Tehachapi Loop
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tehachapi Loop is a so-called .73 mile long 'spiral' (though technically it is a helix) on the railroad main line through the Tehachapi Mountains in south central California, connecting the San Joaquin Valley to Los Angeles via the Antelope Valley. Hailed as one of the greatest engineering feats of its day as well as being the world's busiest single-track main, the line was built by Southern Pacific Railroad, now owned by Union Pacific. BNSF uses the loop due to trackage rights.
The line derives its name from the circuitous route it takes through mountains, considerably lessening the angle of the grade. A train with 85 boxcars or more will pass over itself going around the loop. The area is considered to be one of the prime railfan areas in the country with its combination of frequent train traffic and spectacular scenery. A railroad museum with many historical rail artifacts is located in the small city of Tehachapi.
A large, white cross has been placed in the center of the loop, at the peak of the hill. Known as "The Cross at the Loop", it is in memory of two Southern Pacific Railroad employees who were killed in a train derailment on May 12, 1989 in San Bernardino, California.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Maps or Microsoft Virtual Earth
- Trainorders.com Loop video and sound camera
- The Cross at the Loop
- Tehachapi Loop Photos
- HO Scale Model at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum
