United States of America - California - April/May 2005 (UPDATED 2021)
This gallery was updated in June 2021 with every image re-edited and remastered using newer processing software. A large selection of additional images have also been added to the gallery, which have never been seen online before.
In April 2005, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to travel to the USA in order to photograph a completely different type of railway system. Traveling with good friend Colin Marsden we flew from London Heathrow to Los Angeles International Airport with Amerian Airlines. During the trip we visited the Cajon Pass, Tehachapi Mountains, as well as some other sights of Southern California. My personal thanks must also go to Gray Gray, Don Toles, Bruce Jones, Sheryl & Doug, and Robert Beyer, for all their time, energy and information which they supplied to make our stay in the USA a very enjoyable one. The photo's included in this gallery were taken between April 19th and May 5th 2005, charting our photographic trip in some of the worlds most lovable locations where we spent hours watching and photographing trains hard at work in California on gruelling gradients and meandering curves.
In April 2005, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to travel to the USA in order to photograph a completely different type of railway system. Traveling with good friend Colin Marsden we flew from London Heathrow to Los Angeles International Airport with Amerian Airlines. During the trip we visited the Cajon Pass, Tehachapi Mountains, as well as some other sights of Southern California. My personal thanks must also go to Gray Gray, Don Toles, Bruce Jones, Sheryl & Doug, and Robert Beyer, for all their time, energy and information which they supplied to make our stay in the USA a very enjoyable one. The photo's included in this gallery were taken between April 19th and May 5th 2005, charting our photographic trip in some of the worlds most lovable locations where we spent hours watching and photographing trains hard at work in California on gruelling gradients and meandering curves.
Watch this one hour long video of the footage taken during the 2005 visit to California. Some of the footage is a little by unsteady as only a small tripod was being used because of the weight/ baggage restrictions which hindered the transportation of a full sized tripod from the UK.
20th April 2005:
Having flown into Los Angeles LAX the previous day, we stayed in the Best Western Motel at Cajon. The first day of our trip was spent in the Cajon Pass, watching the huge American freights hauling their trains through spectacular mountain scenes. These scenes were taken before the additional track was added through the pass, some of the photographic locations included in this gallery have since changed beyond all recognition, or no longer exist.

Union Pacific locomotive UP 5696 (AC44CW) leads UP 3926 (SD70M), UP 5824 (AC44CW), NS (Conrail) 8397 (D8-40CW), UP 5757 (AC44CW) eastbound through the Cajon Pass on the Union Pacific tracks at Milepost 475 (also known as 'The Garden Spot'. This is also the natural break in the earths crust known as the San Andreas fault, which can be seen in the bottom left of this image.
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With eight locomotives in one shot at Cajon Summit on the 20th April 2005, A Trio of General Motors SD70 Mac locomtoives UP4440 (SD70M), UP4050 (SD70M), UP 5178 (SD70M) with an eastbound Autorack waiting, while a Union Pacific Ballast hauled by UP 4080 (SD70M), UP 3465(SD40-2), UP4999 (SD70M), UP9257 (C40-8), and UP4647 (SD70M).
21st April 2014
Having stayed the night in Cajon, we moved further east following the line from the Cajon Pass towards Barstow. We spent the day in the vicinity of Victorville, Frost, Kempa Cambell Ranch before driving to Tehachapi.

