In the early 1870’s the Southern Pacific Railroad wanted to link their rails from San Francisco to Southern California. The best route was determined to be through Bakersfield, to Mojave and then into Los Angeles.
Tehachapi Summit Proved to be an Obstacle for the Railroads
The 4,065 Tehachapi Summit pass needed to be crossed. There was a section where the elevation rose 2,735 feet in only 28 miles and engineers had to figure out how to cross the pass. The maximum grade permitted was 2.2%.
William Hood, civil engineer of the Southern Pacific Railway Company, used a circular path of least resistance up the mountain. The track made a loop that measured 3,799 feet and gained the needed elevation to reach the summit.
The Building of the Tehachapi Loop
American engineers and roughly 3,000 Chinese men constructed this wonder of the wonder of the train world. The men were mostly recruited from the Canton area and had to work in dangerous conditions. The Tehachapi Pass Railroad Line was cut through solid and decomposed granite. Using picks, shovels, and dynamite, many workers were killed or badly injured.
The Tehachapi Loop and its Many Tunnels
In addition to the loops, this stretch of railroad track has 18 tunnels. The track twists and turns as it makes its way up the mountain towards Tehachapi. Because modern freight trains can often be more than a mile long, the train is able to pass over or under its last car as it ascends or descends the mountain.
The Tehachapi Loop Today
2009 marks 133 years since the Tehachapi Loop became a regular route. Regular passenger trains were discontinued in 1971 although one may still be seen cruising through Tehachapi on a rare occasion if there is a need to divert it from the usual coastal route. Today, an average of 40 freight trains run through Tehachapi, 24 hours a day. According to Tehachapirails.com, up to 60 trains go through the Loop a day, making it the busiest single-track line in the United States.
How to Get to the Tehachapi Loop
The Tehachapi Loop can be reached by taking Highway 58 west to the Keene exit and driving about 3.5 miles following the signs. The Loop can also be reached by taking the Tehachapi exit towards Woodford Tehachapi Road. This latter route winds through the Tehachapi countryside for about 8,5 miles.
Visiting the Tehachapi Loop is a must not only for a train enthusiast, but for any traveler.
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