On a late spring afternoon in the Tehachapi's, 7 big GE locomotives of the BNSF drag a long intermodal up through Keene, CA and around the single track horseshoe curve.

A winter storm parts for the afternoon sun that lights up the Lehigh cement factory at Monolith and a passing south bound BNSF intermodal rolling quickly by at track speed.

13 minutes of a meet at the Tehachapi Loop.

When I was fired from the IMRL for 15 days on rules violations, I decided to go on a whirl wind tour of the west for my 1st time. So I set out to see Colorado, Utah, and Montana back in 2000. I pa... (more)

An eastbound coal train snakes along the North Platte River in the desolate confines of Wendover Canyon between Wendover and Cassa. The train is working towards Guernsey off the Orin Sub. The Cany... (more)

A loaded coal train bound for Texas is working hard up the 1% grade on the Twin Peaks Sub near Abeyta. The train is currently near MP 241 between Barela and Trinchere. The Twin Peaks Sub runs from... (more)

A westbound BNSF manifest filled out with large cuts of heavy coil steel moves up the steep 2% grade in Coal Creek Canyon. The train is about to punch into Tunnel One and turn north for its cliff... (more)

A westbound loaded tank train heads west up the 2.2% slope of Mullan Pass. From this spot you can see 3 levels of track; Skyline Trestle, the approach to Weed, and Austin. On the far horizon is He... (more)

A morning westbound manifest passes Toston Dam. Toston Dam was built in 1940. The Northern Pacific had to raise and relocate a portion of their mainline thru the canyon for the project...

A westbound BNSF train negotiates the twisting trackage of South Boulder Canyon. Storm clouds have just parted illuminating this scene along the ex DRGW. The train is about to enter one of tighte... (more)

A westbound BNSF manifest heavy in unfinished steel, I-beams and tank cars climbs the 2% grade thru South Boulder Canyon. The train has 5 big motors, configured 3x2. The railroad has followed Sout... (more)

Scaling the side of the cliff next to South Boulder Creek a BNSF manifest climbs the 2% grade. The river is dropping much faster than the railroad as the white water below can attest. The left sid... (more)

Climbing towards the morning sun... A westbound manifest curves east as it twists towards the Great Divide.... The 2% grade is very evident by the next level of track that can be seen above the lo... (more)

A 53 car eastbound (southbound) grain load climbs thru the twisting curves at Cable. These curves are in 'suburbs' of Tehachapi, California. Most grain over Tehachapi moves westbound. However thi... (more)

A BNSF westbound manifest storms up the 2.3% grade at Warren, CA. This is a a transition area from the hot Mojave desert to the Tehachapi Pass. This pass separates the Tehachapi Mountains from th... (more)