Cajon Pass Photo Collection

October 2003

by Werner Meer, Switzerland

Note: The copyright belongs to this photographer. Do not use any photos without written permission.

Photos are sorted by location and date (not by number or railroad):
These locations are shown (from East to West): Summit, Silverwood, Alray/Tunnel Area, Davis Ranch Road, Mormon Rocks/Stein's Hill/Pine Lodge/HWY 138, Sullivan's Curve, Cajon Station/Junction, Graffiti Bridge, Swarthout Canyon Road Crossing, Blue Cut, Lower Canyon, San Bernardino.

Abbreviations found on this page: EB = East Bound, NB = North Bound, SB = South Bound, WB = West Bound, EP = East Portal, WP = West Portal (of Tunnels), NT = North Track (2,2%), ST = South Track (3%), MP = Mile Post, DPU = Distributed Power Unit (Helpers), SWC = Swarthout Canyon Road Crossing.

For bigger size photos - please click on the 5-digit number below each photo.

San Bernardino - Metrolink Station
10/2003 Metrolink train coming from LA - 3W813	Cab car in low sunlight - 3W814	BNSF EB heading for Cajon Pass - 3W815
Metrolink 874 F59PHI (built 1995) - 3W816	Metrolink 856 F59PH (built 1992) - 3W817	San Bernardino Depot at the back - 3W818
Lower Canyon - below Blue Cut
10/2003 First photo of the day - 30102	BNSF WB below Blue Cut - 30103	BNSF EB same location - 30104
Swarthout Canyon Road Crossing MP 64.6
Schneider Trailers on Flat Cars - 30105	BNSF EB at Swarthout Canyon Road X-ing - 31113	BNSF EB 4th unit is a Warbonnet - 30106
BNSF C44-9W nos. 4650 + 4684 - 30107	BNSF EB going round the curve - 31115	BNSF WB coming round the curve of SWC - 30108
BNSF 4836 = C44-9W (built 8/98) - 30109	Same BNSF WB train at SWC - 30110	WB double stack train at SWC curve - 30111
BNSF WB double stack train at SWC - 31117	Our Minivan made it easy to go everywhere - 31118	UP EB at SWC X-ing - 30112
UP 4006 = SD70M, 5070 = SD70M flared - 30113	Third unit was a GE loco - 31121	EB double stack cars at SWC - 30114
First Werner Trailer on this train - 30115	Three more Werner Trailers - 30116	SF 913 = C40-8W, BNSF 737 = C44-9W - 30117
Same BNSF WB at SWC - 30118	Our McDonald's at I-15/Hwy 138 exit - 31134	makes railfaning very convenient - 31135
Cajon Station / Junction MP 62.8
BNSF WB at Cajon Station - 30119	BNSF WB on Graffiti Bridge MP 63.4 - 30120	Same BNSF WB train - 30121
BNSF EB w/4 Warbonnets - 30122	BNSF EB on NT at Cajon Station - 30123	Old Route 66 serves as our railfan spot - 30124
Going uphill toward Sullivan's Curve - 30125	Still the same BNSF EB train - 30126	First section is already at Sullivan's Curve - 30127
2 DPU's are helping uphill - 30128	End of train w/helpers on bridge - 30129	UP SB on ST and I-15 WB above - 31122
UP SB entering Cajon Station on ST - 30130	UP SB w/CSX loco in the middle - 31123	UP SB toward San Bernardino and Colton - 30131
Leading UP loco is a ex. SP C44-9 - 30132	BNSF WB 1049 = C44-9W at Cajon Station - 30133	BNSF EB on NT at Silverwood - 30134
Summit - easy to reach via Hwy 138 w/overlook and space for parking (see photo 31207)
BNSF WB ar Summit cut - 30135	Same WB train passing Summit - 30136	BNSF EB entering Summit - 30137
UP WB mixed on ST - 30201	UP 4311 = SD70M - 30202	In the distance is a UP EB at Silverwood - 30203
UP WB is leaving Summit Curve on ST - 30204	Same train w/diff. cars - 30205	UP EB entering Summit Curve - 30206
The cars in the distance are at Silverwood - 30207	4 x UP SD70M's are pulling this train - 30208	The engines are passing Summit - 30209
UP WB train is just above UP EB cars - 30210	UP EB double stack pass Summit - 30211	Next train is BNSF EB on NT - 30212
C44-9W, GP60M, GP60, C44-9W - 30213	BNSF EB entering Summit - 30214	Heavy used J.B. Hunt Container - 30215
BNSF WB on ST passing EB train - 30216	SF 644 = C44-9W - 30217	2 BNSF trains are busy at Summit Curve - 30218
UP SB on UP track (Colton Cutoff) - 30219	Next BNSF EB rounding Summit Curve - 30220	And a BNSF WB leaving Summit - 30221
Both trains are meeting each other in cut - 30222	WB is combined dbl stack/TOFC train - 30223	EB is mixed freight incl. coil cars - 30224
Both trains are still in Summit cut - 30225	Still the same two trains - 30227	BNSF WB TOFC and some Railfans - 30228
WB train meets another EB train - 30229	BNSF EB is getting closer - 30230	EB is entering Summit - 30231
Double stack uphill and TOFC downhill - 30232	Next is a UP EB train - 30233	All GE power - 30234
Need some wheels for your model layout? - 30235	Lumber on Center Beam Flat Car - 30236	Can you see the railfan WM above the van? - 31203
Long BNSF EB train entering Summit Curve - 30333	BNSF EB TOFC w(GE power on NT - 30334	UP WB leaving Summit - 30335
UP WB mixed freight going downhill - 31202	UP WB mixed freight going downhill - 30336	Last photo of this UP train - 30337
