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Welcome again to another of the railfan guides in the series that I call North American Rails.  Tehachapi Pass is the third in the growing series of railroad areas that I have visited, and this is another of the famous mountain passes that are located in the southwest USA.  This perticular mountain grade hosts one of railroads engineering landmarks, the Tehachapi Loop, and is one of the busiest single track mainlines in the country.

Also note that as with my discussion of Cajon Pass, I will not refer to trains traveling in a direction, but rather by going either uphill or downhill.  That will again save confusion since the Union Pacific trains travel in a north/south direction and the BNSF trains using the same track, travel in a east/west direction. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tehachapi Pass is the track between Bakersfield, CA and Mojave, CA that is currently owned by the Union Pacific Railroad.  The tracks also host trains of the BNSF through a long standing trackage rights agreement.  (Yes, the exact opposite of Cajon Pass.)  The photo possibilities are almost endless with the many tunnels still being used, the numerous curves, and the countless photo areas along the passes length.

There are many photo locations and I have divided them up into 9 site pages so that it will be easy to follow.  These site pages begin at Mojave and continue up the eastern slope of the pass to the town of Tehachapi, CA and then down the western slope to the larger town of Bakersfield, CA.

Whereas Cajon Pass and The Seligman Sub are more "rocky" and feature a more desert landscape, Tehachapi Pass, by contrast, features a more "rolling hills" appeal with much more grass and trees.  Make no mistake though, this is a tretcherous mountain pass. 

Tehachapi Pass begins in Bakersfield, CA at an elevation of 408 feet and with a ruling grade of 2.52 %, crests the Tehachapi Mountains at 4028 feet about 48 miles later just east of the town of Tehachapi, CA.  The western slope towards Mojave, CA has a more gentle ruling grade of 1.36% with Mojave's 2749 foot elevation, only another 28 miles away. 

Even though the Union Pacific Mojave Subdivision that contains Tehachapi Pass continues on towards the Los Angeles area, I will only be focusing my discussion with the track between Bakersfield and Mojave, CA. 

Interestingly the entire western slope from just before the town of Tehachapi at Cable, to the town of Mojave, is completly double track, and the track from Bakersfield to Tehachapi is single track.  Also of note is that Tehachapi Pass has retained almost all of its originally surveyed grades.  Only a natural event has forced the railroad to alter any of the railroad alignment.  That is interesting when you think of the multitude of ways that railroads try to save money and defer maintenence spending through right-of-way realignment.

Tehachapi Pass is easy to get to, and has one major roadway through the pass that somewhat parallels the tracks as they curve their own way through the mountain sides.  This roadway is Route 58 and on its eastern side, it leaves the Barstow, CA area off of interstate 15 just south of Barstow.  On its western side it leaves the Bakersfield, CA area off of Route 99 just south of the down town area.

Many of the smaller roads you might use to get around Tehachapi Pass to the photograph locations are paved.  Even the few dirt roads that you have to travel on are in rather good shape.  It is vey possible to use an average car for all of your travels while railfanning around Tehachapi Pass.  A large vehicle or 4x4 is not necessary at all.   

Remember that Tehachapi Pass is in the Mojave desert and the information on the Railfanning in the desert - What to expect site page is required reading.  Also realize that you are in the natural habitate for the Mojave Green rattlesnake.  All precautions still apply.  I recomend buying a pair of "Snake-proof" boots before you get here.  Even if you have some always be alert and safe.

There are only three towns along Tehachapi Pass that have amenities for the traveler.  They are Mojave, Tehachapi, and Bakersfield, CA with Caliente and Keene offering nothing much, if anything at all.

The pass is closer to Bakersfield than Barstow, so if you turned onto Route 58 from Barstow, you will have about another 70 miles to travel before you reach the small town of Mojave and the very eastern side of the pass.  Between Barstow and Mojave, you will travel along the tracks a couple of times and will have a couple of good photo locations but I will not really cover those at this time.  You are on your own for those.

Many of the photographic locations along Tehachapi Pass are accessed with a regular car or are only a short walk.  You do not need a 4x4.  Also most of the roadways that you would need to travel on to get to these locations are paved.  You do not really have to drive on as many service roads as in Cajon or Seligman.  There are some, just not as many.

