Stockton to Fresno (Calwa)

The route is divided into the following subdivisions:

·        BNSF (former Santa Fe) Stockton subdivision, from [Richmond and] Stockton to Calwa (Fresno)

This line is two main tracks, CTC-controlled, through Stockton, Modesto, and Fresno, and single track, CTC-controlled, elsewhere. The line is mostly level, with long straight stretches, across the rich bottomland of the San Joaquin Valley, over its entire length. CTC was installed from Stockton to Fresno in 1957.

East of the ex-Santa Fe, now Amtrak, station with its depot on the north side of the line, there are two road crossings at grade. There is still a flat crossing in Stockton (now known to the BNSF as UP Fresno Sub Xing, MP 1120.7), even after the removal of Stockton Tower, with two tracks in each direction and connectors in all quadrants except the northwest. On the UP, ex-SP, this crossing is protected by bracket signals. The former Western Pacific flat crossing has been removed (as has the entire ex-WP line through the center of Stockton), with only the connector in the southeast quadrant remaining (as the one operational south to east connector remaining at this location). The well-used recently-built connector from the north to the east joins the BNSF line at Keddie Junction (MP 1120.5). There is a road that crosses all the tracks on the east side of the rail crossing, at grade. East of the connectors from the crossing, the line crosses over a road below on a girder bridge.

The extensive BNSF Mormon Yard is on the south side of the tracks not far east of the flat crossing(s). Following two road crossings at grade, there is a wye connection at Mormon (MP 1119.7) with the former lines of Central California Traction on the north side of the line, heading up a city street midway along the yard, after which the line turns southeast, bridges over a city street and then and crosses over Highway 99.  There is another road grade crossing, a line going off to the east, another road grade crossing, and a bridge over what looks like a farm road. There are crossovers at Walnut Crossovers (MP 1117.6), a road bridge passes overhead, and the line reduces to single track, CTC, at East Walnut (MP 1116.1), where there is also a 7,298 ft. siding. There is an intermodal yard with container lifts on the southwest side of the track at Mariposa, with connections at West Mariposa (MP 1114.8), which has crossovers where the siding from East Walnut ends, a highway bridge overhead, and East Mariposa (MP 1111.9), which has an agricultural service facility on the east side of the line.

Following four more road crossings at grade, in an area with grapevines on the east side of the line there is an 8,968 ft. siding at Duffy (MP 1109.6), three more grade crossings, a 9,254 ft. siding (new signals turned sideways in April, 2012, installed by October, 2013) at Escalon (MP 1101.5) with extra tracks on the east side and the former Tidewater Southern line approaching from the west and then turning away south, on the west side, and a detector at MP 1099.1. The line turns southward for a spell through the open agricultural countryside of the San Joaquin Valley itself, with a water or sewage treatment facility on the west side, crossing the Stanislaus River on a deck girder bridge at Stanislaus (MP 1097.3), with a petrochemical plant on the west side, a 7,231 ft. siding (new signals turned sideways in April, 2012, installed by October, 2013) on the east side at the location of the former Amtrak station at Riverbank (MP 1095.6, where the depot building remains on the west side of the line), extra tracks on the west side of the line, and two more grade crossings with a highway running alongside to the east after having been a field further away to the north of Riverbank. A highway bridges overhead, followed by a grade crossing, a yard on the east side of the line, another grade crossing, and another petrochemical facility on the west side of the line followed by a bridge over a drainage channel.

The line passes through Claus (MP 1092.8), followed by a major grade crossing at an acute angle, and another grade crossing, with the road alongside to the east continuing there. In June, 2011, there are new signals, turned sideways, all the way from Modesto to Fresno, but only to Denair in June, 2012, installed by October, 2013. There is a new Amtrak station at Modesto (MP 1091.4), with a large new depot on the west side of the line surrounded by the parking lot with a bridge over a canal/river and a grade crossing at the south end of the facilities, followed by a stretch with orchards on both sides, a bridge over an irrigation canal, a grade crossing, and an area with much new housing on the east side of the line. There is a BNSF yard on the west side of the line at the start of a section of two main tracks at the wye (Modesto-Empire Jct., MP 1089.2) with the Modesto Empire Traction line to the west. The line crosses a river on a concrete bridge, with the highway on the east side also crossing the Tuolumne River. The line runs on an embankment for a short distance. The Two Main Tracks reduce to single track, and then there is a grade crossing, a bridge over an irrigation canal, an extra track on the east side, another grade crossing, and a petrochemical facility on the west side of the line. The line then turns southeast again, through Hughson (MP 1085.8) with a lumber yard on the west side, two more grade crossings, a shuttle-enabled destination grain elevator with extra tracks on the west side, and two more grade crossings before Swanson (MP 1083.0), where there are orchards on both sides of the line.

