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36-593: Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon , traversed by California State Route 138 (SR 138) and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad . Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad's maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet (1,167 to 1,151 m) while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit , 34°20′58″N 117°26′47″W  /  34.34944°N 117.44639°W  / 34.34944; -117.44639  ( Cajon Summit ) , The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit,

72-626: A second UP subsidiary known as the Utah Southern Railroad Extension took up the work, completing trackage as far as Milford , Utah, in 1880. By the end of the century, these and other lines had been absorbed into the Oregon Short Line Railroad , a far larger UP subsidiary. Work on extending the Milford line southward began by 1889, but no tracks were actually laid due to financial issues. Construction resumed in 1899 when

108-407: Is a popular location for railfans , and many photographs of trains on Cajon Pass appear in books and magazines. The Union Pacific Railroad owns one track through the pass, on the previous Southern Pacific Railroad Palmdale cutoff, opened in 1967. The BNSF Railway owns two tracks and began to operate a third main track in the summer of 2008. The railroads share track rights through the pass ever since

144-503: Is famous among hikers. Many hikers also spend the night in the one motel at Cajon Junction. Three Southern California Edison 500 kV high voltage power lines cross the summit. These lines head to the Lugo substation northeast of Cajon Pass and connect to Path 26 and Path 46 . Both Path 26 and 46 provide the Los Angeles metro area with electricity generated from fossil fuel power plants in

180-547: Is known as Mormon Rocks. In Spanish, the word cajón refers to a box or drawer. The name of the pass is derived from the Spanish land grant encompassing the area; it was first referred to in English on an 1852 map. Early Latter-day Saint documents, which often referred to the pass as "Cahoon Pass", suggest an alternate explanation for the name, that it is named in honor of Mormon pioneer Andrew Cahoon (pronounced similarly to Cajon), who

216-510: Is notorious for high winds, particularly during Santa Ana wind season, with gusts of wind up to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). It has been known to cause high-profile vehicles such as semi-trucks to lose control or tip over. During wind advisories, Caltrans will use its Changeable message signs to warn motorists of dangerous weather in the Cajon Pass. Cajon Pass gets snow occasionally, usually not enough to cause closures. When any closure

252-572: Is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit. In 1851, a group of Mormon settlers led by Amasa M. Lyman and Charles C. Rich traveled through Cajon Pass in covered wagons on their way from Salt Lake City to southern California. A prominent rock formation in the pass, where the Mormon Road and the railway merge (at 34°19′06″N 117°29′31″W  /  34.3184°N 117.4920°W  / 34.3184; -117.4920 , near Sullivan's Curve),

288-519: Is total, California Highway Patrols often provide escorts through the pass as the Interstate 15 is a major artery for the High Desert region. When there is high wind or snow in the Cajon Pass, it is fairly common for weather forecasters or reporters from Los Angeles television stations to do location reports from the Cajon Pass. The San Andreas Fault passes through the Cajon Pass (crossing I-15 on

324-657: The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , was the first railroad through Cajon Pass. The line through the pass was built in the early 1880s to connect the present day cities of Barstow and San Diego . Today the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway (the successor to the Santa Fe) use the pass to reach Los Angeles and San Bernardino as part of the Southern Transcon . Due to the many trains, scenery and easy access, it

360-463: The Banning Pass , well known for turbulence. The mass and wing loading of an aircraft determine its sensitivity to turbulence, so what may seem violent in a Cessna 172 may seem only mild to moderate in a Boeing 747 . In the 2006 Mercy Air 2 accident , an air ambulance helicopter collided with mountainous terrain near the pass in foggy weather. The California Southern Railroad , a subsidiary of

396-764: The Blue Cut Fire again forced the closure of the freeway for several days starting on August 16, 2016. The fire closed the I-15 north and southbound lanes due to the intensity of the fire. It destroyed a number of outbuildings and homes, and destroyed the Summit Inn Restaurant in Oak Hills. A McDonald's restaurant was also burned but the damage was minor. The fire threatened homes in Lytle Creek, Phelan, Oak Hills and Wrightwood and burned 37,000 acres (15,000 ha) Cajon Pass

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432-541: The Four Corners region, and hydroelectric dams along the Colorado River . During October and November 2003, a number of wildfires devastated the hills and mountainsides near and around the pass, forcing the closure of Interstate 15. The following winter, rains in addition to burnt vegetation caused a number of landslides to further close the freeway pass. On July 17, 2015, during severe drought conditions plaguing

