It was a sun-drenched day in the California Tehachapis on this day eight years ago, when I focused on BNSF Railway’s X-FRSRUF9-05G ascending Union Pacific’s former Southern Pacific line at Walong.

Better known as the ‘Tehachapi Loop,’ this place is world-famous for its sinuous trackage, where the railroad’s compete helix is just part of a series of reverse curves necessary to maintain a steady uphill gradient.

What isn’t always evident in photos is the raw verticality of the mountains. This is tough rugged territory interspersed with rolling hills covered by golden grass.

Another element of the place that isn’t conveyed in photos is that the golden grass bears sharp pointy seeds that find their way into your socks and annoy your ankles. But, it’s a small price to pay for enjoying freight trains hard at work.

Exposed using my FujiFilm XT-1 with 18-135mm lens.

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