Comments on: Tehachapi Loop

By: Daryl

Daryl — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 15:09:44 +0000

In British Columbia, Canada, there are twin Spiral Tunnels. The sat image isn’t high res, but is the link is

Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

If you know what you are looking for, you can trace the cut in the trees where the rail line is.

There is a detailed topo map of the tunnels at

http://railways-atlas.tapor.ualberta.ca/cocoon/atlas/Maps-14-1-9/

as well, Wikipedia has info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_Tunnels

as well as a cool shot of a train entering and exiting one of the tunnels over itself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Power_exits_Lower_Spiral.jpg

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 12:07:16 +0000

The only spiral in the UK is on the Ffestiniog Railway, a preserved narrow-guage railway. (I’m posting Live Local as Google doesn’t have the images yet):
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=52.960152~-3.969372&style=h&lvl=17&scene=4146283

The Dduallt spiral was built by volunteers in the 70s to give the extra height needed to avoid a new hydroelectric scheme (the reservoir can be seen north of the spiral).

By: cosmetic surgery

cosmetic surgery — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 16:53:54 +0000

wow, I magnified the picture, it is fantastic

By: tt

tt — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 09:38:37 +0000

I used to run street-legal road rallies in the area. Just to the northwest of this loop, there is a spot where the trains did a ‘z’ over the main road. You could get caught behind the same train twice (especially since they move very very slowly going up that hill). Here you can see Yahoo Beta maps has caught a train blocking the road twice at the very spot I mentioned above.

http://maps.yahoo.com/beta/#maxp=location&q1=tehachapi%2C%20ca&trf=0&mvt=h&lon=-118.627367&lat=35.289829&mag=2

If you are ever in the area, the run up Caliente-Bodfish road to Lake Isabella is a joy to behold. If you have any sort of sports car on this road, your heart will sing! Follow this road in the link above to the north and east (right and up) and you’ll see what I mean. Once you get to Lake Isabella, chase the river back down to Bakersfield using 178 to the southwest (down and left). Incredible drive. Jaw dropping incredible drive. Scenery is alright, but the drive… ohhh, the drive!

By: Olly

Olly — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 09:05:46 +0000

Wow! Nice one tt. Hopefully Google will license this increased resolution imagary soon.

By: tt

tt — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 08:59:07 +0000

This looks *much* better on Yahoo Beta maps. You can even see a train going over itself on the loop.

http://maps.yahoo.com/beta/#maxp=location&q1=tehachapi%2C%20ca&trf=0&mvt=h&lon=-118.53659&lat=35.200333&mag=2