12th June 1997

The sun has set and the last vestiges of the light are quickly fading, but I'm still track side, thanks to a slight problem with the rental car (locked the keys inside!). But it was meant to be as the trains kept on coming and the photography opportunities were just great! Digging in to the gradient as they drag their Santa Fe double-stack intermodal through the loop, is SD75M no. 201, folloowed by BN SD40-2 no. 7010, BNSF 8-40BW no. 582 and SF 9-44CW 633. Just one helper was cut-in, an 8-40CW no. 856. The engineer's silhouette is caught in the cab at just the right moment!

The rental car company had a real job finding us, one rescue attempt abandoned, a second attempt being made by a local who knew the terrain. It took him less than a minute to open the car, but it took hours to find us. What a baptism for me and Tehachapi Loop!