BNSF 4788 (C44-9W) leads BNSF 4768 (C44-9W), UP 9793 (C44-9W), BNSF 4394 (C44-9W), NREX 6490 (SD45-2), BNSF 1022 (C44-9W), NREX 5070 (SD50), BNSF 4858 (C44-9W), BNSF 9241 (SD60M), BNSF 9269 (SD60M), BNSF 7006 (SD40-2) over the Frost flyover on the 20th April 2005 with a westbound double stack/ intermodal.
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22nd April 2014
The 22nd April was our first day on the Tehachapi Mountain Range, our images over this period range between Mojave and Bakersfield.
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23rd April 2014
The 23rd April was our second day on the Tehachapi Route, and our time was spent between Mojave in the south through to Bakersfield in the north traversing the Tehcahapi Mountain Range in-between.
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Santa Fe Warbonnet BNSF 604 (C44-9W), BNSF 6729 (SD40-2), BNSF 4937 (C44-9W) and BNSF 703 (C44-9W) wait at Caliente for a northbound to desecnd from Tunnel 2 on the 23rd April 2005. In the background another warbonnet liveried locomotive BNSF 875 (C40-8W) with BNSF 339 (GP60B), NREX 7269 (GP38-2) and BNSF 8628 (B40-8) on a northbound manifest.
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On the way back to the hotel we called into Woodford, which had been the sight of a derailment prior to our arrival. The area had previously been inaccessible due to the clear up operation. The derailment happened at a time when BNSF were so short of power, they started to convert yard switchers (shunting locos) to provide additional power in the train. No.3403 was in the consist of a northbound train when it had a bearing failure and derailed. thankfully the locomotive somehow managed to stay on the track over the Woodford Tressel bridge, otherwise the derailment would have been far worse. The remnants of the incident can be seen above.
24th April 2014
The 24th April was our third day on the Tehachapi Route, and our time was spent between Mojave in the south through to Bakersfield in the north traversing the Tehcahapi Mountain Range in-between.
CSX 343, UP 3825, CSX 8566 are seen at Mojave & Sandcut with a northbound manifest. The service was a very important as the loco leading was an AC unit on hire from CSX. (Who at the time were desperate for these locos on their own operating patch!) 343 is instantly up ratable to 6000HP, and for an AC loco such as this from another company to lead of the Tehachapi mountains was very rare.
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UP 4699 offered it's assistance from Caliente when BNSF 4942, BNSF 5484 announced that they were unable to get their 'Z' train moving at Rowen. The UP loco worked over the mountain, attached to the front of the BNSF train and helped the BNSF service. Running 'SLAB END' first to Tehachapi!
25th April 2005
The morning period of the 25th April was spent on the Tehachapi Mountains. The traffic for the morning period was quite slow due to 'work windows' being taken on the mountain. Around mid day, we then set off on a four hour drive to San Fransisco.
26th April 2005
Having arrived in San Fransisco our first visit was to Jack London Square in Oakland. This is the location where 'street' running can be witnessed. The afternoon period was then spent photographing the San Fransisco 'Cal Train' network.
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The San Francisco and San Jose Railroad Company began passenger rail service on the Peninsula in 1863. The system we know today as Caltrain had its start in 1992. Caltrain operated between San Fransisco through intermediate stations to San Jose using 'push pull' double deck stock. Locomotives on the route vary from F40PH-2 through to the newer MP36PH-3C.
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27th April 2005
The 27th April was spent in San Fransisco, leaving the hire car at the motel we spent the day in the city looking at the sights and also gave us a chance to records the superb heritage streetcars which operate between Fishermans Wharf and Castro.
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28th April 2005
On the 28th April we made an early departure from San Fransisco driving back to Bakersfield arriving around mid day. Our first port of call on the way back to Tehacahpi was Sandcut before a drive through the mountains see capture freights which were operating in the area.
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29th April 2005
We spent the 29th April back on the Tehachapi mountain range between Mojave and Bakersfield.
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30th April 2005
We spent the 29th April back on the Tehachapi mountain range between Mojave and Bakersfield.
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1st May 2005
We spent the 1st May on the Tehachapi mountain range between Mojave and Bakersfield.
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A BNSF and Union Pacific 'meet' happens at Summit in the low evening light on the 1st May 2005. BNSF 4525 (C44-9W), BNSF 4545 (C44-9W), BNSF 5074 (C44-9W), BNSF 4964 (C44-9W) head away from the camera witha northbound manifest. Passing southbound UP 5747 (AC60CW), UP 9338 (C40-8), UP 5763 (AC44CWCTE) UP 4480 (SD70M), UP 5709 (AC44CWCTE).
2nd April 2005
We spent the 2nd May on the Tehachapi mountain range between Mojave and Bakersfield, but due to a 'work window' taken by Union Pacific to make repairs to the track, we ventured onto the BNSF line to the north of Tehachapi as far as Sandrini, where train after train had been tied down waiting for the mountain pass to reopen.
3rd May 2005
The 3rd May was out final full day on the Tehachapi Mountain Range, it provided cloudless skies a couple of brand new locomotives and a good level of freights moving over the pass.
A surprise during the morning period was the appearance of the BNSF Managers Train working over the mountain, it's seen coming out of Marcel heading North towards Bakersfield. The train was being operated for 'shippers' who use BNSF as a haulier. The train was operated from Barstow Intermodal Terminal to Swanson (close to Modesto in Northern California). A brand new ES44 DC was provided by BNSF No.7693.
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4th May 2005
On the 4th May we drove to Mojave before following the BNSF tracks to Barstow before returning via Helendale.

BNSF 4731 (C44-9W) leads a motley selection of power westbound at Helendale on the 4th May 2005. The locomotive is pictured leaving BNSF 7851 (SD40-2), Montana Rail Link 322 (SD45), NREX 5080 (SD50), and NREX 5453 (SD50). NREX 5080 is also notable as being Ex Union Pacific and Ex Chicago North Western.
5th May 2005
The 5th May was our final day in California, upon returning to Los Angeles we called off at Hinda and El Casco before returning to LAX for our flight home.