Railroad Damage From 1952 Earthquake: A Retrospective

[@curtiscroulet8715]

I was seven years old, living in the Westchester area of L.A., when the 1952 earthquake occurred. It woke up my older brother. I slept through it! The aftershock on Aug 22, 1952, caused considerable damage in Bakersfield -- more than the Jul 21 mainshiock. A few days after the Aug 22 aftershock, we passed through downtown Bakersfield on our way to Yosemite. I remember seeing some damaged buildings. Somewhere up the valley along Hwy 99 we saw an incident where a Santa Fe passenger train pulled by F-units crashed into and demolished a truck at a grade crossing. The truck was loaded with steel cans destined for a cannery across the tracks. The driver of the truck survived without serious injury. The explosion of cans as the train hit the truck was spectacular. When i became a railfan many years later, I came to realize that the Santa Fe train was using the SP track. I'm guessing that there were a lot of reroutings on both Santa Fe and SP due to the damage on the Tehachapi line.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Here is the one I did about the Bakersfield shaker. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6jLipl-nr1qeLs

[@chuckmorris7043]

I was twelve years old, thrown out of bed that morning of the earthquake. Our home was in Canoga Park, California, about 100 miles south of this area. I will never forget the commotion in our house, all the rattling and banging noises.

[@robertborchert932]

Indeed. I was a lad in Glendale, remember the movement and sounds of the Sylmar quake in 1971. That monster just kept on moving. The sound of the ground breaking I'll never forget. Tremendous power!

[@marywilson1341]

My husband was thrown out of bed too!

[@geohig01]

Outstanding video about this very damaging earthquake and how the railroad recovered!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@edwinsinclair9853]

Was camping in with parents in Idyllwild, Ca (in the mountains above Palm Springs) . Our camp trailer was moved over a foot or so by this quake. It did wake us up. I remember seeing a lot of structural damage in Bakersfield as well. Espee water tower in Tehachapi also collapsed. S.P. was still running steam at that time. This earthquake and other Espee catastrophes ars covered in a DVD from Pentrex titled "Tough Times on the Southern Pacific".

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

The quake that did the most damage to Bakersfield happened one month later. I did a video on that one too. It's in the history playlist. Thanks for checking it out!

[@garymahon8242]

I enjoyed your video of the railroad damage that was done at Bealville by the 1952 earthquake, being from a family of railroaders it brought many meriories. As we lived in Caliente.

[@Mrruneight]

Hi Mark, another great video! In the February 1977 issue of Trains Magazine, Richard Stienhiemer did an article about the operations on Tehachapi at that time and followed along with a retired Santa Fe Engineer, I believe his name was Loydd Stranger? Anyhow, Loydd told the the story of how the Southern Pacific Track crews would not go inside tunnel #4 to survey the damage inside as they were afraid of the aftershocks they said were caused from the Spirits. So, apparently Santa Fe had their Navajo track crews go in to do what needed to be done. Also, Loydd wasn't sure but said he thought he may have been the last train through tunnel #5 as he was bringing a Helper set down the hill but your saying about the mail Train sounds accurate as well. Thank You for sharing this Mark.

[@navigator902]

Train engineers us to sing "Shoofly don't bother me" , "Cause I'll be on the main line rail". Hey Mark. loving this stuff.

[@Samanthareneeheart1]

That was intresting Mark Thank you. As someone in emergency Services (fire/ems) & a bit of a rail fan i like hearing of rail disasters & derailments & some of your stories on events you have experienced while while working for SP/UP

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

My pleasure! I'm glad you have many interests and that I can help you enjoy a couple of them!

[@michaelalberson126]

My grandfather used to talk about the tahatchape quake when I was a kid in the 1960s. I was born in 1955 my grandmother’s sister lived in that area when it struck she said it was absolutely a violent quake. And I really like this channel.

[@michealtrueblood5097]

It shook the Newhall Saugus area pretty good.

[@royreynolds108]

I waited till the end and you did use the photo of the rail under the tunnel wall. That is the photo I remember about the power of an earthquake. The largest known earthquake in the US was the New Madrid quake in southeastern Missouri in 1811 which changed the course of the Mississippi River, rang church bells in Washington, DC, and caused the flooding of the area of Texas and Louisiana known as Caddo Lake. The 1964 Anchorage quake caused the Amite River in Louisianna east of Baton Rouge to expose a segment of the bottom for a few minutes.

[@navigator902]

Great Southern California R.R. history... love this stuff being a native born in Long Beach California. Great content Mark R.R. moved mountains for the R.R.. Earthquake put an "S" in the rail.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Yes. We're puny against that power!

[@cowboygeologist7772]

Great video; thanks for sharing your knowledge and research.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@markcantemail8018]

Nice Video Mark , thank You for the History .

[@gragor11]

I totally enjoyed it Mark.

