Cajon Railfanning - Blue Cut Milepost 65

Unfortunatey, I seldom visit the BNSF Cajon Subdivision, also known as "Cajon Pass," but today, Monday, May 21, 2018, I was able to spend a few afternoon hours enjoying the wonders of this busy railroad, in the vicinity of Milepost 65, in the Blue Cut area.

From my motel in North San Bernardino, the Blue Cut area was an easy 20-minute drive on the busy 15 Freeway, or for a more relaxing drive on old Route 66, now known as Cajon Blvd.

Photo: BNSF #8326 leads a westbound stack train at M.P. 65, a.k.a. "Blue Cut" at about 3:30 in the afternoon on Monday, May 21, 2018. Blue Cut is known as a kind of "sketchy" area for railfanning, due to illegal drug activity, but on this pleasant Monday afternoon, I didn't have a problem with anything, except how to position myself for the perfect railroad photo.

I can assume this photo location gets a lot of action, as somebody has erected a bench, for the comfort of rail photographers. Sitting on the bench will get you elevated above the scorpions, rattlesnakes and the many nasty bugs that are local residents of the area.

Photo: The train, as shown in the previous photo heads west, into the afternoon, on the way to San Bernardino.

Photo: BNSF #8268, an SD75M, leads a container train east at Blue Cut.

Photo: Multiple views of railroad action are available on the Cajon Subdivision, as this photo shows another view of BNSF #8268 east, as it heads a stack train. I'm at an overlook viewpoint at Blue Cut, M.P. 65.

Photo: Union Pacific has trackage rights over BNSF's Cajon Pass, and UP #5892 leads a stack trail west at Blue Cut.

Photo: U.P. #2352, an EMD SD60M, leads a rock train east at Blue Cut. Note the three track, which enable the railroad to handle up to 150 trains a day. As of this writing in late May, 2018, BNSF's Cajon Subdivision handles about 90 trains a day, which makes this subdivision the busiest rail link in North America.

Photo: A great way to end an afternoon is to photo BNSF #7766, as a tail-end DPU on a merchandise train, as it tracks west, under the setting sun, at Blue Cut, MP 65.

What a great way to spend an afternoon! I stayed over night in San Bernardino, and came back the next day, for more railfanning Cajon Pass.