Highlights:
Famous section of spiral railway track at Tehachapi Pass, Kern County, climbing 77 feet over 3,800 feet, used by around 40 freight trains each day, Union Pacific and BNSF. Viewed from an overlook along a nearby road
Nearby town:
Tehachapi, 13 miles
Management:
Union Pacific Railroad
Location:
Seasons:
All year
Rating (1-5):
★★★★★
The Tehachapi Loop is a famous section of railway tracks near Tehachapi in south-central California, along the line between Bakersfield and Mojave, as it climbs through the west side of the Tehachapi Mountains. The line makes a complete circle or spiral, 3,779 feet in length while rising 77 feet, maintaining the average gradient of 2.2%. This is one of very few such loops in the country, was regarded as an engineering masterpiece when constructed, between 1874 and 1876, and has become a popular destination for railway enthusiasts.
About 40 trains pass through the loop every day, all freight, from either Union Pacific, the owner of the route, or BNSF who use the tracks under a license agreement. Perhaps once a week, or less often, two trains pass each other on the loop, traveling in opposite directions.
The loop may be viewed from above on a recently constructed (2021) overlook along a nearby country lane; a scenic place, surrounded by empty, rolling, grassy hills, stretching into the distance.
About 40 trains pass through the loop every day, all freight, from either Union Pacific, the owner of the route, or BNSF who use the tracks under a license agreement. Perhaps once a week, or less often, two trains pass each other on the loop, traveling in opposite directions.
The loop may be viewed from above on a recently constructed (2021) overlook along a nearby country lane; a scenic place, surrounded by empty, rolling, grassy hills, stretching into the distance.
Tehachapi Loop Video
History
The Tehachapi Loop was built by the Southern Pacific Railroad, part of the eastwards expansion of the line from Bakersfield, to Mojave, subsequently extended further east in 1882, across the Mojave Desert. Most of the construction was by Chinese laborers. The line remained with Southern Pacific until 1991, when they were taken over by Union Pacific. Around half of the daily 40 trains are from Union Pacific, the remainder from BNSF. Construction required considerable excavations into the granite bedrock of the mountains, achieved by a mix of hand tools and blasting powder.
The Viewpoint
The loop is situated in a quiet, little visited part of California, though close to the sometimes busy Hwy 58. One other point of interest nearby is Caesar Chavez National Monument, 2.5 miles north; the viewpoint of the loop is along the same road as the monument, Woodford-Tehachapi Road, a winding route climbing gently into the hills. At the overlook, the parking area is on the south side, the fenced viewpoint to the north, with private land below, leading down to the railway lines. There are actually five sections of the line in view, one in front of the other; the closest is 750 feet away, then the two sections of the loop, and then two sections of a U-bend, the furthest 5,000 feet distant. A few houses dotted along the road close to the lines; presumably quite noisy places to live.
Tehachapi Loop - Nearby Places
- Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve (54 miles) - low hills covered by orange poppy flowers in the spring
- Red Rock Canyon State Park (53 miles) - low cliffs, shallow ravines and stony badlands