[@Longshadowsmodeltrees]

Great video Mark, I remember the floods we had down that way, I work for Caltrans for 30 yrs in Tehachapi, Mojave area. Now retired. Bob

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I have a piece planned on the 83 floods. Stay tuned and thanks for checking out my channel!

[@Longshadowsmodeltrees]

I was here and will be watching.

[@adventureseeker9800]

I have always been fascinated by California seismology. I even drove to Parkfield, California and stood on the infamous Parkfield bridge so I could say I stood directly on top of the San Andreas. Of course it's north of this location but still, California faults and their earthquake history is fascinating. Thanks for the video.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thanks for checking it out. I also did a piece about the quake one month later that devastated Bakersfield as well as one from Trona after the 2019 Quake. Both are in my "History" playlist. Here's one I did about Parkfield. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q53Ic5SAgLmhhLM

[@Sandra-ik6zs]

Interesting video, I will watch for the earthquake video in Bakersfield.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

As soon as we're done with the stuff we're doing with the house I'll get that shot and hope to post it Aug. 22

[@deadhead82]

thanks for the information. Always wondered about all this. I dispatch this sub and love learning more about it. I remember granting track and time to you back in late 2018 or early 2019 around Cameron.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Cool. I worked Cable to Ansel the last nine months of my career, which ended in Oct. 2019.

[@proudfoamer2]

Never ever say I didn't come here to film trains! Lol, broke my already surgericaly repaired heart.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Well, truth be known I shot two anyway!

[@nr120]

Great video, very interesting, have been around to tunnel 4 but no further, not sure how that is thought of by the railroad!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

In that area as long as you don't go through any gates and stay in the clear, it's unlikely anyone you encounter would give you any grief. Thanks for checking it out!

[@michealtrueblood5097]

After the 1994 January earthquake SP did extensive work on the San Fernando Tunnel. It crossed the San Gabriel Fault.

[@briankemp5206]

Nice history lesson.

[@steveyoung3134]

Amazing info

[@michealtrueblood5097]

This was before I was born but my family in Newhall felt this quake.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

That's good because we felt theirs 19 years later!

[@markhayes6407]

Mother nature can be so powerful. Another great history lesson. keep em comin'. Wonder if this could happen again or are the tunnels reinforced with stronger concrete.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Another quake of the same size in the same area could easily waste the tunnels again. Thanks for checking it out!

[@davidvanschaick5565]

Good Stuff MCM

[@wrangler70jkujeep74]

I've seen and had pictures of tunnel fans NS uses in Tennessee now I'm MOW fan and railfan also railroad history collector and do work 2 railroad museums . Kinda guess purpose not sure what used for there unusual for sure above Knoxville . Tn there big for sure .

[@PTBORailfan]

Awesome video

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thank you!

[@PTBORailfan]

@@MarkClayMcGowan You're welcome!

[@Greatdome99]

17:26 That's not a passenger train but a Santa Fe F7 lashup probably rolling along to tamp down ballast.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Thanks for the heads up! I would never have noticed but it makes sense they wouldn't use a passenger train as a guinea pig! Thanks for checking it out!

[@tomady6898]

Really enjoy your videos. Question if i may. As a retired employee are you allowed to be on the railroad property?

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Depends on where I am I suppose. Everyone around here knows me and I get no grief. I know how to behave without attracting attention. Thanks for the comment and for checking it out!

[@robertborchert932]

It's a family, man. I sure loved hearing the horn sounds as the engineers said hello to you. They recognize the vehicle. Brother, if what you do isn't your passion, your hobby...its time to make a change. I'm sure you'll agree. I understand. Your videos are a testament to your passion. Enjoy your deserved retirement, sir! I'm not too far behind you.

[@CSXEK]

That goes to show how powerful an earthquake is it’s sad that track got very damaged it’s a good thing the railroad rebuilt and revitalized 😀

[@mdavid1955]

Cool! Why is the by-pass route called a "Shoo-fly"?

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

It's just a name the railroad uses for temporary bypasses. I have no idea why and most of the old timers who might know are gone now. Thanks for checking it out!

[@robertborchert932]

I'll make a bet that the name is based upon the motion made by your hand when shooing a fly. It's an arc. Just my guess...

[@glennfoster2423]

Calling it a "bar fly" would violate Rule M. Hahahaha!

[@royreynolds108]

@@glennfoster2423 What is Rule M? Rule G is no drinking alcohol--beer, wine, spirits, etc.

[@glennfoster2423]

@@royreynolds108 It appears my typing fingers were in violation of Rule G. Rule M in my 1953 Operating Department rulebook s a "catch all" kind of rule requiring employees to work safely at all times, don't use worn-out or defective tools, report everything that's wrong to your supervisor, and, oh, also, Don't step on the rail.

[@bjackson30303]

Third largest/strongest event ever in CA