19 photos included after text.

The next area downhill from The Loop is what I call the Woodford Area.  This area covers the Woodford Siding itself, Keene, CA, the railroad bridge just before Rowan Siding, and Rowan Siding itself.  There are still no traveling amenities in the Woodford Area except a restaurant in Keene, CA that is worth a visit.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Route 58 is still the main roadway through this area and the Woodford/Tehachapi Road terminates in Keene at exit #139 for Route 58.  There are also some residences where the Woodford Siding is in the community of Woodford, CA but since they are all on the other side of the road from the tracks they really don't have any interest for you.

In Keene, there is one interesting place worth mentioning.  That is the National Chavez Center.  It is located in Keene off the Woodford/Tehachapi Road just before the tracks go under Route 58 and is the former property of Cesar E. Chavez who is credited with being the first person to orginize a union for the agriculture workers that worked in the fields in southern California.

Recently this property has been rebuilt to become a museum and a memorial to honor Cesar E. Chavez.  This porperty is open to organizations for presentations and believe that one could visit the various buildings if you were to have permission.  I don't know for sure, but if you were interested, you could ask.  For more information visit their website at www.cesarechavezfoundation.org.

I mentioned a restaurant and that is called The Keene Cafe.  This place is small town cooking at its best.  It is only open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and the food is really great.  It is usually busy with various locals and people in "the know".  The staff is just fabulous and the place is easy to find since it is just off the corner of the Woodford/Tehachapi Road and the exit #139 for Route 58.  Doesn't look like much but it is worth the stop.

WOODFORD SIDING - FOURTH CROSSING AND WATER TOWERS

I begin the discussion of the Woodford Area where we left off at the fourth crossing of Tehachapi Creek which is just past the south turnout for Woodford Siding.  To access this area turn off of the Woodford/Tehachapi Road at a dirt road that is .8 miles from Broome Road.

You will immediately see two tall tanks next to the tracks.  These are actually fresh water tanks for the Woodford Residents and they get refilled by a red tank trauck about four times a day.  Right next to these tanks is a nice place for photos, but for right now lets go to the fourth crossing of Tehachapi Creek.

At the towers, turn right and follow a dirt road up and down a couple of small but steep hills.  Even a regular car can drive along this road for the .4 miles to the end where the fourth crossing bridge is.  Park and walk to the fence for your photo of downhill trains as they cross the bridge.  The mid afternoon in summer or the late afternoon in winter is best for these photos.

About half way in between the bridge and the water towers is a nice location for photos of more downhill trains as they enter Woodford Siding.  This location shares the same photo times as the bridge.

Just past the towers themselves is another great photo location.  This location features photos of both downhill and uphill trains.  The downhill trains are in Woodford Siding, and the uphill trains are in a curve that makes for a really dramatic photo.  Downhill times are still the same but the uphill photos are best in the early morning in winter or the late morning in summer.

WOODFORD SIDING - WATER TOWERS TO ROUTE 58 OVERPASS

The dirt service road that you are on somewhat parallels the tracks and goes .8 miles from the fourth crossing bridge, to the next dirt road from the Woodford/Tehachapi Road.  That road is another .4 miles along the Woodford/Tehachapi Road and is a great place to park off railroad property and wait for the trains.

Before we get to that road there is another good place for photos another .2 miles down the service road from the water towers.  There is another small hill to stand on for your photos of downhill trains as they are in the curve near the water towers.  These photos are best in the mid afternoons in summer or the late afternoons in winter.

At the same location, photos of the uphill trains are best in the mid mornings in winter or the late mornings in summer, but are the "coming at you" variety.

The dirt service road will go up and down a couple more steep hills before it arrives at the place park and wait for trains off railroad property.  This is the location of a nice platform that is right next to the tracks and the turnout for the second siding for Woodford that is no longer used by the railroad.

This is the best location to get photos of downhill trains in Woodford Siding because the tracks are in that curve that is now at a good distance for photos.  The photos for uphill trains here are not really that good, but you can get one anyway.

From the last couple of locations that I described for you it is easy to see when a downhill train is approaching because you will see it as it goes around the Loop.  At that point you will have about 10 minutes to get ready for your photo.  Uphill trains will sound their horn for a grade crossing 1/2 mile away or you might hear them for a grade crossing in Keene.  Also the detector at 347.0 will announce their arrival.

The next location along the Woodford Siding is another .3 miles to a dirt opening that has some large flat rocks next to it.  Park in the opening and walk out on the rocks to the edge next to the tracks.  Downhill trains have the best sun in the late afternoon in summer only.  Winter sun is more sideways so summer is better.

Traveling another .4 miles on the Woodford/Tehachapi Road takes you to where the tracks are in a curve just after the Route 58 overpass and are directly next to the roadway.  You can elevate yourself slightly for photos of uphill trains by climbing up on to one of the concrete footings from a long removed old water tower.

It is on the other side of the road from the tracks and offers a nice location to get photos of trains in either direction.  Uphill trains are dramatic as they enter the curve with the overpass in the background, and downhill trains are in a short reverse curve.

Downhill trains are best in the late afternoon of summer and photos of the uphill trains are best in the mid afternoon in summer or the late afternoon in winter.

The Woodford/Tehachapi Road continues through Keene for another .7 miles and will pass under Route 58, then an entrance for the Cesar E. Chavez Center, the Keene Cafe and finally the stop sign for the road for exit #139.

BRIDGE NEAR ROWAN SIDING AND ROWAN SIDING

Continue straight from the Woodford/Tehachapi Road, or left if you exited Route 58 at exit #139, to a road that will go .5 miles to the tracks.  First, it will go past the Kern County Emergency offices and then after .3 mile you will have to turn right.  Keep going another .1 mile to a junction.  If you go right you will go under the bridge, if you go left you will arrive at a good photo location at the end of Rowan Siding.

Go to the right right now to under the bridge and park.  Get out of the vehicle and walk under the bridge to the other side where there is a path up the side of the hill to some rocks where you can get great pictures of uphill trains as they cross the bridge.  These photos are best in the early morning in summer only.  Winter sun is on the wrong side of the trains.

If you were to have gone left, you would arrive at an open area.  You can get photos here or drive up the hill to the top for another angle.  This area is best for photos of downhill trains and is best in the mid afternoon in summer or the late afternoon in winter.

From the top of the hill you should see that you are at the south turnout for Rowan siding.  The dirt road that you are on will go down the other side of the hill and follow the tracks as they curve several times while in Rowan Siding.  You could follow this road for almost a mile along the siding but photos here are more of the "Power Shot" variety.  Your choice.