TRAINMASTER BY WERNER MEER  US-RAILROAD-SHOP KILCHBERG
HOCHWEIDSTRASSE 3  CH-8802 KILCHBERG (ZÜRICH) SWITZERLAND (founded 1977)
PHONE *41-44-715-3666, FAX *41-44-715-3660, E-MAIL trainmaster@bluewin.ch
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updated: April 24, 2010

Cajon Pass Photo Collection
of the late 1970's
by John Wiesmann, Switzerland

The good old days with Santa Fe, Southern Pacific and Union Pacific before the big mergers!

I am very pleased to show some exclusive photos of John Wiesmann, Switzerland
A big thank you for sharing these excellent pictures with us.
Note: The copyright belongs to this gentleman. Do not use any photos without written permission.

The history behind John:

John and I (Werner) made the first foot steps to the USA in the 70's. Our very first trip was in 1972 while visitting my relatives (the Meer's) in Midland Park, NJ. Our second trip was in 1974 to the West Coast. We were very impressed by the colorful trains of Santa Fe, Southern Pacific and Union Pacific, especially in the desert. So, we went again in 1975, 1977 and 1978. During these 3 trips we did explore Tehachapi Pass and our favorite Cajon Pass. Since our 5th trip, John did not visit the USA again because of marriage and his child (Michael). Nevertheless, thru modern technology, John is sharing his "old" slides and negatives with us. Of course, the quality is sometimes not the best because of color fading.

Photos are sorted by location  (not by date, number or railroad):
Barstow, Victorville, Hesperia, Summit, West Summit Island, Silverwood, Gish, Mormon Rocks/Hwy 138, Sullivan's Curve, Cajon Station/Junction

Abbreviations found on this page: SF = Santa Fe, SP = Southern Pacific, UP = Union Pacific, EB = East Bound, NB = North Bound, SB = South Bound, WB = West Bound, NT = North Track, ST = South Track, MP = Mile Post, DPU = Distributed Power Unit (Helpers) SWC = Swarthout Canyon Road Crossing, WSI = West Summit Island

For bigger size photos - please click on the 4-digit number below each photo.

