Tehachapi SP Coal Train With 13 Locomotives

Southern Pacific coal train stopped at Marcel after a meet. Thirteen locomotives (three up front, six mid-train, and four near the rear), work to get this heavy train moving from a dead stop. The engines struggle a bit at first, accelerating with no movement, but once they get the train moving, its MOVING. Check out the last set of helpers as they are sanding approaching my camera position. Smoke, exhaust, dust and roar of V16 and V20 prime-movers ----- Railroading at its finest, doesn't get any better than this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Tehachapi Loop is a 0.73-mile (1.17 km) long spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert. The line, which sees an average of almost 40 trains each day, is one of the busiest single-track mainlines in the world.


H/T to Donna

Some Railroad Memorbilla

My very small collection of railroad collectables.

And a big Thank You to Ken Lane for adding to it.

Ashtray

Clinchfield Railroad Company
Enlarge to see the name. 

Playing cards from the Southern Pacific Lines.

I want to thank Ken Lane (Wirecutter) for giving these to me. And to Miss Lisa for coordinating everything. They belonged to one of his grandparents and have never been shuffled.

 The face of each card has a different picture.

Paperweight made from railroad track.

Approx 7" high, 6" across the foot and 1/2 " thick.

Weight 2 pounds

Track is graded by its linear density. This is at the highest

range of the usual pounds per yard at 141 lb/yd.

Track installation hardware. 

Spike, square head sleeper spike, e clip, railway anchor (top to bottom, left to right)

I don't have an original railroad lantern. This is close. It is a W. T. Kirkman #100 Watchman that is new. Red and green glass globes are available.

Sheet music from 1940.
See previous post here.