It will be 20 years ago this coming October that the last SP oil train ran over the Tehachapis. I was there to see that last train. Unfortunately, the train broke apart somewhere west of the Loop and it didn't pass there until about 6:30 PM. It was almost dark so no pictures were taken. I had a banner that I held, using my headlights to light it, that read "SP Oil Cans - Thanks For The Memories". I also held the banner at Monolith and paced it all the way to Sylmar to watch the uncoupling of the helper set, the assembly of the train, and the departures of the southbound train and the northbound helper set back to Bakersfield. A night I'll remember forever.
The BKDOU (Bakersfield - Delores Unit Train), at the time, was the heaviest regularly scheduled train to cross the Tehachapi Mountain line. Although not heavy by today's standards, according to the train orders (flimsies) tossed to me from the cab while standing next to the tracks, the weight of the train hovered around 11,000 tons. I've seen the loads use anywhere from 9 to 12 locomotives in the consist to maintain a track speed of 18 mph if all went well. I've seen as many as two loaded trains per day pass over the hill. My son and I would pace the train all the way to Sylmar, CA, where they would cut out the mid-train helpers and run them back light to Bakersfield for another run the next day. Mountain railroading at its best.
I stood in this exact location last year and filmed a BNSF intermodal running out of the siding and up the hill. That was a thrilling sight for me to see. Sadly, I missed this beautiful sight of the SP by 24 years. Thank you so much for sharing this and giving me a glimpse of the past!
Floridian Rail & Auto i became an engineer some 17yrs ago, killed most of my railfanning past...today a train is a train is a train...below are two vids i made in the early days, outback australia....operated all kinds of trains from head end to 12k ton dp coalies and now drive suburban electric mu’s... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WC9gdv3x3r8.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-r8kAam6pwb4.html
It's amazing how 25 years ago you read my mind tonight! The whole time that I'm watching 12 spectacular examples of EMD greatness at Bealville and how the Espee was so proficient at utilizing them, I'm thinking "Please turn the camera around for the Tunnel 5 shot...it's right behind you...don't forget to swing the camera around...you can see it from here...PLEASE!!!" Thank you.
Peter Ronney trains by the late 90s just got boring to me as the "third generation" diesels began to take over. I switched to buses because they still had interesting engines and sounds. Now with all the new buses arriving mainly Gilligs, that hobby in buses has died. There is just no replacement for 20 cylinder SD45s or Tunnel Motors or old U-Boats or early C30-7s with today's locomotives especially GEVO types. Just as there is no replacement for 6V92 or Series 50 or 50G or C Gas for buses with any of today's ISLs.
In this video I'm lashed up deep running a fiat Alice tug boat engine v-20 with full inter axel wheel lock deployment and sand spreader on stand by. Average weight about 660,000 pounds per rail car. Let's go with throttle up. Puuuull