468-598: The LA&;SL designated a series of locations along its route as "division points"—bases for the railroad's operational and maintenance activities. Traveling southwestward from Salt Lake, the railroad's division point towns were Lynndyl and Milford in Utah; Caliente and Las Vegas in Nevada; and Yermo and San Bernardino in California. The railway also maintained a substantial presence in

504-478: The Oak Hills exit at the summit of the pass, was a historic Route 66 diner and was in the same location from 1952 to 2016, when it was destroyed by the Blue Cut fire. Some maps may show the Cajon Pass as a feature on SR 138, which crosses I-15 south of the summit between West Cajon Valley and Summit Valley. The highest point on I-15 between Los Angeles and Victorville is thus sometimes identified as Cajon Summit. However,

540-474: The San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, and Clark announced plans to construct a line between Salt Lake and southern California. Clark assembled political and financial supporters to assist in the project, both in California and Utah. The competing Union Pacific Railroad and its formidable leader E. H. Harriman stood in opposition to Clark's plan. Clark's forces began construction work in Nevada, along

576-536: The UP agreed to acquire Clark's half-interest in the railroad. After 1921 the LA&SL lines were operated as part of the UP system, although the LA&SL corporation continued to exist on paper until January 1, 1988. The former LA&SL main line remains part of the UP network today as the Caliente and Lynndyl subdivisions. In 1925, LA&SL reported 1,158 million ton-miles of revenue freight and 192 million passenger-miles. At

612-511: The Union Pacific gained track rights on the Santa Fe portion negotiated under the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad . The original BNSF (ATSF) line was built in the 1880s and later roads, U.S. Route 66 and I-15, roughly followed this route. The 3.0% grade for a few miles on the south track is challenging for long trains, making the westbound descent dangerous, as a runaway can occur if

648-554: The complete Salt Lake–Los Angeles line was opened on May 1, 1905. In California, Clark negotiated a trackage rights agreement from Daggett to Riverside, California , allowing his new line to use the existing ATSF route over Cajon Pass , in lieu of constructing its own tracks across the pass. On April 16, 1916, the railroad’s stockholders voted to remove "San Pedro" from the corporation's name. The former town of San Pedro had been consolidated within Los Angeles in 1909. The LA&SL operated independently until April 27, 1921, when

684-629: The end of that year it operated 1,208 miles (1,944 km) of road and 1,970 miles (3,170 km) of track. Originally, the LA&SL tracks through Utah were the approximate boundary between the Pacific Time Zone and the Mountain Time Zone . However, in April 1969, the time zone boundary was moved such that all of Utah was in the Mountain Time Zone. Following standard railroad practice,

720-510: The engineer is not careful in handling the brakes. The second track, built in 1913, is 2 miles (3.2 km) longer to get a lower 2.2% grade. It ran through two short tunnels, but both were removed when the third main track was added next to the 1913 line. Trains may be seen traveling at speeds of 60 and 70 mph (97 and 113 km/h) on the straighter track away from the pass, but typically ascend at 14 to 22 mph (23 to 35 km/h) and descend at 20 to 30 mph (32 to 48 km/h). With

756-401: The entire area, including Cajon Summit, is often called Cajon Pass. The Pacific Crest Trail goes through the Cajon Pass area, and during the hiking season up to several thousand transient hikers will pass through this area after walking one of the hottest, driest, and most grueling sections of desert on the trail. A nearby McDonald's restaurant happens to be very close to the trail, and it

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792-466: The existing I-15 right-of-way. The Mojave Freeway (I-15) was built in 1969 over Cajon Summit west of Cajon Pass. It is a major route from Los Angeles and the Inland Empire to Las Vegas. The freeway runs above and parallel to an original stretch of historic Route 66 and U.S. Route 395 . This stretch, now known as Cajon Boulevard, is a short, well-preserved fragment dating to a rerouting and widening of

828-477: The existing UP grade, and a brief "railroad war" ensued before Clark and the UP called a truce in 1903. Their agreement called for Clark's railroad to acquire the existing UP trackage south of Salt Lake City. In turn, the UP received a 50% interest in Clark's railroad. Construction of the remaining line proceeded rapidly to Daggett , California, where it connected to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF), and

864-421: The help of Utah's U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns , mining magnate and newspaper man, to ensure the success of the line through Utah. Construction of the railroad's main line was completed in 1905. Company shareholders adopted the LA&SL name in 1916. The railway was also known by its official nickname, "The Salt Lake Route", and was sometimes informally referred to as "The Clark Road". The tracks are still in use by