Gish (former Gish Siding) on 3 % South Track
1978 UP WB train coming downhill on ST - J039 1978 UP DDA40X 6906 WB - J001 1978 Side view of 6906 - J002
1978 Second unit DDA40X 6927 - J003 1978 SF WB on ST - J036 1978 First unit is a SD45 - J037
1978 This train will soon pass under I-15 - J038 1978 Another SF WB w/solid blue units - J040 1978 Joshua Tree close up - J145
Silverwood Area MP 57
 This is the place where we can see all 3 tracks. On top is the SP Colton-Palmdale Cutoff track, below is the SF North track (2,2% grade) and further down the SF South track (3% grade). The place where the Santa Fe South track (ST) and North track (NT) are separating is West Summit Island (WSI).
1977 UP SB at WSI w/5 SD40-2 units - J081 The locos are passing WSI downhill - J082 1977 Engines in Cut below WSI on SF ST - J080
Photos J080 - J082: A solid consist of 5 UP SD40-2 locos, called "Fast Forties". Nos. 8007 and 8026 are SD40-2H rebuilt to 80 mph speed limit. Nos. 8040, 8043 and 8049 are SD40-2M and built in 1976 with the same gearing for 80 mph. These locos were also used together with DDA40X locos.
1977 SF WB with F45's solid blue on ST - J051 1977 SF WB as seen from WSI - J012 1977 Same SF WB train at WSI - J094
1977 SF WB SD26 at WSI - J072 1977 SF WB SD26's downhill pass WSI - J073 1978 SF EB on North track - J004
1978 SP on SP track below Hiland - J093 1978 UP EB on 3% South track uphill - J092 1978 UP EB on South track getting closer - J005
1978 2nd unit is a DD35A - J060 1978 Both trains are going uphill - J006 1978 Another view of these trains - J007
1978 SF EB on North Track - J008 1978 SF WB on South track - J009 1978 SF EB on NT and WB on ST - J010
1978 SP SB on SP Cutoff - J011 1978 SP NB on SP Cutoff - J075 1978 SP NB getting closer - J076
1978 2 x SP and 2 x UP locos  - J052 1978 SP NB 2nd unit is a UP SD40-2 snoot - J053 1978 SP NB w/DPU (Helper) at the end - J074
1978 SF EB on NT w/solid blue units - J054 1978 Same train w/7 locos - J055 1978 SF EB last unit is a F45 - J056
1978 SF EB w/diff. Box Cars - J057 1978 SF WB on South track - J058 1978 SP SB Tunnel Motor on Cutoff - J059
1978 - 2 SF EB trains on the same track - J077 1978 - SF WB on ST at Silverwood - J087 1978 - Same train w/wide angle lens - J088
sorry, no more photos of this location
1977 SP SB w/dirty UP unit - J137 1977 Same SP train proceeding downhill - J138 x
Mormon Rocks - Highway 138
1978 UP EB behind Mormon Rocks - J013 1978 EB train getting closer on SF NT  - J014 1978 Second unit is a Western Pacific - J015
1978 Close up of UP and WP locos - J032 1978 Same train w/SP track in front - J033 1978 Same UP EB train - J140
1978 Still UP EB train - J034 1978 Behind is a UP WB on ST (3%) - J035 1978 End of train w/UP Caboose - J139
1978 SP Cutoff WB between Mormon Rocks - J027 1978 SP WB train coming downhill - J028 1978 SP SD45, 2 x SD45T-2, SD45 - J029
1978 SP WB rolling over Cajon Creek bridge - J030 1978 The engines did allready pass Hwy 138 - J031 1978 SP on Cutoff behind Mormon Rocks - J041
1975 Mormon Rocks w/o a train - J042 1978 Yucca between Mormon rocks - J147 1975 The biggest Cajon Fan (WM at age 26) - J070
1977 SF EB SD45-2 w/lonely Joshua Tree - J071 1977 SF EB w/GP30's + 35's solid blue - J043 1977 UP EB on NT SD40-2 Snoot, DD35B - J114
1977 SD40-2 Fast Forty x-ing Cajon Creek - J115 1977 2nd + 3rd unit = UP DD35B's - J116 1977 UP Caboose w/bloomimg Yuccas - J117
Cajon Station
1978 SF EB crossing Cajon Creek on NT - J016 1978 SF EB F45 - J083 1978 SF EB 5903 = F45 - J017
1978 SF F45, SD40-2, SD45 - J018 1978 SF EB heading for Sullivan's Curve - J019 1978 SF EB End of Train - J021
1978 SF WB on Cajon Creek Bridge  - J022 1978 SF WB on NT entering Cajon Station - J023 SF WB coming down from Sullivan's Curve - J020
sorry, no more photos of this location
1978 Same train crossing Cajon Creek - J024 1978 End of train Cajon Station - J148 x
Sullivan's Curve
1977 SF EB F45 solid blue going uphill - J025 1977 SF EB on NT (SP track visible above) - J079 1977 SF EB on NT (same as on J079) - J026
1977 Same SF train after the Curve - J118 1977 End of train w/Caboose - J119 1977 SP cutoff above Sullivans Curve - J120
SF Summit
1978 Summit Curve West side - J044 1978 Track configuration of Summit - J045 1978 Trees of Summit Station remain - J050

