Twists and Turns -- BNSF Intermodal Train in the Tehachapi Mountains, California Canvas Print

The head end of an eastbound BNSF train rounds a turn past tunnel 10 on its way from Bakersfield to Mojave and beyond. In the background, the tail end of the train follows as it goes around the famous Tehachapi Loop. Inside tunnel 10, a mixed freight has stopped to wait for the uphill train.

The area between Bakersfield and Tehachapi in California is one of the best places in the world to watch trains. Aside from the famous Tehachapi Loop, where trains up to two miles or more length climb in a spiral around a mountain and over themselves to gain altitude, there are countless twists and turns where the track winds its way through the Tehachapi Mountains as it climbs about 3,500 feet from the San Joaquin Valley to the town of Tehachapi. An average of 36 trains travel this section of track each day and due to the slow speeds, frequent stops, and winding path the track takes compared to the road, it's possible to see the same train several times at different points along the route...

I have been photographing the things I see for over thirty years. A resident of San Luis Obispo County, I'm lucky to have many excellent photo destinations within a few minutes' or hours' drive. Beyond the local area, I have traveled throughout California and the western United States, visited far away American destinations such as Chicago, New York, Florida, and Alaska, and international destinations in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. My photography varies from Architecture to Industrial Art to Nature to Wildlife and I'm sure you'll find something suitable for your home or office. Visit my blog