Tehachapi Loop - Calif Historic 508
California Historical Landmark
Tehachapi Loop
From this spot may be seen a portion of the world renowned "loop". It was completed in 1876 under the direction of William Hood, Southern Pacific Railroad engineer. In gaining elevation around central hill of loop a 4000 foot train will cross 77 feet above its rear cars in tunnel below.
Dedicated
October 25, 1953
Marker placed by
Kern County Historical Society
Bakersfield Parlor No. 42 NDGW
El Tejon Parlor No. 339 NDGW
Kern County Museum
Southern Pacific Railroad
State Registered Landmark No. 508
Placed and commemorated in 1953 by the Kern County Historical Society
The Tehachapi Loop is a 0.73-mile (1.17 km) long "spiral," or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad line through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert. Seeing a daily average of almost 40 trains, the line is one of the busiest single-track mainlines in the world.
With its frequent trains and spectacular scenery, the Loop is one of the prime railfan areas in the country. In 1998, the Loop was also named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
(from http://www.theloopnewspaper.com/story/2014/06/07/community/history-of-the-tehachapi-loop/615.html)
Other Websites of interest
http://www.letsgoseeit.com/index/county/kern/tehachapi/loc01/loop.htm
http://www.asce.org/project/tehachapi-pass-railroad-line/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehachapi_Loop
Submitted by
Bruce Deeter - ASCE member