Wish You Were Here ... Volume 03 - Fresno to Tehachapi ... Posted on: 02/19/2005 - Updated 02/22/2009
Wish You Were Here - Volume 03 .... A trip south through Fresno County to Bakersfield, CA and Tehachapi, CA on the UP's Fresno and Mojave Sub Districts.
Saturday Oct. 9th I took a drive up to the Shaver Lake area east of Fresno for a day trip of camping at a private camp spot we call Cow Creek. I planned the trip to leave camp early Sunday morning and do some railfanning around Fresno, CA and follow along the Union Pacific's Fresno Sub. into Bakersfield, CA and then out through Tehachapi and down through Palmdale on highway 14 eventually making it back to Huntington Beach, CA where I live. The return trip got off to a later than planned start but I eventually made it down the mountain and into Fresno. There are many wig-wag signals along the UP row and the Santa Fe also. I spent time exploring around the industrial area's photographing them. I think I totaled 5 in the end. I did manage to catch a UP and BNSF meet in town but was on the wrong side of the sun and traffic to get any decent photos. Next adventure I will head north a bit out of Fresno and photograph a bit of Madera County and the BNSF and UP lines.
Here is a wig-wag signal located at Cherry and Broadway After getting enough photos of the wig-wags and street track work, sidings etc. I headed south along the hwy 99. I was enroute to Kingsburg, CA to photograph the Southern Pacific depot they have in town. I had spotted this depot before on my other adventures but bad lighting did not permit photos. The depot is sitting currently un-occupied. My understanding of it's recent history is that it was used as a flower shop or botique shop a few years ago. It is now awaiting restoration.

After getting enough photos of the wig-wags and street track work, sidings etc. I headed south along the hwy 99. I was enroute to Kingsburg, CA to photograph the Southern Pacific depot they have in town. I had spotted this depot before on my other adventures but bad lighting did not permit photos.

The depot is sitting currently un-occupied. My understanding of it's recent history is that it was used as a flower shop or botique shop a few years ago. It is now awaiting restoration.
Here is a wig-wag signal located at Cherry and Broadway
The depot is on the list of current projects for Fresno County after being awarded a grant to be restored for use as a future City Transit center for the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency and Greyhound Bus Company. Another view of the track side of the depot. The flag pole is not part of the orignal station. It was donated to Kingsburg by an unkown source in 1970 according to the plaque on the brick base.
And one more view of the parking lot side of the station.

And one more view of the parking lot side of the station.
Another view of the track side of the depot. The flag pole is not part of the orignal station. It was donated to Kingsburg by an unkown source in 1970 according to the plaque on the brick base.
The depot is on the list of current projects for Fresno County after being awarded a grant to be restored for use as a future City Transit center for the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency and Greyhound Bus Company.

Information on the Kingsburg depot was found at http://www.fresnocog.org/outlook16/spotlight.htm

I continued down Hwy 99 since the UP tracks follow on the west side most of the time. I passed a UP manifest train just north of Pixley, CA. I picked a spot and waited for them to catch up for a photo op.
Contiuning on, the manifest in Pixley was stopped on a red signal so I made my way into Bakersfield. It was a Sunday and I did not anticipate any yard or shortline activity so I found the mainline heading east and stuck to it's route. This train was spotted north of Bakersfield, but I could not get ahead in time except to get a photo of the DPU power tacked on the end.
Just west of Edison, UP 4979 was holding down a ribbon rail train

I continued down Hwy 99 since the UP tracks follow on the west side most of the time. I passed a UP manifest train just north of Pixley, CA. I picked a spot and waited for them to catch up for a photo op.

Just west of Edison, UP 4979 was holding down a ribbon rail train

Arriving at Sandcut, I decided to check out the view from the perch and survey if anything was coming from the West or East. Luck was with me a bit and UP 5730 was powering up the grade out of Bena with a general merchadise train.
Pulled back for a wide angle This BNSF trailer train was sitting at Bealville waiting for a green signal. This BNSF trailer train was sitting at Bealville waiting for a green signal.

This BNSF trailer train was sitting at Bealville waiting for a green signal.

I was exploring around Woodford when this light power came through heading west.

Pulled back for a wide angle
I traveled up to the loop and caught this UP train passing the start of the Walong siding switch
I was exploring around Keen when this light power came through heading west. Finally the UP manifest train that I was unable to photograph in Bakersfield came through. Here they are coming around the Tehachapi Loop.

I traveled up to the loop and caught this UP train passing the start of the Walong siding switch

At the east end of the dirt road is one of the bridges that cross the Tehachapi Creek. This is the location where I camped in my car back in September 2004.

Finally the UP manifest train that I was unable to photograph in Bakersfield came through. Here they are coming around the Tehachapi Loop.
And here they are coming around the final bend before heading into Tunnel 10 Final photo of the trip was taken out along Sierra Highway near Fleta on the UP Palmdale Cutoff line
UP 5719 approaching the grade at Cameron Canyon Road.
UP 5719 approaching the grade at Cameron Canyon Road.

Final photo of the trip was taken out along Sierra Highway near Fleta on the UP Palmdale Cutoff line

And here they are coming around the final bend before heading into Tunnel 10