Bill Compton wanted to go to Cajon Pass and I wanted to see how construction was progressing on California Highway 138 so we decided on Saturday and he picked me up at 6:30 AM. We did not have to go far for our first train of the day.
Pacific Surfliner 761 came north through Santa Ana before we headed to the freeway. We went to West Colton Yard then cut through San Bernardino and saw the platform expansion construction at the San Bernardino station then drove north to Cajon Boulevard which you can now take all the way to Cajon. As we headed to Blu Cut, we caught up to the second train of the morning; the first one we passed along Cajon Boulevard.
BNSF 8067 East heading into Cajon. We went back to Blu Cut to wait for that first train.
BNSF 7270 East.
I enjoyed the Rainbow Blues (a Jethro Tull song) at Blu Cut. Next we drove to Cajon where we found a westbound train waiting.
BNSF 6596 Westn.
BNSF 7270 East took Track 3 to Summit this morning. We proceeded to California Highway 138 and noticed all the construction and earth moving that had already taken place. Summit was in pea soup clouds so we made our way east to the Summit Valley where it was clear, but with a cool wind blowing and set up at a new location for my photography. We did not have a long wait.
BNSF 7270 East at Lugo. Now we waited for a four-hour late Southwest Chief.
Amtrak's Southwest Chief, Train 3, behind schedule.
BNSF 8067 East. We went to the next crossing to the east.
BNSF 7654 West at another new photo location.
BNSF 7765 East with BNSF GP60M3s 124 and 107 in the consist at Martinez. From here we went back to the Summit Overlook.
Here is a construction view.
BNSF 6774 East with GECX ET44AC 2029, built as a demonstrator by General Electric in 2014, in its consist met Union Pacific 6462 West.
Next was Union Pacific 6490 East with BC Rail C44-9W 4651, built by General Electric in 2000, and DPU Union Pacific 6772.
BNSF 6015 East. We stopped at McDonald's for lunch then drove to Blu Cut to eat and later, drove to Riverside then followed the former Union Pacific line to Pomona where we found another train.
Union Pacific 8105 East at Pomona. Right behind that first train came a second.
Union Pacific 7510 East. Bill and I drove home, stopping at The Habit to get dinner for me and mother. It had been another fantastic trip to Cajon Pass by Bill and I.
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