Trains on Tehachapi Pass are plentiful with about 40 per day of the Union Pacific and the BNSF at about a 50/50 mix.  You will incounter almost anything from double-stack trains to general freights.  Also from time to time, you will see unit trains of autoracks, steel coil unit trains, unit coal trains, ethanal unit trains and the current mother of unit trains on Tehachapi...the BNSF "Worm".

The "Worm" is the largest of the unit trains that you might see, and it is a long grain train of an almost matching set of 120-130 BNSF brown covered hopper grain cars.  It is usually kept under control with four units on the point, three units as midtrain helpers and followed by two or three units as rear helpers.    

A large number of trains that negociate Tehachapi Pass are trains that are heavy enough to require either mid-train, or rear helpers.  Distributed power is common.  You will see mainly the standard GE power with a slight mix of EMD.  Only on a rare occasion will you see any four axel power, and since there is not many local industries, you will not witness very many short local freights.

Amtrak does not currently go through Tehachapi Pass but does have trains that terminate in Bakersfield, CA.  The Amtrak San Joaquin trains leave Bakersfield, CA and travel northwest toward the bay area.  No long distance Amtrak trains travel through Bakersfield or Tehachapi Pass.

Trains have a tendency to travel up, or down the pass in groups.  Meets are common.  The Union Pacific dispatcher will frequently have to give some maintenance crew a work window that is usually in the morning hours after the early morning "rush".  It is common to have several trains in the morning, followed by a couple hours of nothing, then several more afternoon hours of steady trains. 

Because the western side of the pass is mostly single track, any work done on Tehachapi Pass pretty much shuts down the line.  Maintenance is frequent.  Listen to your scanner for updates.

SHORT HISTORY

The then Southern Pacific started construction in 1874 after several different sites were concidered.  Although this route hosted many bridges for the crossings over Tehachapi Creek and more curves and tunnels, it was the one thought to be the best choice.

Originally surveyed by William Hood, the track alignment was thought to be a stroke of brilliance.  Being a humble man, Mr. Hood didn't bask in the limelight, and called his ideas as "the most logical choice". His crowning achievement was the area called The Tehachapi Loop and to this day is concidered one of railroadings greatest marvels.

The Tehachapi Loop allows the railroad to maintain a ruling grade of only 2.2% by having the tracks circle around themselves and gain 77 feet in elevation in only .8 miles.  Within the loop is a passing siding that is known as Walong.

There were originally 17 tunnels between Bakersfield and Mojave but natural events have forced the railroad to "daylight" or eliminate 5 of them (4, 6, 11, 12, 13 and I didn't include tunnel 1/2) leaving only 12.

A little less than 10 years after construction started in Sumner, later to be called Bakersfield, the first train arrived in Mojave, CA.  Construction of the line from Mojave to Needles started in 1882 and a short 18 months later, that portion of the line was completed.  Sumner changed its name to Bakersfield in 1890 and on 7/25/1992 the tracks from Los Angeles to Bakersfield were incorporated as the Mojave District.

SCANNER FREQUENCIES

The Union Pacific uses channel 160.320 AAR 14 and the BNSF uses channel 160.650 AAR 36 for communication.  There is frequent talk between the trains and usually the Union Pacific dispatcher so it is easy to find out the location of some of the trains.  Most communication is on the Union Pacific channel. 

Also there are five talking detectors that help you with locating the trains.  They are just north of Mojave at milepost 377.0, just east of the Route 58 overpass near Tehachapi, CA at milepost 363.8, just east of the bridge at Rowan at milepost 347.0, near Bena at milepost 328.6 and finally at 314.0 near Kern Junction in Bakersfield, CA.  You will hear them on the UP channel.  There are several others, but you will hear them only if a defect is detected.

SECURITY CONCERNS

I have had no major problems even though I have been questioned many times.  Still just be polite and if told to leave an area, don't dispair, because there are many other places that you can go and get pictures.

One thing I would like to mention that is more perticular to Tehachapi Pass than at other locations, is that around the tracks throughout the pass, there are many fences that keep the livestock of nearby ranches where they are supposed to be. 

Frequently the railroad right of way will run directly through the private property of a ranch so do not bother any of the livestock that you might encounter, and do not destroy any of the fences.  Also close ALL gates that you go through.  For the most part, while in Tehachapi Pass, if you are not on a paved road then you are probably on either railroad property or private property.  Respect that fact.  Please.