Bakersfield to Mojave cab ride aboard a Southern Pacific Oil Train

January 15, 1990 a ride aboard the Oil Can unit train BKDOU (Bakersfield to Delores Yard, Los Angeles,, unit train). A rainbow end can be seen at the end of the ride.

[@TheRrxing]

I can never get tired of watching this. I remember it was a SP train in the movie Duel with Dennis Weaver.

[@sonnydean1617]

No one could ever say that the SP wasn't a mountain railroad.

[@Mozdoc]

This video is a time capsule for me since I live in Lancaster just further south of Mojave and I still do; making frequent drives to Mojave, Tehachapi, The Loop, and sometimes further to Bakersfield. In nineteen ninety I was only eight years old when this was taking place. In all my childhood I can remember seeing some of these road names of Southern Pacific, Santa Fe, and Rio Grande and I miss them so much. The railroads back then were so much more colorful with all the different companies passing through here. Now everything that does pass here is Union Pacific except when a unit from another road on loan comes by. Occasionally an old road unit that has only its number plates repainted to its new owner but still wears its old paint scheme comes through and it makes me a bit tearful how all that is gone now. Even the caboose is a bonus to see since those have been retired now. Its fascinating seeing things in this video that I'm familiar with but know that the course of its history has changed. The Loop is still there. Highway 58 is still there. The historic Tehachapi Depot burned down and was rebuilt. The Cal-Portland Cement Plant is still there. The wind turbines are all modernized tube tower high output now instead of the lattice frame towers. The curve of Highway 58 with the rails was destroyed in favor of a new bypass of Mojave making it a shadow of its former self. I really wanted this to continue further on and see Lancaster from the rails how things used to be.

[@railfanallen]

Two thumbs up. I miss Espee and those magnificent tunnel motors.

[@santeebandit3246]

Tunnel motors were awesome. I sure do miss the whine of the older EMD locomotives.

[@ironcityrailfan8467]

Thankfully a few are preserved in museums and three are working down here on the Wheeling and Lake Erie.

[@GirlDad605]

When I was a kid we used to go hiking along the Tehachapi Loop. Loved watching the trains go through there.

[@caderamsey8878]

I'm so glad they recorded this. Knowing that the Espee would be Gone in a couple of years. May of 1996, (I think?)Is when The Espee was sold to Union Pacific. Now the Espee is Gone, we have Amazing videos Of the Espee.

[@markfrench8892]

I miss Espee and everything associated with it. I was pleasantly surprised to hear the dragger detector in this video. It brought back some memories. We use to call them Gladys after the woman who did the voice recording for the detectors on the Espee.

[@cats0182]

The expanse of open land out there is breathtaking.

[@dr.leonardhofstadter5866]

Wow this was just spectacular, amazing. Reminds me of the days back in schulenburg texas 1992, i sure miss seeing the old southern Pacific locomotives. But seeing this brings back them old days, long live Southern Pacific.

[@spaceacademy]

Love hearing the old SP Dispatcher in the background.

[@finaldraft151]

+spaceacademy - Agreed! A blast from the past - Sure do miss the SP and Dispatcher WR-52. Even heard some traffic between WR-52 and the old SP Blitz Local at the beginning of the video.

[@santeebandit3246]

Thank you for bringing back so many memories of camping at the loop with my family. Been visiting Tehachapi since I was just a baby. I'm 46 now. Parents moved there about 8 years ago. So many very fond memories watching the ATSF, and SP through the mountains. The long walks with my father, and brother up to Marcel, and just everything that came with being in the Tehachapi mountains. Loved it so much. Thanks again for sharing your trip with us. Understand the camera battery issue, loved it regardless.

[@trainmandan05]

I wish I could show the amount of appreciation I have towards these guys for filming their work, showing how railroading used to be on roads and times, long past. Thanks for posting!

[@amtrakjohn]

One of the best cabride videos I've ever seen; done at a very interesting time in a world famous location. Filled with great details like "stretching the rail with burning rope" and even a way car here and there. How about that ranch house for $38 K? Thanks for posting it, gentlemen! Miss the SP all the more now.

