Tehachapi Cab Ride

Producer: Highball

Locations: Bakersfield, Tehachapi, Mohave

Timeframe: 1998

Length: 2 hrs 15 min

Source: Roy Knighton

Take a cab ride on BNSF. Journey from Bakersfield to Mohave. This tour includes Tehachapi Loop. Recorded on March 16, 1998.

Hotshot Z train. Symbol, Z BYWSP 916A. Translation is North Bay to Willow Springs. 58  loaded cars 0 empties. San Francisco to Chicago area.

The Lash-up. ATSF 861, 681, BNSF 122, 533, ATSF 550, 634, BNSF 4739, 1035. Grand total of 8 locomotives.

A single DVD-R. No Chapter menu. Hidden Chapter advance.  Zero maps or location graphics. Narrated, as far as a talkative bunch in the cab. Random radio traffic, as well.

Aspect ratio is 4×3 full screen. Live environmental audio. Crew is informative and friendly. The camera view is a roving one. Beats any single hard mounted forward only view, which is sometimes used on other shows. Unfortunately, a light rain falls. The rain subsides about halfway through the show.

Appears to have a front mounted view. A second handheld camera with the alternate viewpoints.

To the Trains… 👉

Bakersfield, California, is our departure point.   This is in the yard. The Engineer gives trip details for Train 916A. Onboard the lead engine, the Conductor gives operating details of controls for the train. Dash 8- 40CW 861 is the lead engine. Not all the power units are online here.

Let’s hope our Engineer is not reading a quick start guide to run the train! Lol. The locomotive cab is noisy with mechanical sounds. Conversation is sometimes difficult to hear clearly. Oddly enough, better voice separation on the big stereo.

Picture within a picture gives forward and reverse or side facing views!

A lone Southern Pacific SD45 and it’s Conductor witness our train pass by. 25 min.

The Westbound Intermodal counterpart. 29min

Site of a former Tunnel gets pointed out. Destroyed by a 1952 earthquake.

Tehachapi Loop.

Our Z train loops over itself here.

Union Pacfic Maintenance of Way train. Sunshine comes out on the desert floor.

Mohave is mentioned by name. This train transitions to Santa Fe trackage. Speed increases here. We detrain at a yard facility.

Tehachapi Cab Ride

This cab ride conveys the experience of traveling on this world-famous route. Nicely filmed and sharp editing.

One area that needs improvement. Location awareness. Some onscreen subtitles could have handled this information. Not even a single map presented. So, even having seen numerous Tehachapi Loop area shows. This plays differently aboard a live train move.

The soundtrack is a bit problematic. It can be difficult to hear the conversation. Depending on engine noise,  squawkbox, and the individual speaking.

Now, besides those two Chief concerns. The strength of the ride is the Videography. Pro shot and the frequent picture within the picture are excellent!

Overall, a fine show of riding across the Tehachapi line.

Rating: 4 Stars