Not What it Seems

What appears to be one of the cooler consists to lead a train over the Tehachapi Mountains is, in actuality, just the rear helpers on a westbound Burlington Norther... (more)

Dropping through Bealville, California, a westbound BNSF freight (with auto racks up front) approaches Tunnel 2 on February 23, 2016. In the background exiting the Allard horseshoe curve is an eas... (more)

BNSF coil train emerges from the tunnel enroute towards Bakersfield on a Summer afternoon..

Late evening finds the ZLCLT passing through Bealville with 3 units leading the short train today.

A northbound UP manifest pokes around one of the many curves at Bealville, as a southbound BNSF train can be seen in the background above the UP train.

UP's Southbound ZLTLC is tucked away in the siding at Bealville as UP 2644 passes on the main.

I can hear a Union Pacific stack train working upgrade out of Caliente, California, at my position outside the east portal of Tunnel 2 at Bealville. Imagine my disappointment when this battle worn... (more)

Santa Fe 889 leads a hot intermodal train up the 2.1% grade at Tunnel 2. The Super Fleet motor still didn't look too bad yet in 2002...

Warbonnet BNSF 8296 leads a southbound stacker at Bealville, California. The SD75m was not the most successful locomotive EMD ever made, but it certainly looked good in Red and Silver....

New Tier IVs....A southbound manifest heavy in lumber thunders thru Bealville. The train has 3 swing helpers that are out of sight inside the Allard Horseshoe. The Spring of 2016 saw the use of a... (more)

A heavy lumber drag curls thru the curves at Bealville, California. The long manifest is powered by three new Heavy Gevos for its climb up the Tehachapi Mountains...

Southbound UP intermodal train climbing into Bealville in the Tehachapi mountains.

Exiting tunnel number 5 on UP's Tehachapi grade is one of the few remaining warbonnets left on the BNSF. Dash 9-44CW #710 was ordered for the Santa Fe but delivered after the BNSF merger and so ha... (more)

A westbound BNSF grain train holding the main line at Bealville, California, meets an eastbound BNSF intermodal train on a busy Tehachapi Pass on February 25, 2016.