Route Features

Run8's BNSF Cajon Sub route is roughly 120 miles long and is dated back before the line was triple tracked in 2010. The route features working defect detectors and the many large industries located a long the route such as the cement plants at Oro Grande and Victorville. The industrial area near Hesperia and Thorn, and of course the Cargil grain transfer facility at Verdemont.

There is also the huge intermodal yard and auto transfer facility at San Bernardino A Yard and B Yard. And don't forget we also included a working classification hump yard at West Colton and the GATX tank car service facility located just east of the yard.

A BNSF MEET BETWEEN A LOCAL AND A COAL TRAIN AT ORO GRANDE

A WB BNSF Z TRAIN PASSES THE CARGIL FACILITY AT VERDEMONT

Route History

The Santa Fe Railway was the first railroad to use Cajon Pass as it's entry point into the Los Angeles area. The railway completed its second line, the eastward track, which has a ruling grade of 3% back in 1913.

Things on the hill have pretty much remained unchanged untill the 1970s at which time with the advent of longer freight cars like the 89-foot piggy back and 89-foot autorack cars Santa Fe had to make a major line change up at Summit to accommodate the longer freight cars. So the mainline was lowered about 50 feet, a sharp 10 degree curve was eliminated, and the old track alignment was straightened out.

NIGHT OPERATIONS AT BNSF SAN BERNARDINO INTERMODAL YARD

BNSF AUTO TRANSFER FACILITY AT SAN BERNARDINO B YARD

Route History cont.

Southern Pacific came onto the scene in 1966 with the construction of the "Palmdale Cutoff" which gave that railroad a less congested route into West Colton and the greater Los Angeles basin from northern California. It was also around this time that the West Colton Classification Yard was built and it is now one of the biggest on the west coast.

UP WEST COLTON HUMP TOWER AND ADMIN BUILDING