CSX Transportation Historical Society

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Return To Cajon Pass - Part 3A

Rail Fan Adventure --

Return to Cajon Pass
Above Summit
Continuing - with Part 3A

On our last day at Cajon Pass we spent our morning setting up at two different pull offs located alongside of California 138, just west of Summit. Below are some photos of the trains we saw during a three hour period.

3a-1. Heading westbound from Summit are BN-SF 7721, a GE ES44DC; BN-SF 7747, a GE ES44DC; BN-SF 7713, a GE ES44DC; and BN-SF 136, a GM GP60M, with a manifest train behind them. BN-SF 136 was the only Warbonnet unit we saw during our visit to Cajon, and the only BN-SF locomotive encountered not in BN-SF orange, yellow, and black paint.
Heading westbound from Summit are BN-SF 7721, a GE ES44DC; BN-SF 7747, a GE ES44DC; BN-SF 7713, a GE ES44DC; and BN-SF 136, a GM GP60M, with a manifest train behind them.

3a-2. BN-SF 6853 and BN-SF 6873, both GE ES44C4, lead a unit train of autoracks eastward over Track #2. The two locomotives when they pass under the signal lights have reached the west crest of Cajon Pass. Just visible in the distance is a westbound train on track #3 headed by BN-SF 7380 and BN-SF 7547. Once BN-SF 6853 clears Summit BN-SF will be re-route train BN-SF 7380 from Track #3 to Track #2 for the continuation of its journey to Los Angeles.
BN-SF 6853 and BN-SF 6873, both GE ES44C4, lead a unit train of autoracks eastward over Track #2.

3a-3. BN-SF 7380 and BN-SF 7547, both GE ES44AC units, having been given the “Highball” are on the move west. They are crossing from Track #3 to Track #2 for the journey down the west side of Cajon Pass.
BN-SF 7380 and BN-SF 7547, both GE ES44AC units, having been given the “Highball” are on the move west.

3a-4. BN-SF 6720, BN-SF 6681, and BN-SF 6926, all GE ES44AC, are seen pulling a unit stack train down the west side of Cajon Pass using Track #2. In the distance another BN-SF train, containing cars loaded with containers and trailers, is fighting its way up the hill to Summit via Track #1.
BN-SF 6720, BN-SF 6681, and BN-SF 6926, all GE ES44AC, are seen pulling a unit stack train down the west side of Cajon Pass using Track #2.

3a-5. BN-SF 7453, a GE ES44DC; BN-SF 7283, a GE ES44DC; BN-SF 8002, a GE ES44C4; BN-SF 4512, a GE C44-9W; and BN-SF 4395, a GE C44-9W, are at Silverwood Mile Post 56.6. It is .7 miles to Summit, Mile Post 55.9, and their train stretches out behind them into the far distance. There are two helpers at the rear of this train and they will be needed because the train will catch a red signal just short of the top of the grade. With great engineering skill its crew will start the train from a dead stop on this 3 percent grade and march it through the Pass.
BN-SF 7453, a GE ES44DC; BN-SF 7283, a GE ES44DC; BN-SF 8002, a GE ES44C4; BN-SF 4512, a GE C44-9W; and BN-SF 4395, a GE C44-9W, are at Silverwood Mile Post 56.6.

3a-6. UP 4172, a GM SD70M; UP 4838, a GM SD70M; and UP 6845, a GE C44AC, running on Track #2, are westbound heading a 40 car train of loaded ballast cars. It is all dynamic breaking. In the lower left coming eastbound on Track #3 is a 120 car stack train headed by five BN-SF locomotives, all running in Notch 8. In the upper right, on Track #1, can be seen an eastbound autorack train headed by four BN-SF locomotives.
UP 4172, a GM SD70M; UP 4838, a GM SD70M; and UP 6845, a GE C44AC, running on Track #2, are westbound heading a 40 car train of loaded ballast cars.


Train images used by permission of Charles H Bogart