[@ellisjackson3355]

There's another 90s cab ride video on a KCS train similar to this one. Should be easy to find on KZbin. They went from New Orleans to I forgot their destination

[@robgarrett4609]

That was cool,.the gyra in the tunnel!

[@paulchamplin8953]

Awesome video! I watched those oil cans for years struggle up and down the grades and it was great to have a cab view. Subscribed & Liked.

[@neanderthal88]

Echoing many other comments this is a great memory. Thank you. The engineer on this train was Don Custer, RIP. I didn't recognize the others.

[@tulyar1043]

Amen.

[@Loc0motive]

Wow! This has to be the Most Amazing video of Southern Pacific to a true SP Enthusiast! I use to see these all the time on the Pacific coast line. I sure do miss seeing these Trains. And hearing that awesome horn. Thank You so much for sharing!!!

[@adangochez8400]

The sound of that amazing machine is like music to my ears 👂

[@dominichetherington2287]

hi from England this is in my opinion the best railroad vid ever!!!!featuring the best railroad ever the good ol espee wow one of the best 29mins @3 secs of my life

[@williamanderson6142]

Love rewatching this? Especially shots looking back at other end,brutal horsepower..just amazing.

[@Railroadin818]

This is one of my favorite runs, but we go from Bakers through Barstow into Needles.

[@alexschmollinger6576]

Rest in Peace Southern Pacific I love the SP Oil Cans which is my favorite SP Train

[@warrenwilliams6212]

This was a nice blast from my past. Great video. Thanks for sharing. I really miss these locomotives.

[@michaelmorgan7893]

Boy, those "Tomcats" and "Big Jacks" had a nice sound to them. Nothing like they have now.

[@anthonywashington8520]

Great video,miss the friendly southern Pacific...Great railroad..

[@uplandrailfan7307]

Anthony Washington So do I before Up bought it out.

[@iverharstad]

I love those locomotives

[@davegeisler7802]

Listen to the sound of that EMD 645 Prime Mover in that Locomotive , wow !

[@DAS9081]

Best sound ever!!

[@CallsignGarza]

Oh man I live about 30 minutes away from there. No more southern pacific just Union Pacific. Awesome man. Great video

[@jackcapewell4373]

BNSF as well

[@bluefj-wc3vz]

Fantastic documentation, thank you. My favorite years in railroading.

[@hobbeekid]

Sooooo Awesome!!! thanks for sharing the cabride!!!

[@johnwalters1341]

A couple of minor nits: The tunnel identified as "Tunnel 6" is actually Tunnel 7 (T6 was daylighted after the 1952 earthquake). At the east end of Woodford, the bridge is identified as a crossing of Caliente Creek. The railroad actually leaves Caliente Creek at Caliente and follows Tehachapi Creek eastward, so this bridge is the 4th crossing of Tehachapi Creek. "Waylong" siding at the Tehachapi Loop is actually Walong (named for W. A. Long, an old-time railroad official). A fun video of a great railroad.

[@miclc0628]

+John Walters Thank you for your corrections, I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@trainknut]

+miclc 062 Quick note on top of that: You said in the video "Nathan M3" horn. But that's actually an old chime P3, which of course was the standard airhorn on the vast majority of SP units, including the SD40T-2s which you rode. Of course, this could just be mis-speaking or a stutter, it's only a single letter difference.

[@joenichols590]

The Arctic Gamer I actually own an old cast P3 at my shop it will eventually go on my truck

[@trainknut]

Otto von Bismarck People like *you* are absurd, there is absolutely no need to get so offended on behalf of somebody else. The point of this is not to get him to change it, like you said this was a quarter century ago, most of the things on the line have changed since. The point is to educate people who might be otherwise informed on the little details of the video.

[@roberthodgson4509]

John Walters

[@walterjaygould6110]

The lead unit of the head end consist is my favorite engine. I selected it to be our "camera car" because the short hood end had a larger compartment in which

[@lukehowland6282]

I drive my rig down 58 every night, find my self racing the train on this rail offen.

