WARNING! All of Cajon Pass Now Seemingly Under Siege!

[K. P. Harrier]

Security forces have placed a trailer strategically at the railroad east end of the old Cajon siding, with the Cajon crossovers, Sullivan’s Curve, and stopped westbound trains on both tracks apparently all in view. This area by the freeway is now swarming with private security guards in patrol vehicles.

This is in addition to the traditional surveillance at the Summit crossovers, some six to eight railroad miles up “The Hill.” Basically that area is off limits to rail buffs except for the highway.

With the new Cajon security area, as I understand it, except for the railroad right-of-way itself, most land is accessible and used often by campers, hunters, hikers, etc. Of course, with the presence of security forces, it actually makes the whole area more secure for everyone.

[adrianspeeder]

Why?

Adrianspeeder

[Anonymous]

Everything has to go up Cajon for Barstow and east.

[Anonymous]

The end for the Railfan is near,No more Railfanning since this stupid country is so scared,BOO HOO!

[spbed]

Do I understand correctly you can no longer come off the freeway & access the little street where Sullivans curve comes along side the road? Also just below the summit there is a semi paved semi dirt road that takes you to where you can see all 3 tracks at one time by driving up the knoll that gets you about 20 feet above the track. Are you saying this to is now no longer accessable?

QUOTE: Originally posted by K. P. Harrier

Security forces have placed a trailer strategically at the railroad east end of the old Cajon siding, with the Cajon crossovers, Sullivan’s Curve, and stopped westbound trains on both tracks apparently all in view. This area by the freeway is now swarming with private security guards in patrol vehicles.

This is in addition to the traditional surveillance at the Summit crossovers, some six to eight railroad miles up “The Hill.” Basically that area is off limits to rail buffs except for the highway.

With the new Cajon security area, as I understand it, except for the railroad right-of-way itself, most land is accessible and used often by campers, hunters, hikers, etc. Of course, with the presence of security forces, it actually makes the whole area more secure for everyone.

[Anonymous]

All this hysteria won't be happening forever, for one reason... Somebody has to pay for it. All it's going to take is one lean period, and they're going to start looking to cut corners. 5 years from now, when absolutely nothing has happened in spots like this, and the people that ordered all the security in the first place have either left the company, or can't remember why they got it to begin with... All that security is going to be the first corner that gets cut.

Dave
-DPD Productions - Home of the TrainTenna RR Monitoring Antenna-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/

[espeefoamer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by K. P. Harrier

Security forces have placed a trailer strategically at the railroad east end of the old Cajon siding, with the Cajon crossovers, Sullivan’s Curve, and stopped westbound trains on both tracks apparently all in view. This area by the freeway is now swarming with private security guards in patrol vehicles.

This is in addition to the traditional surveillance at the Summit crossovers, some six to eight railroad miles up “The Hill.” Basically that area is off limits to rail buffs except for the highway.

With the new Cajon security area, as I understand it, except for the railroad right-of-way itself, most land is accessible and used often by campers, hunters, hikers, etc. Of course, with the presence of security forces, it actually makes the whole area more secure for everyone.

Is this trailer equipped with shackles?

[Anonymous]

Wait until the summer sets in then we will see how much security is out there on the pass.

[Anonymous]

this sounds suspiciously as a short term operation. they're stopping trffic and trains in an area? that means something is going through that requires lot's of protection, needless to say, give it a few days and i bet they'll be gone.

[vsmith]

We'll see what happens when all the summer motorcyclists start swarming all over those hills !!! Some of those guys dont respond well to authority figure types!

[louisnash]

Thanks, to big brother, for taking care of us. lol
Brian (KY)

[RudyRockvilleMD]

AS i recall there is a fire road that takes off from CA 138 near Cajon Junction, and you canuse it to get to tracks between the Summit and Cajon Junction as well as the east portal of one of the tunnels. That road seemed to be hard packed dirt and I was able to easily drive over it in a conventional front-wheel drive car in May, 1985. Is that road off-limits now? What about the Summit area itself, is the overlook from the road off-limits? As I recall [Upper] CajonvBoulevard follows the tracks through Blue cut to Cleghorn Blvd is that road included in the off-limits area around Cajon Pass?

