34 photos included after text.

Continuing on our journey up Cajon Pass, the next main location would be Steins Hill, and it is located in the northwest corner of Route 138 and interstate 15 at exit #131.  Several locations for great photos are around the Steins Hill area including the hill itself, the main 3 curve, the "S" curves on mains 1 and 2, Pine Lodge at the Morman Rocks, and the newly built CP Walker crossovers.

The easiest way to enter the Steins Hill area, is off of Route 138.  In between the overpasses for main 3 and mains 1 and 2, there is a road turning north off of Route 138 which happens to be across the street from "Road B".  Turn onto this road and travel about 50 feet to a short segment of the old Route 138.  Someone usually stores piles of black cinders on the side of this road year round to use on the snow and ice during the winter.

Turning left on this road will take you to a former grade crossing of the original main 1, now mains 1 and 2.   At this location just before the tracks, there is a dirt road that will continue along the tracks, traveling past the area called Pine Lodge and eventually ending up at the new area called CP Walker.  I will describe that road in more detail later.

"STEINS HILL ROAD"

Turning right on the old route 138 will take you to the end of the road at main 3 and a dirt road that goes toward Steins Hill.  (I love the old signs that say "No Right Turn" and "Do Not Enter".)  You can stop here and walk to the embankment for Route 138 as it goes over main 3.  Stand about 1/2 way up the incline toward the actual overpass, and next to the guardrail for a great late morning or early afternoon photo of downhill trains on main 3 as they round a curve and cross a dry river wash on a nice girder bridge.

About .1 mile you will see a dirt road that goes through the dry wash just before the bridge and then continues up a hill on the other side of the dry wash.  I'll call this road, "Steins Hill Road".

Even though the dry wash is mainly  loose sand, I have never had a problem driving any type of vehicle through it.  It has always been fairly solid.  DO NOT even try to cross if there is any water in the river.  (I can't believe that I really have to say that!)

Locate the rest of Steins Hill Road straight ahead on the other side of the wash and drive up the small hill near the high tension tower.  Baldy Mesa Road will turn away to the left before you drive to the top of a small hill.  It will travel around the hill and curve in between two high tension towers as it continues north towards CP Walker.

Right after Baldy Mesa Road, you will see another dirt road going toward another tower.  Drive up this short road and you can park under the tower if you wish.  You are now on one side of Steins Hill.

MAIN 3 CURVE 

Directly in front of you is a beautiful "S" curve on main 3 after the track goes under the interstate.  Great multiple photos of downhill trains are possible here in the late afternoon in winter or the mid afternoon in summer.  Sadly this is the location of a daedly derailment of a runaway train on 2/1/96 at 04:05 that claimed the lives of BNSF brakeman Kevin Williams, and conductor Gilbert Ortiz.  A small plaque and two crosses nearby memorialize their lives.  Engineer Lester Foster survived, but sustained sever back injuries.

"S"CURVE ON MAINS 1 AND 2

If you walk from the tower you are at, along a path to your left and up the hill about 300 feet, you will be at another high tension tower.  Continue another 120 feet to your left, still on a path up a hill, and you will now be in a perfect location for those photos of downhill trains in the "S" curve on mains 1 and 2.   This "S" curve is so large that trains will appear to cross back on themselves twice. Photo is best in the early morning in winter or the mid morning in summer.

By the way, the main 3 curve is also now in a different angle from here, however this location requires a more afternoon sun angle for good photos of trains on the curve.

PINE LODGE FROM STEINS HILL  

Move again to your left about another 150 feet along the path on top of the hill.   You are now in a great position for photos of trains on either the BNSF tracks or the Palmdale Cutoff.  They will cross the dry wash on their own bridges with the Morman Rocks in the background.  Photos of trains on main 3 are not good but photos from here are great of trains in either direction.  You can't go to wrong.  There is a large rock in the way to the right of your photo, but it actually adds to the scenic spender of the photo.

STEINS HILL ITSELF

Again to your left about another 130 feet, is a large rock that is protruding out of the grassy hillside.  If you climbed up onto that rock, I believe that you are on top of the actual Steins Hill.  I do not know if that is true.  I just basically refer to the entire large hill that I've just described to you as Steins Hill.  From anywhere up there, you can see in all directions, and view all three of the BNSF tracks and the Union Pacific track.  Just remember the many different photo locations around this area. 

The "S" curve on main 3 is to the right, mains 1 and 2 also have that fantastic "S" curve that looks like a downhill train reverses over itself...twice.  The Morman Rocks provide a great backdrop as trains pass on BNSF mains 1 or 2, and the Union Pacific track, and you can see the tracks on the other side of Route 138.

I encourage you to explore around this large hill for the many photo possibilities.  You are not on private property, or railroad property, so take your time and enjoy.  Walk around the many paths and roads to as many locations as you wish.  Work the sun as it moves across the sky during the day and change your position accordingly.  Like Sullivans Curve, Steins Hill has almost unlimited photo possibilities.

You should also notice that the "Steins Hill Road" will continue around the outside of the "S" curve on main 3, and go under the interstate.  It will continue to another dirt road that I will describe to you in the "Bowl" site page and it will be called, "Road 1".  This is a great shortcut to the "Bowl" area.

