34 photos included after text.

Continuing on our trip through Tehachapi Pass, I will now describe the section that I call the Caliente Area.  This is the trackage between tunnel #2 and Ilmon.  Here I will cover photo locations at tunnel #2, tunnel #1 and the "town" of Caliente itself.

Route 58 which has been a common sight throughout Tehachapi Pass is not a factor in this area.  The two main roads here are the two lane roads of Bealville Road and the Caliente/Bodfish Road.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Caliente Area has the Bealville Road coming from Route 58 going to the town of Caliente and once arriving in Caliente, it will intersect with the Caliente/Bodfish Road.  This road will take you to the right, around a curve to the large horseshoe curve around the town.   Or if you turn to the left, it will travel to Bena Road, but along the way will pass several noteable photo locations and other service roads to even more locations.

There are no traveling amenities anywhere here, even in Caliente.  No gas, food or hotels.   Nothing, but you are very close to Bakersfield or Tehachapi so a full tank in those towns will be plenty.  You are on your own for food though.

This area does offer some fantastic photo opportunities and because the track curves so much, it is possible to get a great photo any time of the day or season.  Just be at the right place at the right time, and of course, I will help with that.

CALIENTE

The actual town of Caliente is another 1.6 miles from the grade crossing at Bealville on the Bealville Road.  Just before you reach the town though, you will go under a railroad bridge that has a clearence of only 13'11".  If you have a vehicle taller than that, do not go down Bealville Road past the grade crossing.  Use Bena Road instead.  More on that in the Sandcut Area.

Just past the railroad bridge is the end of Bealville Road at the intersection of Caliente/Bodfish Road.  Continue straight to Caliente and the horseshoe curve, or turn to the left and travel toward tunnels #1 and #2, and the end of Caliente/Bodfish Road at Bena Road another 4.6 miles away.  Details on that in the next section.

Also on either side of the railroad bridge are two dirt roads that go east toward a hillside that provides a really good view of downhill trains as they go over the bridge.  Just walk or drive about 1/4 mile to the edge of the hill.  Climb up the path to a slightly higher elevation for your photo.  Stand next to the telephone pole and get your morning photo.

Just past the town is the grade crossing for Caliente/Bodfish Road and the first left after that is a short road going up a hill to the school.  Just before the top is an open area you can park in and walk to the edge for great early morning in summer photos of the downhill trains in the curve and at the grade crossing.  With a telephoto lens, you can also get good photos as they come down the hillside.

Just on the other side of the grade crossing is the beginning of the siding at Caliente and a large open area that you can park in as you wait for the trains.  Morning photos favor the uphill trains and you can get great photos of the trains as they come down the hill and approach Caliente on the track in the background.

Many times I have gotten a photo of a train on the hillside in the background with another train waiting in the siding at Caliente.  From this open area, look up on the mountain in the direction of where Bealville Road goes and when a train is in Cliff, you will see it way up on the mountain.  It usually takes about 20 minutes for a train to arrive in Caliente once you see it in Cliff.

CALIENTE/BODFISH ROAD TO BENA ROAD PAST TUNNELS 1 AND 2

I have already discussed the Caliente/Bodfish Road from Bealville Road through Caliente to the grade crossing at Caliente.  (Past the grade crossing beyond Caliente there is no more train importance so don't concern yourself with it past there.)  Lets now discuss Caliente/Bodfish Road from Bealville Road.

From Bealville Road begin east and just .1 mile is a dirt road that will take you up to the tracks.  There is a service road next to the tracks that will parallel the tracks all the way from the railroad bridge to tunnel #1.  All along this road are several great photo locations.

Travel another .3 mile along Caliente/Bodfish Road to another dirt road that will take you again up to the track.  At the top of the hill is a great place to park and overlook the Caliente area.  Continue alongside the track for another .4 mile to tunnel #1.

This is the easiest way to get to this tunnel.  Any other way would require alot of walking.  Once you are at tunnel #1, climb up the obvious path to the point above the tunnel.  Continue a little higher up the mountain to a couple of great places to see trains all around you.

Great morning photos of downhill trains can be taken from up on the mountain above tunnel #1 when they are between tunnel #2 and #1.  Turn around and now you can get fantastic afternoon photos of trains in either direction as they snake around Caliente.

Another .5 mile along the Caliente/Bodfish Road will bring you to a dirt cutout where you can get great photos of uphill trains as they go through an "S" curve to your right down in the canyon below.

Past that area another .9 miles is the area to your left with two dirt roads that go to the portal of tunnel #2 and up on top of the hill the tunnel is in.  The second road is drivable with most vehicles although rather steep.  From up on top of the hill are several locations for various photos of trains in either direction.  Tunnel #2 is a great place for afternoon photos in either season.

From the top of tunnel #2, you could continue to walk along the top of the hillside and go to another photo location that features the uphill trains as they exit tunnel #1 and continue to tunnel #2.  Several photo possibilities are in this area so feel free to explore if you want.  Do remember that you did have to go through a fence so that means that you are on private property. 

Tunnel #2 is at a hoseshoe curve that produces many different angles during the day.  Many different types of photos are possible in either season or time of day.  Just work your sun angles and use your imagination.

From tunnel #2, Caliente/Bodfish Road becomes now very twisty with sharp curves and after another .5 miles, you will find a dirt road with a large gate that does go to the Bealville Siding, but I do not recomend that way.  Walk down the hill from tunnel #2 instead.

Caliente/Bodfish Road continues for another 2.2 miles to the intersection with Bena Road.  From there you could either turn to the left and return to Route 58, or turn to the right and continue to Bena.