Railways of Southern California

Passing through some of the most picturesque scenery in the world, several main routes traverse Southern California. Most are freight corridors, but there are a handful of long-distance passenger services. Some of the long-distance and heavy freight services can be powered by up to ten locos, equating to around 50,000hp. One of the most scenic routes is on the Union Pacific-owned track between Mojave and Bakersfield, which climbs over the Tehachapi Mountains, reaching a height of over 4,000ft above sea level, requiring locos to work hard on the climb either side of the line’s summit. The route over Cajon, one of the busiest freight routes in the world, is also covered, as well as the routes between Barstow and Needles, the central California line, and the Pacific ‘Surfliner’ route between Los Angeles and San Diego. With informative captions explaining the locos, their routes, and the best places for rail enthusiasts to see these trains, this is the ultimate guide to the railways of Southern California.