Cajon Pass Brake Check Area

I'm thinking about modeling the brake check area near Summit at Cajon Pass; but in light of recent events, I don't think the railraod would appreciate me bumming around taking photos there. Can anyone share photos of the area with me? I'm interested in the track layout, buildings and structures, facilities, etc. I've downloaded aerial photos from Mapquest, and topo maps from TopoZone, but need more details for a respectible layout. Thanks for any help...

 

On May 12, 1989, a 69-car Southern Pacific freight train went out of control on the steep Cajon Pass and careened off the tracks into a residential neighborhood at 90 miles an hour.

BNSF has taken advantage of a fairly flat area near Summit to inspect trains before they go down the same hill.

To limit the chance of bad guys ripping off cargo, the entire area is fenced off and there are parking lot lamps illuminating the tracks. Guard houses are located at each end of the area. For my new layout, I want to duplicate the scene, and use it as visible staging.

I found this photo by Clark Bauman, that I think is the area under constuction. This photo is looking west from the North side of the tracks. The grade in the background is Highway 138.



[ 24 September 2001: Message edited by: ten87 ]</p>

 

An extensive search also turned up this shot by a Japanese railfan, named Nanna Go. AT the top of the photo, you can see the security fence and lights I was talking about. This is a pretty recent photo. He has some fantastic photos on his website. Click on his name above to get there!

 

The 2 "sidings" are just for bad order setouts, not helper pockets. Helpers are usually kept on the main tracks to tack on to their next assinment. They'll go to Summit & even Lugo to xover. UP helpers usually work WB & ATSF/BNSF work both ways . Used WB to help w/ dynamics. Has happened that one RR will provide helpers for other RR. For modeling purposes these operations will add alot. "Security" is alot tighter since the last ATSF accidents, not because of intermodal theifs. Running air tests are done on both frieght & passenger trains b/4 passing Summit. FYI the actual crest is west of Summit around the curve under the power lines. Hence you'll hear the helpers call out to the head end "under the wires" when it's time to cutoff.

 

Yeah I saw one of those from the inside. Nothing defines heat quite like the inside of an outhouse on a 110' afternoon!

I was hoping to find more details about the track layout too. Is it just double track the whole way (except for the B/O set out tracks above)? FOr visible staging, I'd like to have at least four tracks through. Guess it'll have to be a proto-lance layout...

 

It looks to me that those sidings on the mainlines would hold 2 units each.I don't know much about helper units(we don't need any in IL.)but why would they put bad orders there?To me it looks like helper storage.The units would have to be stored somewhere other than the mainlines when the aren't being used.If they aren't being stored there is there a place near there that they keep them?
This looks very interesting to me also.And more info would be nice.It would make nice train modules to model.

 

To go back to Alan's question on checking brakes. I don't know exactly but with the little I know about it I thought they shut the air off and watched the gauges to see if they dropped. As for checking engine brakes I have seen the conductor get out and do a watch test (just look with his eyes).

I was at the Perris RR museum in December of 2000 and got a few cab rides in the E8 out there and while coming back from a trip to the end of the line we started to smell something in the cab, and as it turned out one of the brake shoes was stuck in position.

Last but not least. The wreck in Cajon pass in I think 96' where one train rear ended another was the result of a blockage in the air line between the second and third car from the front of the train (if I remember correctly).

 

Regardless of the purpose, my intent is to model the scene in N scale. I think it would look cool to have the trains stopping in the fenced area with about 20 of the parking lot lamps lighting the place up.

 

I will try to answer some questions.

"Why would they put bad orders there?" They have several locations on the hill to put bad orders, the one at Cajon is a good example. I assume when a detector or other train reports a problem, the car must be taken out. They don't want to be going down a 3% grade with a bad car or even locomotive (as seen in pic), so a set out at the top is a good location. I saw them set out a car that busted a knuckle there once, and saw them doing an on site truck replacement at the set out at Cajon.

"It looks to me that those sidings on the mainlines would hold 2 units each." Maybe they could if they squeezed, but they are very short. Look how much space that single Dash 9 takes.

"To me it looks like helper storage.The units would have to be stored somewhere other than the mainlines when the aren't being used.If they aren't being stored there is there a place near there that they keep them?" Well, there are many trains, so there isn't a lot of time where they will have to sit out of the way. It is two main track CTC and you will often see helpers shove a train up and then later see them running down light to get another train. This isn;t as easy at it sounds because other trains are comign up and going down. I am not sure, but I believe they go to San Bernanrdino for long term storage, crew change, etc.

[ 27 September 2001: Message edited by: SPF ]</p>

 

Was corrected by a UP hogger that the sidings are used for helpers at times. But I never saw any parked there during my trips over the pass, just B.O.s. Cajon siding & Martinez spur are also used for B.O.s. Helpers are usually kept too busy to be parked there anyway. BTW they can get cutoff anywhere between Summit & Frost even if the train only needs help to Summit. The preferred way is to cut them off just west of Summit. Then they use the Summit Xovers to head WB for next assignment. You'll hear the helper engineer say "under the wires" when they go under the power lines just west of Summit. That's the real crest, not Summit itself. BNSF helpers work 12 hr shifts out of San Berdoo. UPs are on call out of V'ville.