There are two more grade crossings, a spur on the east side, a cement facility on the west side, another grade crossing, and an 8,964 ft. siding at the Amtrak station at Turlock-Denair (MP 1079.6, shelter on the northeast side of the tracks, parking to the southeast of the shelter, extra track on the southwest side of the line), a bridge over an irrigation canal, the Denair Lumber company on the west side of the line, a grade crossing at Main Street, Denair, another grade crossing, and another bridge over an irrigation canal, the east end of Denair siding, a detector at MP 1076.2, and a rail-served grain elevator on the west side of the track at Cortez. On a clear day, the mountains to the west, around Altamont Pass and Mount Diablo, can clearly be seen from here and a number of locations further south. The highway is still running alongside to the east. There is another bridge over an irrigation canal, three more grade crossings, an 8,999 ft. siding at Ballico (MP 1071.7) with a grade crossing within the siding, a curve to the south on a short embankment, a bridge across the Merced River, with a highway bridge alongside and lower down to the east, Intermediate Signals at MP 1066.x, and Cressey where the line turns back to the southeast.

There are two more grade crossings, Winton (MP 1065.4), two more grade crossings, a grade crossing right at an intersection, and another grade crossing (one is at MP 1064.0, Shaffer Road). There is a grade crossing just before the north end of the 8,989 ft. siding on the west side at Fluhr (MP 1062.9), a highway on the west side of the line at this point, Castle Air Museum on the east side of the line, a spur off to the east side of the line crossing the highway on the east side, and another grade crossing, all within the siding at Fluhr. There are three more grade crossings, a rail-served plant on the west side of the line at Pritchard (MP 1059.1), another grade crossing, and a through girder bridge over a river. There is a cement spur on the northeast side of the tracks on the route of a former SP east-side through line from Stockton, the road continues alongside to the west as far as Merced, there is a grade crossing, a street on the east side, and another grade crossing with the street still on the east side before reaching Merced (MP 1056.1). Here, there is a rail-served industry on the west side of the track, a 10,314 ft. long siding on the east side of the main track with additional tracks to the east of the siding, three grade crossings within the length of the siding, and an Amtrak station with a brick and stucco depot on the west side of the tracks. The long-gone Yosemite Valley line once headed north and then east just north of the station.

After Merced, the line turns east as far as the siding at Planada, still with the road alongside to the east, with foothills visible to the northeast and east (on a clear day), two grade crossings and a spindly road bridge crossing overhead at an angle (with a new road bridge under construction in June 2012, still under construction in October, 2013), passing Kadota (MP 1052.1), a detector at MP 1051.1, a spur off to the southwest, a grade crossing, a rail-served electricity plant, Tuttle (MP 1050.7), two grade crossings, a rail-served agricultural facility on the west side, two more grade crossings, and the 9,688 ft, siding on the west side, extending around the corner at Planada (MP 1047.3), with a grain silo and bridge crossing over a road at an angle within the siding, and a road then alongside to the west, and then two more grade crossings and an intermediate signal. On a clear day, the mountains east of the San Francisco Bay and San Jose are visible in the far distance to the west and northwest. The line turns southeast again, within the siding, with orchards on the northeast side, a grade crossing, a bridge over an irrigation canal, and a grade crossing just at the north end of the 8,978 ft. siding on the east side at Le Grand (MP 1041.5), with an old depot and freight house on the west side near the north end of the siding and packing houses with spur tracks on the east side of the siding, within the town (which is on the west side), after a grade crossing, and after a second grade crossing and before a third grade crossing, all within the siding (one of them at MP 1041.3). There are three more grade crossings (with Intermediate Signals just north of the second one), at the third of which the road alongside switches from the west side (north of here) to the east side (south of here), Margurite, a grade crossing over a dirt road, and bridges crossing over two arms of a river, with a road bridge below and to the east, preceding a 13,900 ft. siding on the east side at Sharon (MP 1031.1), with three more grade crossing within the siding. On a clear day, mountains are visible off to the east and northeast from here.