1978 SF EB Summit Curve - J046

SF EB TOFC on NT - J047

Looking to the East - J048

End of train w/caboose - J049

SP Hiland
Extreme rare footage of SP's Colton - Palmdale Cutoff w/Helper Service. Thanks to a comment from an insider, we are able to explain the correct history about the SP Caboose which is used as a Train Order Operator's Office:
The caboose is the office of the Train Order Operator who receives his instructions from the dispatcher located in downtown Los Angeles at the Pacific Electric building. For the first few years the Colton Cutoff was operated by train orders and retired cabooses (with their ends painted white so approaching trains would not mistake them for an active caboose) were placed at several sidings between Palmdale and West Colton.
1978 Hiland Train Order Operator Caboose - J061 Hiland Order setting - J062 SP NB freight enters Hiland thru Cut - J063
1978 SP Hiland first oder - J064 Hiland Operator is watching for the Caboose - J065 Train will soon come to a stop  - J090
1978 Helper arrives at Hiland - J066 Train stops for uncoupling helper - J067 Helper engineer takes a rest at Hiland - J068
1978 Freight disappears - J127 Caboose, Signal, Helper - J089 Hiland helper is leaving - J069
Hesperia
1978 SF WB toward Summit - J084 EMD FP45 in freight colors - J085 SF WB is passing at speed - J086
Victorville
1978 East Victorville - J143 1978 Motel 6 w/Joshua at Victorville - J144 1978 Large Joshua Tree near Motel 6 - J146
Barstow - old Yard and new Yard
1978 SF 3808 GP40X 3000 HP built 1979 - J095 1978 SF EMD's left GP40X, right F45 - J096 1978 SF 8034/8026 are new C30-7's (left)
SF 8705 = U36C built 1972 (right) - J110
1978 SF F45 5911 at old yard - J130 1978 SF 5911 EMD F45 3600 HP built 1968 - J102 1978 SF 5911 F45 - J097
1978 Old Engine Yard - J098 1978 SF F45 5911 closer - J106 1977 SF F45's coming from the shops - J142
1977 SF F45 5930 - J133 1977 SF F45 5930 solid blue - J107 1977 SF F45 5905 yellow bonnet - J105
1978 SF 5551 SD45 at old yard - J126 1978 SF 5551 SD45 3600 HP built 1966 - J101 1977 SF SD45 5606 solid blue - J108
1975 SF U36C at old yard - J134 1975 Full House Old Barstow Yard - J103 1975 Full House w/Locos and Cabooses - J104
1977 Amtrak SDP40F - J135 1978 Old Barstow Yard (main tracks at right) - J100 1978 SF WB entering East Barstow - J099
1975 SD45-2 5700 Bicentennial - J128 1978 SF Caboose under bridge - J129 1978 SF SD45's passing Barstow - J109
1978 SD45-2, SD45, F45, SD45 - J132 1978 WB freight entering new yard - J125 1978 New Barstow Yard - J122
1978 New Yard - J123 1978 SF 3439 EMD GP35 solid blue - J124 1978 GP35 3326 - J141
1977 CRSD20 1301 w/slug - J136 1978 ALCO CRSD20 (ex. RSD15) w/slug - J121 1978 RCE unit 10 (ex. F7B) - J131
1978 New SF Barstow Hump Yard - J149 1978 Cars rolling down and go - J150 1978 thru wheel brake system to slow down - J154
1978 Open double deck auto rack w/vans - J152 1978 After the cars have been put together - J153 1978 the finished train is ready to depart - J155
1978 East of Barstow UP WB - J111 1978 UP DDA40X same train - J112 1978 SF EB seen from former Motel 6 - J113

added: August 2022

Take a look at some cool pictures of Cajon and the SP Caboose at Hiland (link provided by Pony Horton)
http://oshiland.blogspot.com/2010/04/os-hiland-train-order-station-at-summit.html

 

8 different and detailed Maps of Cajon Pass with captions (Mile Posts and Location) by Gary G. Gray - click here
New 8/11: Maps "How to find" Hill 582, Sullivan's Curve, Noisy Point by Gary G. Gray - click here
Accurate Map (2010) of Cajon Pass with 3rd Main Track by Michael Amrine - click here

Go back to Cajon Pass Main Page - click here

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(over all copyright by Werner Meer, Switzerland)