Updated: March 27, 2017 (Photos 1300 - 1397)

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

Tehachapi Tunnel 10 Project (Walong - Marcel)
September 2015: Right now the activity is to create a shoo-fly around Tunnel 10 and ultimately, lay a second track alongside the tunnel (not inside).
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RW 9/23/15 - 3403	RW 9/23/15 Shoo-fly goes around Tunnel No. 10 - 3404
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RW 9/23/15 Close up of Tunnel No. 10 - 3407	RW 9/23/15 - 3408
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RW 9/23/15 - 3411	RW 9/23/15 Looking toward Marcel - 3412
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10/07/15: There wasn't much activity at the site today. They continue to move dirt down from the top of Tunnel 10, hauling it to the area nearby where the new track will be laid. They will not be removing or daylighting Tunnel 10, but are rather profiling the soil above it to prevent potential land slides onto the new outside track.
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The one overall photo # 3459 was taken looking East from Woodford Tehachapi Road - you can just see the continued curve of the roadway as it winds around the mountain. Below the roadway, you can see the construction equipment and men. The existing tracks are just below where Robert is standing, and Tunnel 10 is to the West (behind Robert).
RW 10/07/15 UP NB Auto Carrier passing construction site - 3458	RW 10/07/15 See text above - 3459
10/15/15: Only two photos today -- with the stormy weather we're having, the work site was fairly devoid of workers. Robert says this is most likely the last drain culvert to be installed before they begin to lay track. It's situated at West Marcel switch. In the first photo you can see the 'little blue room' and the associated equipment there at the site of the culvert installation. The grader was just sitting by the access crossover until the green truck showed up; they chatted for a bit and then the grader began grading the area. Not really much action at all... Hopefully, there'll be more progress next week.
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11/12/15: Robert drove down to check on the construction today and took a few photos. He said there wasn't much going on, but they were working. He also said that the thought 2:00 p.m. was a bit late in the afternoon to be taking photos at this time of year because of the haze that comes in from the valley.
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11/20/15: 10 photos taken today -- Robert says there still isn't much activity going on at the site. The roadbed for the new track is being used for the equipment, and they appear to continue working on the new drain at the east end of Tunnel 10. Carol's opinion: They haven't delivered any new track or ballast, so until that happens, I wouldn't think we should get too excited about any great progress being made. - We'll continue to monitor and photograph.
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12/10/15: Robert went down today to see what the boys had been up to. Work continues on the addition of a second track at Marcel. Crews were moving dirt to bridge the drain/culvert which had been installed near the switch.
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12/17/15: Attached are photos from today's visit to the construction site. It's hard to imagine the amount of earth that's been moved and they're nowhere near finished excavating and filling. In one photo, you can see the amount of earth pulled down from on top of Tunnel 10. From what Robert says, they had a bit of a landslide so they reconfigured the hill above the tunnel even more than it had been. For those interested in knowing more about the dump trucks being used on the project, the Caterpillar 740 dump truck's specifications are here:  http://www.generate-es.com/bestanden/Caterpillar-dump-truck---CAT740.pdf and the Caterpillar 735 dump truck's specifications are here: http://s7d2.scene7.com/is/content/Caterpillar/C514425 An FYI -- UP is abolishing construction jobs all over -- it's the end of the year and they're trying to balance their budget. Their projected income isn't matching up with actual income, so they have to cut back everywhere they can. In the past, they've allowed workers to finish out the pay period; not so this time. When the position is abolished, the worker is done that day, which is making it very difficult for those whose job has been abolished. The new fiscal year begins January 1, 2016, and jobs will open up and be posted once again. It'll be a scramble for workers to find positions. Kind of like a serious game of Musical Chairs... Hugs, Carol & Robert
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1/14/16: Attached are eight photos from today's visit to the construction site. There was one lowly equipment operator working at pulling more dirt from the side of Tunnel 10. They've already pulled a lot of dirt from the top and side of the tunnel. It makes one wonder how far they're going to go with the excavation. The roadbed is looking very nice, though, and we're looking forward to the next segment of the construction -- the actual laying of ballast and track. Take care and we'll try to do the same. Feel free to share these photos with others, but please stress that they should credit Robert L. Westover.
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1/27/16: We were headed to Bakersfield this morning and noticed there had been quite a bit of improvement on the construction site so this afternoon Robert went back down the hill to take photos. He was fortunate to catch the BNSF Geometry car as it headed through the construction zone, and a BNSF freight as well. In looking at the continued excavation at Tunnel 10, we're wondering how much they're going to wind up taking away from the outside of the tunnel. There's still quite a bit of fill work left to do along the one edge in the curve (see image 2810), but they are truly making progress. You can also see in image 2810, that they are dumping fill at the curve (just north of the signal box you can see two piles of dirt). I'm thinking they're going to widen that area next. We shall keep watch and continue to track their progress (pun intended!).
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2/10/16: Attached is the first set (of 5 sets) of photos showing the progress on the Track Improvement Project. Work continues to consist of earth moving activity, scraping and profiling the cut where the new track will be laid. It appears that a new access road is being developed close to the roadbed (see photos 2879 & 2880). We will be leaving for our winter home in Arizona on Feb. 20 and return to Tehachapi on April 20, 2016, when we’ll pick up where we left off in documenting this project with photos. So, just be patient ! !
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5/05/16: We're back home in Tehachapi and enjoying all of the green in our valley and hillsides. It's been a long dry spell for photo updates on the track improvement project, but the wait is worth it. They're finally laying track! Attached are the latest photos - courtesy of Robert Westover.
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updated: August 14, 2016

