. Union to Rockhill in one train, literally clearing out the yard. #16 underwent an overhaul in 1955 and made only a handful of trips in early 1956 before the railroad shut down an overhaul when the EBT shut down. On February 1, 2023, the locomotive returned to service.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 100.

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

East Broad Top steam locomotive #16 pulls a mixed freight through the early morning fog

East Broad Top (EBT) steam locomotive #16 pulls a mixed freight through the early morning fog as they head to Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania on October 5th, 2024, during the museum’s Friends of the East Broad top event.

This is my first post from a week-long trip I took with Bryan Burton (Photography) where we traveled 2,800 miles and covered steam operations at Reading and Blue Northern Railway (2102), East Broad Top Railroad, Strasburg Railroad and then a two-day photo charter by Dak Dillion Photography at the Valley Railroad in Essex, CT. It was a long, but fun and exciting trip for sure! You’ll see a lot of steam action over the coming weeks!

According to the East Broad Top Website: Locomotive #16 was built in 1916 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

Entering the age of modern steam in 1916, the EBT received its first of three large Mikados. Unlike the previous three smaller locomotives, #16 came with superheaters, piston valves, and Southern valve gear. One story mentions #16 pulled 60 empty hoppers from Mt. Union to Rockhill in one train, literally clearing out the yard. #16 underwent an overhaul in 1955 and made only a handful of trips in early 1956 before the railroad shut down an overhaul when the EBT shut down. On February 1, 2023, the locomotive returned to service.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 100.

September 18th, 2024, BNSF 8057, NS 8068 and BNSF 5177 lead an eastbound train through the famous Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Keene, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak's San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.

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

BNSF 8057, NS 8068 and BNSF 5177 lead an eastbound train through the famous Tehachapi Loop

September 18th, 2024, BNSF 8057, NS 8068 and BNSF 5177 lead an eastbound train through the famous Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Keene, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak’s San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.

September 18th, 2024, A BNSF northbound train works its way out of the horseshoe curve on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Caliente, California, starting their climb up through the Tehachapi Pass.

According to Wikipedia: Established in the 1870s, Caliente was originally named Allens Camp for a cattle rancher and settler named Gabriel Allen. Later, the name Agua Caliente, coming from hot springs in the area, was proposed and may have been used. This name conflicted with the community of the same name in Sonoma County. With the railroad's arrival in 1875, the shortened name Caliente was adopted.

Caliente prospered during Southern Pacific Railroad's construction of Tehachapi Pass line. For a time, the Telegraph Stage Line and the Cerro Gordo Freighting Co. also ran through Caliente and its full-time population grew to 200. There were approximately 60 buildings, including 20 or more saloons.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

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

A BNSF northbound train works its way out of the horseshoe curve on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision

September 18th, 2024, A BNSF northbound train works its way out of the horseshoe curve on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Caliente, California, starting their climb up through the Tehachapi Pass.

According to Wikipedia: Established in the 1870s, Caliente was originally named Allens Camp for a cattle rancher and settler named Gabriel Allen. Later, the name Agua Caliente, coming from hot springs in the area, was proposed and may have been used. This name conflicted with the community of the same name in Sonoma County. With the railroad’s arrival in 1875, the shortened name Caliente was adopted.

Caliente prospered during Southern Pacific Railroad’s construction of Tehachapi Pass line. For a time, the Telegraph Stage Line and the Cerro Gordo Freighting Co. also ran through Caliente and its full-time population grew to 200. There were approximately 60 buildings, including 20 or more saloons.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

September 18th, 2024, BNSF 4441 leads an northbound  freight train after they skirt around tunnel 10 from Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at, Woodford, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak's San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 150.

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

BNSF 4441 leads an northbound freight train after they skirt around tunnel 10 from Tehachapi Loop

September 18th, 2024, BNSF 4441 leads an northbound freight train after they skirt around tunnel 10 from Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at, Woodford, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak’s San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 150.

September 18th, 2024, Union Pacific 5533 leads an southbound intermodal train as they exit tunnel 10 and head into Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Woodford, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak's San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 110.

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

Union Pacific 5533 leads an southbound intermodal train as they exit tunnel 10 and head into Tehachapi Loop

September 18th, 2024, Union Pacific 5533 leads an southbound intermodal train as they exit tunnel 10 and head into Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Woodford, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak’s San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 110.

September 18th, 2024, A BNSF northbound train works its way out of the horseshoe curve on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Caliente, California, starting their climb up through the Tehachapi Pass.

According to Wikipedia: Established in the 1870s, Caliente was originally named Allens Camp for a cattle rancher and settler named Gabriel Allen. Later, the name Agua Caliente, coming from hot springs in the area, was proposed and may have been used. This name conflicted with the community of the same name in Sonoma County. With the railroad's arrival in 1875, the shortened name Caliente was adopted.

Caliente prospered during Southern Pacific Railroad's construction of Tehachapi Pass line. For a time, the Telegraph Stage Line and the Cerro Gordo Freighting Co. also ran through Caliente and its full-time population grew to 200. There were approximately 60 buildings, including 20 or more saloons.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

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

A BNSF northbound train works its way out of the horseshoe curve on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision…

September 18th, 2024, A BNSF northbound train works its way out of the horseshoe curve on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Caliente, California, starting their climb up through the Tehachapi Pass.

