Western Railroad Discussion > An Unusual Move on Tehachapi ... So I Caught It on Video

The story behind this video:

This Los Angeles-bound train, Q-NBYLAC4-18A, which originated in North Bay (Richmond CA), first arrived at Caliente, 2 or 3 miles downgrade from here, at 9:56 this morning.  After meeting a westbound, this eastbound waited as they had reported a problem (although listening on the scanner, we could not ascertain what the issue was).  About 90 minutes later, we were uphill at Tunnel 2, near Allard, and were surprised at 11:35 am to see a crewman walking out of the tunnel, alongside the mainline, followed by intermodal cars backing through the tunnel behind him.  When the train's power, ES44DC 7656 and Dash 9-44CW 1090, popped out of the tunnel, we were surprised to see that it was the train we'd seen previously at Caliente, as it clearly hadn't gotten very far in all that time.

After driving to various locations on this line looking for other trains, we returned to Tunnel 2 and, at 3:20 pm, this hard-luck train arrived,  grinding up the hill once again.  68 cars later, the train's rear appeared, this time with three more diesels helping:  ES44C4 8346, ES44DC 7522 and ES44C4 3278.  And this time there was enough power to get this relatively short intermodal train moving with no issues.  We thought…

At 4:08 pm we ended up at Bealville – nearly 30 minutes later and just four miles from Caliente (so, about two miles from Tunnel 2) – and now this train was sitting again, this time at a red signal.  After another half hour or so, we heard on the scanner that a broken rail had been reported at Cliff, three miles ahead.  No wonder they were stopped, as were several other trains.  After determining that traffic could move through Cliff Siding, and avoid the mainline, BNSF train Q-NBYLAC4-18A was moving once again, the first train to pass through Cliff after the broken rail was detected – at 4:08 pm … just over five hours after it first arrived at Caliente, a mere 8 miles (12.87 km) back!

(Tunnel 2, Allard, California – February 19, 2026)
 

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Raining today?  I didn't catch that on the Tehachapi weather report.

Wonder why the conductor chose to walk? I believe that car was rideable? I think a North Bay to Los Angeles train is pretty unusual as well as these strange conditions. I am sure the train was mostly empties and would normally have been a B train. It only takes one load to change the symbol. Very interesting catch. In all my years of Tehachapi I have never seen a train back down the grade.
JB

3rdswitch Wrote:
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> Wonder why the conductor chose to walk? I believe
> that car was rideable?

That's what I was thinking, too.  We were surprised to see a crewmen exiting the tunnel, and then the train appeared.

> I think a North Bay to Los Angeles train is pretty
> unusual as well as these strange conditions.
> I am sure the train was mostly empties and would
> normally have been a B train.

I got the symbol from a BNSF employee (who must hate it when I go railfanning, as I bombard him with a lot of texts requesting info).  But someone else also commented that it is normally a train that repositions empty containers.

> It only takes one load to change the symbol.

I wasn't sure about that, but it makes sense.  Thanks!

3rdswitch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wonder why the conductor chose to walk? I believe
> that car was rideable? I think a North Bay to Los
> Angeles train is pretty unusual as well as these
> strange conditions. I am sure the train was mostly
> empties and would normally have been a B train. It
> only takes one load to change the symbol. Very
> interesting catch. In all my years of Tehachapi I
> have never seen a train back down the grade.
> JB

Those "B4" trains are now all "Q4"s  with the occational "S4", dpeneding on the equpment being repositioned.   

Curt Wrote:
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> Raining today?  I didn't catch that on the
> Tehachapi weather report.

Um, reread the post and rewatch the video...

I remember when UP and SP merged and BNSF got trackage rights from Denver across the Moffat to the west. Seemed like every westbound stalled until the Power Bureau figured out you need more horsepower to get trains over the hill. After a few stalled out and then they started using manned helpers with a TrainLink to uncouple from the train on the fly. Eventully DPUs came into common use. Sounds like the Power Bureau has forgotten what it learned years ago...

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

Great catch!  Thanks so much for sharing and posting htis great video. 

mojaveflyer Wrote:
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> I remember when UP and SP merged and BNSF got
> trackage rights from Denver across the Moffat to
> the west. Seemed like every westbound stalled
> until the Power Bureau figured out you need more
> horsepower to get trains over the hill. After a
> few stalled out and then they started using manned
> helpers with a TrainLink to uncouple from the
> train on the fly. Eventully DPUs came into common
> use. Sounds like the Power Bureau has forgotten
> what it learned years ago...

Most likely a unit died on them and since this was a lower priority train of mostly empties that and the combination of what rail probbaly did them in...

Not sure I would ride a shove in tunnel. If things get sideways, you're dead meat>>> Just sayin.

3rdswitch Wrote:
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> Wonder why the conductor chose to walk? I believe that car was rideable?

Watching the end of the train pass the conductor and disappear around the curve makes me wonder how he protected the move once it shoved past were he could see.

Open eyes, see rain falling. Open eyes, see puddles on ground.

longliveSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Curt Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Raining today?  I didn't catch that on the
> > Tehachapi weather report.
>
> Um, reread the post and rewatch the video...