Cajon Pass Gateway to LA

Producer: Pentrex, Bill Lambert

Locations: Cajon Pass, Colton Yard

Timeframe: 1980s

Length: 58 minutes

Pentrex with a reissue visit to Cajon Pass. This was in the 1980s. Originally, a Video Rails show.

Santa Fe, Southern Pacific and Union Pacific. All independents. Varied locomotives. Helpers on most trains. Cabooses are common. Amtrak is here.

Single DVD-R.  Detailed Main Chapter Menu. On-screen subtitles. Maps are simple, yet illustrate some discussions. Preview Section of some newer Pentrex.

Narrated show by Don Harris. Historical background on Cajon railroad subjects and more. Limited details on the trains.

Image displays as a standard TV box. Quality is very good to excellent. Near shots appear the best. Less so on longer views. Not modern standards. Colors are solid.

Soundtrack is the trains. Sounds like live recordings, while filming this show. Some are close, while others more distant. Good level balance.

An observation. Solid sets of home road power are prevalent. Less run through and leased locomotives. Caboose on every train.

Additionally. There are no Kodachrome diesels. Plenty of 40 foot truck trailers.

Conclusion. This was probably filmed before 1987.

Let’s check some Highlights…

SP’s LA Area Facilities

Construction at Colton Yard. Quick Hump Yard explanation.

Santa Fe on Cajon

Santa Fe GP35 helpers at Cajon Creek.

Sullivan’s Curve

Sullivan’s Curve. This place was named for a notable Photographer.

Union Pacific Centennial DD40AX. This view gives the idea of it’s size.

SP’s Palmdale Cutoff

The Southern Pacific Palmdale Cut-Off. A later addition to Cajon Pass.

Union Pacific at Pine Lodge.

Alray, Gish & Dell.

Santa Fe at Alray. Three places that are highlighted along this tour.

Tunnels

A Union Pacific has cleared a tunnel. Southern Pacific moves on the upper right.

Amtrak Desert Wind. This train was discontinued.

Amtrak’s The Desert Wind.

The Summit area

Union Pacific at Deep Rock Cut.

Onward

Note the CF7 rebuild in this lash-up. It is trailing last.

Southern Pacific Bay Window caboose. Model railroaders may recognize this one. Athearn prototype for the old blue box kit.

Speaking of Athearn HO trains. Irv Athearn was based in California. His Cupola Caboose kit. Santa Fe prototype.

Cajon Pass Gateway to LA

This is a tour which begins in Los Angeles and goes East. The Colton Yard construction is a bonus.

Three Class One Railroads is great! Well paced film, that always moves. Everything is balanced.

Cinematography is excellent. Audio is fine. Narrative is good. Allows to hear some train action. Excellent location awareness.

A fine choice for a vintage Cajon Pass show.

Rating: 4 Stars