[@thirdgengta]

Great video. Thanks so much for posting. I really miss the SP.

[@amtrakatsfnyc]

Great video. This brings back strong memories of 1968 when i rode aboard the San Francisco Chief [ ATSF Train #1] and we went on the loop in the wee hours of the morning and made our on time arrival in Fresno at 5:45 A.M. Thank you for sharing.

[@user-ur1sx2lu2i]

Just the best time in Railroading.

[@nateb9167]

Awesome video! Takes me back to my Tehachapi trips in the 90s

[@merlestewart7025]

Love the cab ride with narration!!!

[@haroldsmuck3569]

(from Canada) Priceless my friend, excellent

[@andrewdawson7175]

Beautiful, thank you!

[@trainknut]

That beautiful P3 horn!

[@SpencerAK74M]

Also known as the best horn ...

[@PacTel54321]

Thanks for posting this!

[@paradiseroad6405]

...I used to make a 2000 mile round trip from Colorado twice a year to watch the Oil Cans on Tehachapi...thanks for the video...

[@williamlane6130]

Magnificent video. Thank you for sharing this with me really enjoyed watching.

[@PullPot-eq4gv]

I love the dynamic brakes and the engine chop with it.

[@Bonserak23]

Ha! hopped this route to LA last winter, it was dark though so didn't really get to see much.

[@JohnsKeith]

This was an excellent video as I had never seen many of these locations before even after visiting Bakersfield for 2 years and Mojave area off and on for the last 20 years. Thanks for sharing and please add more if you have them. Keith Johns

[@ceciliacicchinelli4797]

I used to hike around Tehachapi in the 90s. 10 units on a train, lots of noise. Wonder if it's different now with higher horsepower and long trains.

[@andrewarmstrong7310]

Head end brakeman, best job in the world. Damn, I miss those carefree days.

[@erk396ss]

Amazing video ... great to see ol espee action ..

[@atc2853]

Thanks for sharing this with us miclc 062, awesome video! Don't get to see the SP from the conductors seat very often, wish the SP could come back. That also sounded like an entertaining crew you got to ride with too.

[@deadhead82]

Awesome sound when meeting those two trains at Mojave.

[@steverudder3321]

As a trucker, I've been up and down that pass many times, but it's nice to see it from a different perspective. And if you change the playback speed up to 2, it makes you feel like you're almost out of control!😳

[@markstengel7680]

Very nice just like being there. live few miles Canyon Country BNSF roars by near me several x day love it. Good Job Well Done !!!

[@thatbeardedsoapguy5082]

thanks for posting this. Awesome footage!

[@getreal1276]

Always Wanted To Work For Southern Pacific. Remember All The Cabooses When I Was A Kid.🗻🌅🌄🌃🏭🏩🌄🌅🗻

[@rolpfeiffermuller935]

Thanks airing the outstanding vid.Bliss

[@ssweeps]

Need more awesome videos!

[@jjstrains4547]

Thanks for the ride. I could here that brake valve exhausting. Don’t miss that. Never liked it. Wasn’t till later in my career that Chessie started venting that thing under the floor.

[@williamanderson6142]

Never gets old

[@BNforever2009]

that is cool!! I heard that's one of the heaviest trains that was running on the SP too.

[@danielkennedy7845]

What a great video, great times!!! long live the SP and Santa Fe!!!

[@missbish1000]

Really good, would love to take a trip like that myself some day.

[@doct0rnic]

4:09 rail conversations never change

[@ericgruber_guitarded]

Hell now if you work for a Class I you pretty much are the guy working all the time with no days off. The reason I left after 15yrs. Loved being an engineer but I don’t live to work. But you are right about those conversations 😂.

[@epacm50]

I missed the old NS and classic Conrail!!!!

[@davegeisler7802]

Just beautiful 🤩

[@oldspguy4786]

Now this is railroading the way I remember. No wide cabs, no "on board" computers, no funny control stands and best of all no cute little orange and green safety vests. Glad I got out before Big Yella swallowed everything up.