UP EB coming round Summit Curve - 30402	Leading unit is a SD70M standard - 30403	4th unit is a SD70M w/flared radiators - 30404
The locos are on top of Summit - 30405	Double Stack leaning in Summit Curve - 31207	UP EB double stack - last photo - 30406
Sullivan's Curve - impressive Rock formations - BNSF North Track (2,2%) and UP Colton-Palmdale Cutoff Track w/siding are in front of the Rocks
Sullivan's Curve seen from the East side - 31126	BNSF NT at left & UP Cutoff w/siding above - 30307	Both tracks are turning to the left - 30309
BNSF EB snaking around Sullivan's - 31124	Same train w/I-15 and Hwy 138 exit - 31125	Melinda at left and me were really there - 31128
UP SB on UP Cutoff coming downhill - 30310	and entering the famous curve - 30311	and rolling in front of the rocks - 31129
and continue rolling in front of the rocks - 30312	In the middle is a BNSF EB train coming - 30313	Here is the BNSF EB coming uphill - 31131
BNSF EB and UP SB still rolling - 30314	End of UP SB train above - 31132	BNSF EB will soon reach Hwy 138 - 30315
Mormon Rocks - Stein's Hill - Highway 138 - Pine Lodge
UP SB on UP Cutoff coming downhill - 30302	between the Mormon Rocks - 30303	Below the tank car is the same train - 30304
Same UP SB train crossing Hwy 138 - 30305	UP EB on BNSF track pass Hwy 138 - 30316	First engines are rolling over Cajon Creek - 30317
and passing in front of the Mormon Rocks - 30318	and heading for Davis Ranch Road - 30319	Same train with better view of the Rocks - 30320
More cars are coming - 30321	Still the same double stack train - 30322	End of train - 30323
Graffiti on a Railbox car - 3W807	BNSF grain car "happy ops"? - 3W809	And another example "teri crow"? - 3W810
UP SB on BNSF South track - 30324	UP train will sson go under Hwy 138 - 30325	BNSF EB in front of Mormon Rocks - 30326
There are also 2 NS locos in this consist - 30327	UP EB w/worn SD60 # 2168 - 30328	Even worse UP Auto rack - 30329
Articulated Auto rack - 30330	World record graffiti Auto rack - 30331	Beautiful Mormon Rocks - 30332
UP track w/Mormon Rocks from the back - 30424	Mormon Rocks along Hwy 138 - 30426	UP EB on BNSF NT w/coal cars - 30423
UP SB crossing Cajon Creek bridge - 30427	UP 5066 = SD70M & 9499 = C41-8 - 30428	Bare table (empty double stack) - 30429
Helicopter helping for fire fighting - 30401	Cajon Pass fire from a distance - 30413	Fire is in Lone Pine Canyon area - 30425
Alray (East of I-15) and Tunnels 1 and 2 (Tunnels do not exist anymore because of 3rd Main Track)
BNSF EB on NT at Alray - 30407	BNSF EB train heading for Tunnel 2 WP - 30408	Tunnel 2 WP is just at the right corner - 30409
The rules for using the forest service roads - 30410	UP EB on UP Cutoff line - 30411	There is plenty space to park the car - 30412
UP EB freight is going uphill - 30414	Same UP train over US forest service road - 30415	BNSF EB on NT coming from I-15 underpass - 30416
BNSF EB with fire clouds in the background - 30417	BNSF EB rolling over US forest service road - 30418	After a left curve it will reach Tunnel 2 WP - 30419
More double stack cars coming - 30420	End of train at Alray - 30421	UP EB entering Tunnel 1 WP - 30430
UP EB Auto racks out of Tunnel 2 EP - 30431	Left is Tunnel 2 EP and right UP Cutoff - 30432	BNSF EB leavin Tunnel 2 EP - 30433
BNSF EB uphill from Tunnel 2 for Tunnel 1 - 30434	BNSF double stack emerging Tunnel 2 - 30435	Same train w/Tunnel 2 EP - 30436
End of train and we can see thru Tunnel 2 - 30501	BNSF EB and close up of Tunnel 2 EP - 30502	The engines will enter Tunnel 1 WP - 30503
After our Tunnel visit, we went back to Alray as our Van was parked below the UP bridge. More trains showed up and we took some more photos.
BNSF EB on NT w/I-15 and UP underpass - 30504	Because of low sun, the locos are in shadow - 30505	A UP EB train is coming round the curve - 30507
UP EB - double stack cars fit under I-15 - 30508	Werner Truck is climbing I-15 over UP track - 30509	UP SB rolling over UP bridge - 30510
The engines will soon go under I-15 - 30511	Lumber cars on UP bridge (our Van below) - 30512	Gondola w/graffiti of SB train - 30513
This Golden West car has also griffiti - 30514	BNSF EB w/I-15 just above - 30515	EB double stack heading for Tunnel 2 - 30516
BNSF bridge in front and UP at the back - 30517	Last photo of double stack train - 30518	Last BNSF before we left - 30519
Once again, our Cajon Journey is over. Afterwards, we went to Mojave and Tehachapi.

updated: February 26, 2010

Did you see my 2005 Cajon Pass Photos?  -  click here

8 different and detailed Maps of Cajon Pass with captions (Mile Posts and Location) by Gary G. Gray - click here

Accurate Map (2010) of Cajon Pass with 3rd Main Track by Michael Amrine - click here

Go back to Cajon Pass Main Page - click here

(over all copyright by Werner Meer, Switzerland)