Threading its way through the Tehachapi Mountains is BNSF Guaranteed Service Intermodal train Q-NBYLAC4-18A. However, this is this train's second attempt at conquering the Tehachapis!
This Los Angeles-bound train, which originated in North Bay (Richmond CA), first arrived at Caliente, 2 or 3 miles downgrade from here, at 9:56 this morning. After meeting a westbound, this eastbound waited as they had reported a problem (although listening on the scanner, we could not ascertain what the issue was). About 90 minutes later, we were uphill at Tunnel 2, near Allard, and were surprised at 11:35 am to see a crewman walking out of the tunnel, alongside the mainline, followed by intermodal cars backing through the tunnel behind him. When the train's power, ES44DC 7656 and Dash 9-44CW 1090, popped out of the tunnel, we were surprised to see that it was the train we'd seen previously at Caliente.
After driving to various locations on this line looking for other trains, we returned to Tunnel 2 and, at 3:20 pm, this hard-luck train arrived, grinding up the hill once again. 68 cars later, the train's rear appeared, this time with three more diesels helping: ES44C4 8346, ES44DC 7522 and ES44C4 3278. And this time there was enough power to get this relatively short intermodal train moving with no issues. We thought…
At 4:08 pm we ended up at Bealville – nearly 30 minutes later and just four miles from Caliente (so, about two miles from Tunnel 2) – and now this train was sitting again, this time at a red signal. After another half hour or so, we heard on the scanner that a broken rail had been reported at Cliff, three miles ahead. No wonder they were stopped, as were several other trains. After determining that traffic could move through Cliff Siding, and avoid the mainline, BNSF train Q-NBYLAC4-18A was moving once again, the first train to pass through Cliff after the broken rail was detected – at 4:08 pm … just over five hours after it first arrived at Caliente, a mere 8 miles (12.87 km) back!
Power problems and a broken rail … what a way to run a railroad!
(Tunnel 2, Allard, California – February 19, 2026)