CP WALKER

CP Walker, (Control Point Walker) is another great location for photos.   CP Walker is a new set of crossovers for mains 1 and 2, just west of the interstate that the BNSF installed when they built the third main.  There are three ways to get to CP Walker.  Use either a dirt road next to the Union Pacific track that I call "Pine Lodge Road", or another dirt road next to BNSF main 2 that I call "Walker Road", or Baldy Mesa Road.

CP Walker was named in honor of Chard L. Walker, a Santa Fe Railway employee for 36 years that worked in several positions for the railroad, but most notably as the operator at the Summit of Cajon Pass from 1951 to 1967.

ROAD NEXT TO THE U.P. TRACK

Locate this dirt road across Route 138 from Lone Pine Canyon Road.  I'll call this road the "Pine Lodge Road" because it goes past the area in front of the Morman Rocks called Pine Lodge.  "Pine Lodge Road" will travel along the west side of the Union Pacific track as it curves its way up toward the CP Walker area.  Although this road is a little bumpy, it is passable with almost any vehicle. 

After you leave Route 138, you will see several places where you could pull over and stop for pictures by climbing the hillsides and rocks nearby.  Great photos are possible if you know a train is coming.

Travel .7 miles from Route 138, and you will be at the middle of a horseshoe curve that you could get good pictures of trains in either direction and of either railroad.  Photos here are best in the late afternoon of summer.  Another .2 mile and you will be at the grade crossing for "Walker Road".

Continuing on "Pine Lodge Road", past CP Walker, and under the interstate will bring you to the "Bowl" area and "Road 1".  I do not recomend driving on "Pine Lodge Road" past the "Walker Road" grade crossing because it becomes very hard to drive on.  The road is at times very close to the track, and there are many places where there is lots of loose ballast across the road all along the way.  I came real close to getting stuck a couple of times, even with my Dodge Durango.

"WALKER ROAD"

"Walker Road" is the name I gave to a dirt road that goes toward CP Walker and follows a path near the BNSF main 2.  "Walker Road" starts at the end of the old Route 138 close to the Morman Rocks.  Before you begin your trek toward CP Walker, know that right here is a great place for photos of trains as they travel next to the Morman Rocks.

PINE LODGE FROM ROUTE 138 

I'd walk up to the embankment for the Route 138 overpass, and climb the concrete slope almost to the top.  This mid afternoon photo is good anytime of the year.  Pine Lodge is in the background with the Morman Rocks.  Trains look great either up, or downhill.  Go to the other side of Route 138 and across the tracks and climb that concrete slope for great late afternoon summer photos of uphill trains on BNSF mains 1 or 2.

Traveling .9 miles on "Walker Road" will get you to the grade crossing for BNSF mains 1 and 2 just west of CP Walker.  "Walker Road" does not travel next to the tracks really and doesn't offer any great photos along the way except at Pine Lodge.  There is a service road that leaves "Walker Road" about .2 mile from the second dry wash you go through.  You really do not need to go to that road because "Walker Road" is ok to travel on, and the service road doesn't offer to many photo opportunities because it is so close to the track.

Once you get to the grade crossing, you can explore around the area if you wish.  There are a couple of good locations for photos nearby.  CP Walker is just .2 miles to your right, with the grade crossing for Baldy Mesa Road another .1 mile.  There are a couple of hills that offer good places to get late afternoon in summer photos from at CP Walker near the grade crossing for "Walker Road".

BALDY MESA ROAD

If you remember, Baldy Mesa Road starts back at "Steins Hill Road" just after you go through the dry wash.  Turn left off of "Steins Hill Road", and follow Baldy Mesa Road as it curves around the hill for the first tower, past the second tower, and crosses a dry wash.  After this, it will begin to climb a steep hill as it curves several times.  You will see the tracks below you and to your left.  This would be a fantastic photo if it weren't for the many high tension wires that block the view.  

You could drive on a couple of the other dirt roads that go to the several towers nearby, but I haven't yet.  Baldy Mesa Road goes down the other side of the mountain toward CP Walker, and will shortly be at the grade crossing over BNSF Mains 1 and 2.  CP Walker will be to your left, and after the grade crossing, Baldy Mesa Road will continue up another hill to the Union Pacific track and another grade crossing toward what I called "Pine Lodge Road".

On Baldy Mesa Road before the grade crossing for the BNSF tracks, you can turn right and follow this other road as it goes closer to the interstate.  Park in an open area near the base of an embankment next to the interstate, and climb up the side of the embankment for a fantastic photo of an uphill train as it curves to go under the interstate after it went through CP Walker. 

On an early morning in winter, you can get the San Gabriel Mountains in the background with snow on them and that is one nice photo.  This photo location is still great in the summer, but wait until mid morning.  The sun will be in a better angle.

PINE LODGE AND THE MORMAN ROCKS FROM "ROAD A"

I mentioned that it is possible to get great photos with the Morman Rocks in the background at the end of the old Route 138, but you can also get great photos from the dirt road off of Lone Pine Canyon Road called "Road A".  I explained this road in the Sullivans Curve site page.

Remember, Lone Pine Canyon Road is to the left off of Route 138, and just after the Palmdale Cutoff overpass.  Take this road and just after the first curve is a dirt road to the left.  Turn on that road I called "Road A", and along the next .2 miles are several places to get photos of downhill trains going through the Morman Rocks and Pine Lodge.   

Work your angles for these photos of Union Pacific trains and trains on the BNSF mains 1 and 2, as they both travel next to, or around the Morman Rocks.  These photos are best in the late afternoons in summer, and there are several different angles to photograph from.  Have fun!