A pair of BNSF trains meet at Bena, with the westbound roaring up the short but steep grade between Bena and Sandcut.

While the sun sets on another day in the Tehachapi Mountains, two DPUs bring up the rear of a unit grain train, as it drifts downgrade into Bena.

The M-RICBAR begins its uphill climb toward the summit at Tehachapi, as it leans into a curve just east of Bena.

Early morning finds a Southbound trailer train that has just came to a stop at Bena, the end of Double track from Bakersfield for a meet with 2 Northbounds

A Chicago bound unit auto train races down the short grade between Sandcut and Bena in the early morning light.

BNSF #7745 is part of a two unit DPU set shoving on the rear of the M-BAKBAR as it works its way toward Ilmon.

The sun is setting on BNSF 5117 South as it passes under the high/wide load detector at MP 328.6, just east of Bena, as it begins its climb toward the summit.

BNSF 714 has its Z-train up to track speed (50mph) as it leaves Bena and the San Joaquin Valley behind and begins the climb up the Tehachapi Mountains.

With two more units on the rear end (one an NS), this southbound freight begins to gather momentum for the climb over the Tehachapis.

Before throwing the switch from the helper spur to the main at Bena, the brakeman has moved the electric time-lock to the "unlock" position.

An SP brakeman cuts in a helper at Bena on an eastbound manifest.

At dusk, the headlight of a helper being cut into an eastbound manifest reflects off the flanks of the train's boxcars.

A quartet of U36Cs brings a westbound past the signal bridge at Bena, as an SP helper set awaits its next assignment. Within six months, the signal bridge will be completely destroyed by a flood t... (more)

No trip to Tehachapi is complete without seeing the "worm train", seen here climbing out of the valley near Bena.

Low morning sun casts a warm glow on a westbound BNSF grain train near Bena. The Tehachapi Mountains loom in the background, ready to challenge the next freight that attempts to reach the summit.