[@paulmurray8766]

just awesome thank you

[@dinarterodrigues3064]

bom video da Southern Pacific, grande e forte locomotiva SD 40. Agradavel ouvir o ronco do possante motor diesel/eletrico. Bela maquina. Parabens Southern Pacific.

[@woody95124]

Very cool Video....

[@michaelharrop8725]

I soooo miss those days!!

[@TheSkunk1996]

Great video!!!!!!!!!

[@SPTunnelMotor]

27:18 That's the unfiltered sound of power.

[@slimonion1975]

i love that rainbow...sweet

[@hectorguzman8435]

It’s cool to compare the before and after. Some of the stuff that was just like in the video when I hired out with UP and some of the stuff that is gone and that has changed quite a lot recently.

[@1fb1gtcs]

Very nice, thanks for sharing.

[@shak0009]

2 words. FANTASTIC ...

[@diegohorton869]

Oh look it’s my normal job. Been there before. Glad you like it 👍🏽

[@larryo3954]

I used to monitor this train and its counterpart for the VP-Operations at One Market Plaza. I was a member of OP&C, Operations, Planning & Control.

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

I miss seeing the old black and red SP locos.

[@brandedmcgowan7688]

jed-henry Witkowski dark grey and scarlet red miss SP/SSW from Arkansas

[@rucusrucus6191]

Hell Yeah! Old School! Hyatt traction motors!

[@pourindiesel]

Great video thanks!

[@bossco2001]

Nice. Thanks for sharing

[@miguelitoinguanti6171]

Love God loves you and your family

[@cocomoko2630]

That was great,thanks.

[@THR33STEP]

Epic video!!!!!! AWESOME!!!

[@davecanoy3248]

Good stuff!

[@bluedoris88]

Amazing trip, great ,thanks ,Geoff U.K

[@railfanallen]

I miss seeing those tunnel motors and the Espee in general. I think they would have been around a bit longer if they weren't doing so bad in their final years of operation.

[@smokayman]

More like the Santa Fe completely raped them. During the pre merger, the companies were basically already merged with SF having management intertwined with SP. SF thought it would be a good idea to consolidate and sell off millions of dollars in assets (largely property) that belonged to SP when it "appeared" that the merger wouldn't be approved. When they pulled out, SP was left in a hole it would never recover from.

[@tulyar1043]

@@smokayman Thanks for the info. I was in the LA area back in 1990 and wondered why one of Espee's yards had been closed. Now I know why. The hole Espee was in meant Uncle Pete could move in a few years later and take over. Look what happened after that!!! System melt down!!!

[@Nicola636128]

Great video!

[@brentmiller3951]

The day of this train ride was my 14th birthday 1\15\ 90

[@dgarcia8421]

Born in 1990...the weather looks like how it used too...

[@JLScott3178]

MEN: The old SP! Great work sir!

[@miclc0628]

+JLScott3178 Thanks, JL!

[@ktsenya2]

Man that was great!

[@jackcapewell4373]

this is just amazing!!!!!!!!!!

[@tcvideosennistexas]

really funny,,,,,as the video starts with the brakeman's door open and approaching a crossover switch,,,,,I instinctively looked at the approaching switch points ,,,,,,guess old habits never die!

[@Pickendi]

That was rather enjoyable!

[@user-bq1wv3xv4p]

곡선에서 서울발 여수엑스포행 무궁화호 1517호 탈선사고로 사고현장에서 과다출혈로 안타깝게 숨진 양모 기관사님이 생전에 순천역에서 탑승해서 쪽문옆에 앉아서 정기관사 정씨의 업무를 보조하시다가 서울발 여수엑스포행 무궁화호 1517호 탈선사고로 사고현장에서 과다출혈로 안타깝게 목숨을 잃었습니다.

[@kensbackshop6399]

Totaly awesome

[@sphinxrising1129]

This would be so cool to get to ride on a train :)

[@jo6520]

I turned 5yeara old one that day in 1990 lol