According to Wikipedia: Established in the 1870s, Caliente was originally named Allens Camp for a cattle rancher and settler named Gabriel Allen. Later, the name Agua Caliente, coming from hot springs in the area, was proposed and may have been used. This name conflicted with the community of the same name in Sonoma County. With the railroad’s arrival in 1875, the shortened name Caliente was adopted.

Caliente prospered during Southern Pacific Railroad’s construction of Tehachapi Pass line. For a time, the Telegraph Stage Line and the Cerro Gordo Freighting Co. also ran through Caliente and its full-time population grew to 200. There were approximately 60 buildings, including 20 or more saloons.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

September 19th, 2024, BNSF intermodal heads north out of Tehachapi, California, on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision on a beautiful summer evening.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 150.

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

BNSF intermodal heads north out of Tehachapi, California

September 19th, 2024, BNSF intermodal heads north out of Tehachapi, California, on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision on a beautiful summer evening.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 150.

September 18th, 2024, BNSF 4441 leads an northbound  freight train as they skirt around tunnel 10 from Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at, Woodford, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak's San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 290.

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

BNSF 4441 leads an northbound freight train as they skirt around tunnel 10 from Tehachapi Loop…

September 18th, 2024, BNSF 4441 leads an northbound freight train as they skirt around tunnel 10 from Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at, Woodford, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak’s San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 290.

September 18th, 2024, A BNSF northbound train works its way out of the horseshoe curve on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Caliente, California, starting their climb up through the Tehachapi Pass.

According to Wikipedia: Established in the 1870s, Caliente was originally named Allens Camp for a cattle rancher and settler named Gabriel Allen. Later, the name Agua Caliente, coming from hot springs in the area, was proposed and may have been used. This name conflicted with the community of the same name in Sonoma County. With the railroad's arrival in 1875, the shortened name Caliente was adopted.

Caliente prospered during Southern Pacific Railroad's construction of Tehachapi Pass line. For a time, the Telegraph Stage Line and the Cerro Gordo Freighting Co. also ran through Caliente and its full-time population grew to 200. There were approximately 60 buildings, including 20 or more saloons.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

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

A BNSF northbound train works its way on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Caliente, California

September 18th, 2024, A BNSF northbound train works its way out of the horseshoe curve on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Caliente, California, starting their climb up through the Tehachapi Pass.

According to Wikipedia: Established in the 1870s, Caliente was originally named Allens Camp for a cattle rancher and settler named Gabriel Allen. Later, the name Agua Caliente, coming from hot springs in the area, was proposed and may have been used. This name conflicted with the community of the same name in Sonoma County. With the railroad’s arrival in 1875, the shortened name Caliente was adopted.

Caliente prospered during Southern Pacific Railroad’s construction of Tehachapi Pass line. For a time, the Telegraph Stage Line and the Cerro Gordo Freighting Co. also ran through Caliente and its full-time population grew to 200. There were approximately 60 buildings, including 20 or more saloons.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

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.

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

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, 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.

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

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.

September 18th, 2024, BNSF 7115, 9128 and Ferromex 4050 lead an westbound train next to tunnel 10, as they wait for an eastbound intermodal to clear Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Keene, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak's San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.

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

BNSF 7115, 9128 and Ferromex 4050 lead an westbound train next to tunnel 10…

September 18th, 2024, BNSF 7115, 9128 and Ferromex 4050 lead an westbound train next to tunnel 10, as they wait for an eastbound intermodal to clear Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Keene, California.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak’s San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.

A Union Pacific freight makes its way west down the Cajon Pass as it approaches the Mormon Rocks area in Cajon Pass, California 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: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

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

A Union Pacific freight heads west down the Cajon Pass as it approaches the Mormon Rocks area in Cajon Pass, CA

A Union Pacific freight makes its way west down the Cajon Pass as it approaches the Mormon Rocks area in Cajon Pass, California 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: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

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.

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

September 20th, 2024, Today I had the good fortune of catching a three way meet at the Summit of Cajon Pass, CA

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.

September 18th, 2024, Union Pacific 5533 leads an westbound intermodal train as they exit tunnel 10 at Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Keene, California.

I’m thankful that I had and brought my drone on this trip as access to trackside at the loop has been cut off! I was last here 7 years ago and then you could get to where you could shoot trackside, but now there’s viewing platform about ¾ mile away. Being able to fly the drone allowed me many spectacular views that I’ve never been able to get in the past.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak's San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

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

September 18th, 2024, Union Pacific 5533 leads an westbound intermodal train as they exit tunnel 10…

September 18th, 2024, Union Pacific 5533 leads an westbound intermodal train as they exit tunnel 10 at Tehachapi Loop on the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision at Keene, California.

I’m thankful that I had and brought my drone on this trip as access to trackside at the loop has been cut off! I was last here 7 years ago and then you could get to where you could shoot trackside, but now there’s viewing platform about ¾ mile away. Being able to fly the drone allowed me many spectacular views that I’ve never been able to get in the past.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak’s San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.