900-483: The highway in the early 1950s. Only the southbound/westbound lanes are in use; the northbound/eastbound lanes and corresponding bridges are closed to through traffic. It is along this stretch of road, accessible via either the Kenwood Avenue or Cleghorn Road exits that some of the best trainspotting areas are found. The Cajon Pass segment of I-15 was named the deadliest road in California. The historic Summit Inn , off

936-516: The modern Union Pacific Railroad , as the Cima , Caliente , Sharp , and Lynndyl Subdivisions . The development of the railway line that became the LA&SL began in 1871 when the Utah Southern Railroad began laying track southward from Salt Lake City. The Utah Southern, controlled by the larger Union Pacific Railroad (UP), built a line to a station known as Juab , Utah, in 1879. From there

972-594: The north or the southeast. Air spilling over the San Gabriels can cause violent up- and downdrafts. On a normal day, with the wind out of the west, turbulence usually starts a few miles west of Rialto and continues a few miles to the east, growing in strength above the altitude of the mountains and especially over the pass near the HITOP intersection. In Santa Ana conditions, up- and downdrafts can become violent northeast of Ontario Airport, and turbulence can be experienced east to

1008-522: The remote town of Kelso, California . Nearly the entire route of the railroad traversed rugged and largely unpopulated desert terrain. There were no major population centers between the railroad's endpoints until the city of Las Vegas began its rapid growth in the mid-twentieth century. The LA&SL was known for its depot buildings, many of which were imposing structures in the Mission Revival architectural style. The largest such depot, at Milford,

1044-465: The route was completed as far as the Utah–Nevada border. Grading work extended into Nevada, and the UP's stated intent was to continue the line all the way to southern California. Another player entered the scene in 1900, when William Andrews Clark acquired the struggling Los Angeles Terminal Railway with an eye to extending the line northeast to Salt Lake. The railroad was reincorporated in 1901 as

1080-621: The south side of the summit) and is responsible for the unique local geography. Instrumentation installed at Cajon Pass allows scientists to track earthquakes in the region. Horsethief Canyon Horsethief Canyon , is a canyon comprising the upper part of the Summit Valley in San Bernardino County, California . Its head lies at 34°19′33″N 117°25′38″W  /  34.32583°N 117.42722°W  / 34.32583; -117.42722 at an elevation of 3,800 feet just east of

1116-859: The summit of Cajon Pass , and its mouth at an elevation of 3,123 feet / 952 meters. California State Routes 138 and 173 pass through it. There is also a separate Horsethief Canyon in San Diego County, California , near Pine Valley, California and the Mexico–United States border . It is located in the Cleveland National Forest , in the Pine Creek Wilderness . 34°19′23″N 117°18′31″W  /  34.32306°N 117.30861°W  / 34.32306; -117.30861 Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad The Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad ( reporting mark SLR )

Cajon Pass - Misplaced Pages Continue

1152-537: The third track, the BNSF lines have a capacity of 150 trains per day. Amtrak's Desert Wind used the pass until it quit running in 1997. The Southwest Chief runs daily between Chicago and Los Angeles, through Cajon Pass on the BNSF line. As of 2024, the Brightline West high-speed rail line is currently under construction in Cajon Pass as part of its route between Rancho Cucamonga and Las Vegas. The route will follow

1188-466: The whole state and creating extreme fire hazards, a fast, wind-whipped wildfire swept over Interstate 15 between California State Route 138 and the Oak Hill Road exits, sending drivers running for safety and setting 20 vehicles ablaze, officials said. The vegetation fire, which closed the I-15 southbound lanes and restricted the northbound side to one lane, overtook stalled cars. The following year

1224-608: Was a rail company in California , Nevada , and Utah in the United States, that completed and operated a railway line between its namesake cities ( Salt Lake City , Utah, and Los Angeles , California), via Las Vegas , Nevada . Incorporated in Utah in 1901 as the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad , the line was largely the brainchild of William Andrews Clark , a Montana mining baron and United States Senator. Clark enlisted

1260-516: Was an early settler in nearby San Bernardino and assisted in surveying and laying out the city of San Bernardino. Cajon Pass is known for high wind, turbulence and fog. The weather over the pass can vary from foggy days with poor visibility to clear afternoons where aircraft are bounced by gusting Santa Ana winds that top 80 mph (130 km/h). The wind is typically from the west, although in Santa Ana and other weather conditions it may be out of

1296-486: Was razed in 1981 and replaced with a smaller rail office, which remains in use today. The landmark LA&SL stations in Caliente and Kelso survive today. Several smaller Mission Revival depots erected by the railroad still exist in southern California. At least two of the railroad's smaller stations, at Lund and Black Rock in Utah, were designed by the noted architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood . The Salt Lake City depot

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