8/07/16: "It's been a long dry spell between updates, but there's really not been anything of note happening. We went down today to double check the project because a) it had been a while since our last photo taking visit, and b) there's been an increase in the number of trains running through Cable. But we think that the reason it appeared to be more train traffic was merely the system trying to recover from the holdup of train traffic while the fire at Hart Flat was extinguished. Rumor has it that the fire(s) were caused by sparks from a locomotive. That can (and does) happen -- not often, but it does happen. This is a particularly bad time of year for it to happen with all of the drought we've been having. There are only seven photos to be shared today. The last we heard, the 'tie-in' was to take place on the 23rd of this month. We'll be watching and waiting. If there's any change in the expected date, we'll pass the word along. Bob and Carol Westover
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updated: September 6, 2016

9/05/16: At approximately 7:00 a.m. this morning, contract crews completed the cutover for the new 2nd main track at Marcel/Walong. Attached are photos. We're just waiting for the first train to come through -- no idea if it will be North bound or South bound.   -   Bob and Carol Westover
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Photo 3160 of the truck is of the Track Supervisor, heading out after the big excavator. The excavator was heading out to Broome Road where a lowboy was waiting for transport to another project or back to the company's headquarters.
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updated: September 8, 2016

9/07/16: One of the last things to be done as part of the track installation is de-stressing the rail. It's done as part of regular maintenance for welded rail. -   Bob and Carol Westover
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updated: September 9, 2016

9/08/16: It appears they're still using the tunnel track exclusively. The greaser box and signal have been installed. Will continue to update with photos... -   Bob and Carol Westover
RW 9/08/16 BNSF EB leaving Tunnel 10 - 3188	RW 9/08/16 Same train - 3189
RW 9/08/16 Greaser Box - 3190	RW 9/08/16 Greaser Box w/Solar Panel - 3191
RW 9/08/16 New signals and box - 3196	RW 9/08/16 UP NB on "old" track - 3199
RW 9/08/16 Getting closer - 3200	RW 9/08/16 UP NB DPU entering Tunnel 10 - 3202
RW 9/08/16 This photo shows the earth-moving equipment sitting at the Broome Rd. off ramp (off Hwy. 58), waiting for pick-up by a low-boy semi. - 3193

updated: September 17, 2016

9/16/16: There may have been traffic moving on the new track prior to today, but attached are photos of the first trains I've seen through the new cut/track.   -   Bob and Carol Westover
RW 9/16/16 UP SB -- the first train to use the new track that I've witnessed. - 3216	RW 9/16/16 UP SB -- same train, just a bit closer - 3217
RW 9/16/16 Helper unit for the UP train above - 3220	RW 9/16/16 BNSF 7819 #2 train, as it heads SB through Tunnel 10 - 3221
RW 9/16/16 BNSF #6531 is Northbound, heading for the cut. The 'blue' unit is one of the new "Green" units and I don't know who actually owns it. - 3224	RW 9/16/16 BNSF #6531 NB, the one with the blue unit. Including also a Genset, it's just a closer photo of the blue locomotive  - 3225
RW 9/16/16 As above, approaching the cut. - 3227	RW 9/16/16 BNSF #6531, moving around Tunnel 10 on the new track - 3228
RW 9/16/16 BNSF #6725 -- Helper unit for #6531 above - 3229	RW 9/16/16 BNSF #3931 Businessmen's Special taking Tunnel 10 as part of the celebration of the completion of the Tehachapi Loop Track Improvement Project. - 3233
RW 9/16/16 BNSF #3931 w/6 car special - 3234	RW 9/16/16 BNSF #3931 passing Marcel - 3235

Photos above copyright by Robert L. Westover

updated: January 7, 2017

1/02/17: Marc Fournier visited Tehachapi Loop
In early January, Marc visited the Tehachapi Loop and was invited onto Loop Ranch Property. Therefore, he was able to take photos from the inside of the Loop. And on top, we can see the other side of the new track going around Tunnel 10
MF 01/02/17 BNSF 6988 NB w/T-10 (Marcel at left) - 7502	MF 01/02/17 same train w/DPU's and Loop Ranch - 7504

Photos above copyright by Marc Fournier

updated: March 27, 2017

1/11/17: There was active track work inside Tunnel 10.
David Wahl went to position W15 on Google map to take these 5 photos with the tele lens. A big thank you goes to David Wahl for sharing these photos with us.
DW 1/11/17 Photos taken from W15 (click to enlarge) - 1300	DW 1/11/17 Lots of different equipment on Tunnel 10 track - 1375
DW 1/11/17 We do not know what is going on - 1376	DW 1/11/17 Yes, new track is in service - 1389
DW 1/11/17 BNSF intermodal is passing the site - 1396	DW 1/11/17 All GE power with 5 units - 1397

Photos above copyright by David Wahl

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Here you find more infos about Tehachapi

Go back to Photo Gallery Main Page - click here

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Overall copyright by Werner Meer, Switzerland 9/15 to 3/17