West Cable Train Watching Cam

The Legendary Tehachapi Pass

This camera captures one of North America's most celebrated railroad corridors, the climb over the Tehachapi Pass linking California's Central Valley with the high Mojave Desert. Engineers tamed these steep grades with sweeping curves and helper districts, making the line a perpetual draw for railfans worldwide.

What You See at West Cable

The view looks out over milepost 357-358, west of the small railroad spot of Cable, where the single-track main line bends through chaparral-covered slopes. Heavy freight trains labor up and ease down the grade past the parallel county road, often with distributed-power helpers mid-train.

The Surrounding Landscape

Beyond the rails rise the Tehachapi Mountains, their rolling ridges oak-studded and grassy. The terrain marks a transition zone between the fertile San Joaquin Valley to the west and the arid high desert to the east, giving the scene its distinctive golden-brown texture.

A Hub for Rail Enthusiasts

West Cable is one of several cameras maintained for the global community of train watchers. Viewers track tonnage, motive power, and the steady rhythm of trans-Sierra commerce rolling through this historic mountain crossing.