This is a compilation of several trips I took to Tehachapi several years ago. This was before I took an interest in rail photography. My philosophy had previously been "save be best stuff for the naked eye and let the viewfinder have the remnants. Now, it's quite the opposite. Still I was able to capture Tehachapi at an interesting time, right after the BNSF and UP mergers when power consists were often quite colorful. You'll also probably notice a number of locomotive models that are no longer oprating for these railroads. Things have certainly changed a lot on Tehachapi in the past couple of years.
A long Santa Fe UPS train wraps itself around the horseshoe at Caliente
Conrail units were once common visitors on the Santa Fe. Oddly enough, both railroads are now "fallen flags."
Most of the ex-ATSF SD45-2's like this one are still running on the BNSF system - the last remaining relatively intact fleet of 20-cylinder power on a Class 1 railroad. However, they are slated to be retired by the end of 2003.
This lead unit was part of a solid BN consist, which the photo unfortunately doesn't show. At this time, my philosophy was to mostly watch with my eyes and record what I saw on paper. It was only later that I began to appreciate the value of a good photograph as a documentary tool.
This was a very impressive light engine move that demonstrated the power variety once possessed by the Santa Fe. There are several Warbonnet DASH 8's visible, as well as a GP60B, SD40-2's, F45, and even a Conrail SD50. This variety has since given way to solid consists of BNSF's 1,400+ DASH 9's.
Rio Grande SD40T-2's were once fairly common sites on SP trains. These days, there are only a handfull of them remaining in service.
