Cajon Pass December 1987

[@jasonraine6593]

These videos are gems Wil. I've progressively been working through all the vintage class 1 clips. Thank you so much for sharing these classic moments from a time gone by when SD40s ruled the rails.

[@vidwilzvids9587]

Thank You for the kind comment and you're welcome. I guess I didn't fully realize at the time how interesting these scenes would become. I still enjoy these memories.

[@deathwishdrang1780]

i just discovered these videos....I too was up there around this time with my pal Greg, virtually the same shots from the same places, I am searching for my photos, I have shots of alot of these very same train sets, hilarious....I keep looking for us and my car, maybe I'll spot a videographer?

[@JDsHouseofHobbies]

UP #900 is a former Western Pacific GP40-2. Loved seeing that!

[@vidwilzvids9587]

It also spent some time in Missouri Pacific lettering. Thanks for the comment.

[@gregoryvassilakos9972]

What a difference there was compared to today! Southern Pacific had one set of tracks through the pass, now it's part of Union Pacific and has two sets of tracks. Santa Fe had two sets of tracks, now it's part of BNSF and has three sets of tracks. Also, a few of the Santa Fe trains still had cabooses.

[@vidwilzvids9587]

Back then Cajon was considered a major bottleneck. Thanks for the comment.

[@Denniss7420]

Wow! I'm here late for the 30 year Anniversary! Thanks so much for uploading - This is the era I model. I would catch the #199 Train everyday on Stockton Sub when it had Fresh Kodachromes on their shakedown runs. PS - You went everywhere in that truck.

[@vidwilzvids9587]

The Kodachrome SF30Cs, SD45s & SD45-2s seemed to go to the shooter pools right after they were shopped. I used that truck as a photography platform until 1996. I even slept in it.

[@arkie74]

I miss these days. 1987, I was just 14.seems like just a year or two ago,.....

[@vidwilzvids9587]

Thanks for the comment.

[@sernajrlouis]

Cool relaxing video

[@jasonmccarthy820]

Anyone else get scared at 23:11 when you saw those SP units flying down the grade? I was like oh my runaway until I noticed... they were just locos and no freight.

[@vidwilzvids9587]

The crew may have been close to dying on-the-law.

[@SpecificationR]

No didnt get scared, but love the Kodachrome Shouldnt Paint So Fast scheme.

[@jefftoft5568]

Love this era of railroading, great video!

[@vidwilzvids9587]

Thanks a lot for the kind comment.

[@jefftoft5568]

You are welcome! I want to watch more of your videos as time allows.

[@philipvandyke5980]

I really liked you following the cars at, 19 min. To let us see the cars a bit longer than tripod the camera let the cars rush by. More natural as if we there watching ourselves. Also being 35 years ago thanks for the snow day. So when you going back to catch more for us? Wonderful to see snow so low elevation

[@jmream2618]

@ 16:43 I noticed those Santa Fe FP45's it must been neat to seen them

[@vidwilzvids9587]

I have a few more in coming videos, including F45s and SDP40Fs.

[@willcampbell8997]

Santa Fe back then really loved that mixed power, with the FP45's, U Boats, and varied EMD power.

[@TheEventRecorder]

Awesome Footage !!

[@vidwilzvids9587]

Thanks! Appreciate the comment.

[@elizabethpate2740]

Wow! It was almost Christmas Eve by that Time!

[@vidwilzvids9587]

32 Christmases ago.

[@stephenheath8465]

When did the AT&SF stop using man helpers on the pass?Also that one Intermodal train with that one GE Unit coming down track 1 was that the train that replace the Super C?

[@allenmeyers4931]

That's the old #998 train from Richmond, Ca to LA

[@begbieyabass]

Why 3 engines ?

[@altaccount9267]

Why is there a high hood unit, I know it’s a leased unit but what leasing company

[@vidwilzvids9587]

I think you are referring to the ex-Southern SD45. That one looks like a Helms Leasing (HLC) unit. Used to see them a lot on the SP.

[@carluxo0332]

Very good

[@TRRailfan]

13:29 what’s that?

[@vidwilzvids9587]

Aircraft parts. I think. Thanks for the comment.

[@remylopez4821]

That was the rear vertical stabilizer for an MD80 the horizontal stabilizer & rudder attach to that think of the T tail

[@johnsmart3264]

Just wondering what it be like now if the Santa Fe & Southern Pacific merged

[@mutanay77]

It seems like engineers didn't know what a horn was back then... Was this before the FRA required 4 horn blasts per each crossing?

[@vidwilzvids9587]

Two long - one short - one long has been the whistle signal for road crossings for ages. During the time of this video whistling at rarely used private access road crossings on railroad property was pretty much left to the discretion of the crew (engineer). And I'm here to tell you: any opportunity to NOT whistle was welcomed by the crew.

[@mutanay77]

@@vidwilzvids9587 interesting. I did not know that.

[@andrewcrumb8027]

20:14 This Santa Fe trailer train is short.

[@Bill-kx5yh]

The one thumbs down guy must be a Conrail fan😂

[@vidwilzvids9587]

I had a viewer that didn't like my disdain for graffiti on railroad equipment; he said he was going to hang a dislike on every vid that didn't have trains with tags. Might have been him.

[@dmaxsba]

@@vidwilzvids9587 Maybe we should find out where this person lives and tag his house, car, and dog. See if he still thinks it is so cool to deface someone else's property.

[@vidwilzvids9587]

It would go right over his head.

[@bradleymcwilliams6348]

I know there are all sorts of safety reasons, and I'm sure lawyers are involved, but horns at this time were less offensive compared to today. I personally don't care for the way the newer horns blast through everything. Also the load of trucks at 27:32 is interesting. Certainly don't see that anymore.

[@vidwilzvids9587]

The worst situation with horns and bells was when you had to work with a claustrophobic conductor or engineer who HAD to have an open window (even with air conditioning). You knew you were in for a miserable trip. As for the trucks, back then there were still many locations where you could circus-load/unload those kinds of vehicles. Thanks for the comment.

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

Santa Fe Geep predicting BNSF at 10:29

[@vidwilzvids9587]

That was actually an ATSF SD40-2 ahead of three BN SD40-2's. At that time it was probably "pool power" (horsepower rented or traded by the hour). Thanks for the comment.