[Anonymous]

Last time I was there, the forest service road that parallels I-15 from Cajon Junction up to Alray was open. Dirt bikers were still camping out under the Palmdale Cutoff bridge. Some of the roads poking up into the tracks had Area Closed signs. Better get your shots of the tunnels now. There's talk of daylighting them when BNSF adds their third main between Cajon and Summit. The overlook along Hwy138 at Summit was open, but the road to the tracks at Summit is gated and guarded. Drove all the access roads from Hiland to Sullivan's Curve with no problems. Crews waved. Nobody reported me on the radio. Security at Cajon sounds like an extension of what's at Summit, keeping an eye on westbounds that stop to let something else run around or cross over at Cajon. It'll really suck if they build a mile and a half of fence and floodlights up into Sullivan's Curve like they did east of Summit.

[chad thomas]

Third track on Cajon ????[:0]
What is that all about???[:p]
When is this going to happen ????[8)]
Details,,,,,I must have details......[:D][;)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

Wait until the summer sets in then we will see how much security is out there on the pass.

[8D] you got that right[8D]

[spbed]

It was in the Trains magazine a few months ago. The BNSF is "considering" adding a 3rd track some time in the "future. Similar situation to the UPRR double tracking of the Sunset route @ 50 miles per year. [:D]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

Third track on Cajon ????[:0]
What is that all about???[:p]
When is this going to happen ????[8)]
Details,,,,,I must have details......[:D][;)]

[spbed]

Are you saying that the road that is a little below the summit that goes out to where you can see the present 3 tracks when you go up the knoll off 138 has been barricaded? [:(]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Clemente

Last time I was there, the forest service road that parallels I-15 from Cajon Junction up to Alray was open. Dirt bikers were still camping out under the Palmdale Cutoff bridge. Some of the roads poking up into the tracks had Area Closed signs. Better get your shots of the tunnels now. There's talk of daylighting them when BNSF adds their third main between Cajon and Summit. The overlook along Hwy138 at Summit was open, but the road to the tracks at Summit is gated and guarded. Drove all the access roads from Hiland to Sullivan's Curve with no problems. Crews waved. Nobody reported me on the radio. Security at Cajon sounds like an extension of what's at Summit, keeping an eye on westbounds that stop to let something else run around or cross over at Cajon. It'll really suck if they build a mile and a half of fence and floodlights up into Sullivan's Curve like they did east of Summit.

[Anonymous]

Barricade I was referring to is right at Summit, between the X-overs and the new Summit-Martinez siding (3rd main track).

[spbed]

OK got it. You know that Hesperia Road comes along side the tracks a little after the summit & you can see the UPRR & BNSF struggling to either get up the hill or come motoring down from the summit. While the scenery is not as pretty as the summit at least it is PUBLIC so they cannot chase you out! [:D]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Clemente

Barricade I was referring to is right at Summit, between the X-overs and the new Summit-Martinez siding (3rd main track).

[DRBusse]

I haven't been there in a while, but my guess is that the trailer and additional security are the first signs of the big construction project that's about to take place over the coming months...essentially the double-tracking of the old Santa Fe north track.

From time to time, large maintenence projects in Cajon have required large staging of equipment and material at the old Cajon station area, and security guards have been posted there to keep vandals and thieves away. The last time (2-3 years ago, if I recall), the trailers were located in exactly the same place.

This part of the San Bernardino-Barstow triple tracking project will require large numbers of heavy equipment working alongside an active right-of-way and along public land. So it only makes sense for the railroad to patrol the area more carefully and keep the off-roaders and others away from the potentially dangersous areas. Keep in mind the graded right-of-way (before track is laid) will be an attractive place for dirt bikers and other non-railfan Cajon users.

You may still visit Cajon for railfan activity but be aware of the rules. Most of the land adjacent to the BNSF main lines is public land controlled by the US Forest Service--open to railfans. BNSF r-o-w is roughly 50 feet to either side of the track's center line. Stay clear of that area (with a USFS Adventure Pass in hand) and you'll have no problem...and security guards will have no legal standing to shoo you away. Additionally, the access road running along the UP (ex-SP) Palmdale Cutoff is a public, USFS maintained road, open to anyone. Drive it any time, but have that Adventure pass if you plan to park on any of the turnoffs.

Know the rules. Know the circumstances for increased patrol. But don't let that scare you away.

[chad thomas]

So it's true then? They are adding another track ?

[spbed]

I think he is just surmising as I have not seen any annoucement about it except what Trains Magazine wrote a few months back. [:D]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

So it's true then? They are adding another track ?