There is a detector at MP 1029.3, a tank farm on the west side, another road very briefly alongside on the west side, intermediate signals, and another grade crossing, a 9,083 ft. siding on the east side, with a gravel road crossing within the siding to lead to a house on the west side, at Kismet (MP 1026.4), where an SP branch east to Raymond and Knowles once crossed, more grapevines alongside the track (with no road alongside at this point), two grade crossings, a bridge over the Fresno River, two grade crossings and a road passing underneath, and an 8,984 ft, siding on the east side at Madera (MP 1019.6), where the Amtrak platform and shelters are on the west side of the tracks with parking to the north of the shelter. There is a rail-served grain silo on the east side across from the Amtrak shelter and a grade crossing just to the south of the depot. South of the grade crossing, there is a road alongside to the east again, another grade crossing within Madera siding, and the road on the east side moves further away at the south ("east") end of the siding. There are two more grade crossings on the single track section. After Trigo (MP 1014.7), where there is a bridge over an irrigation canal,  there is a grain silo on a spur to the west and extra tracks southwest of it, a road appears briefly on the east side of the line, there is a grade crossing within the 8,950 ft. siding at Gregg (MP 1011.3), with extra tracks on the west side, and three more grade crossings to the south of it.

There are more grapevines alongside, a bridge over the San Joaquin River, the Riverside Municipal Golf Course on the west side, the beginnings of Fresno housing, intermediate signals, and the West Herndon Avenue road bridge overhead. North Milburn Avenue, later North Santa Fe Avenue appears on the east side (with a shopping center beyond it) along with N. Jeanne Avenue alongside to the west for a short distance, there is a grade crossing at North Figarden Avenue where the road on the east side ends, an 8,093 ft. siding on the east side at Figarden (MP 1005.3), with N. Bulletin Avenue briefly on the west side, a north-south divided street (N. Marks Avenue) passes beneath, and then a major east-west divided street (W. Shaw Avenue) passes beneath. There are two grade crossings (N. West, and W. Ashlan Avenues) with another segment of N. Santa Fe Avenue alongside to the east, intermediate signals, a pedestrian underpass, a divided highway grade crossing (N. Palm Avenue), Herndon Canal passing underneath, three grade crossings (W. Shields, N. Wishon and E. Princeton Avenues), N. Marda Avenue passing underneath, the E. Clinton Avenue grade crossing, the Fresno City College campus on the west side, a major road grade crossing at the intersection of E. McKinley and N. Blackstone Avenues, and a junction with the San Joaquin Valley Railroad’s former ATSF branch to the east at Hammond (MP 999.7), where the line turns due south. There are two more grade crossings (E. Hammond and E. Olive Avenues), four closed-off grade crossings (E. Clay, E. Tyler, E. Lewis and E. Harvey Avenues), a bridge carrying Highway 180 overhead, and another divided highway grade crossing at Belmont Avenue, as the track runs down what used to be the middle of Diana Street, past two closed off grade crossings (E. Grant and E. Illinois Avenues), and a grade crossing right at a street intersection (East Divisadero and Tuolumne Streets), turning southeast across two more grade crossings (Merced Street, Fresno Street (MP 998.34)), and past the modernistic City Hall, in Fresno, on the west side of the line before two main tracks start again approaching the station.  There is a divided highway grade crossing at Tulare Street (MP 998.11). The refurbished Fresno depot (MP 998.1) is on the west side of the tracks, with the freight house (used as a depot during the refurbishment) and a parking lot to its south. There is a continuous fence along the east side of the railroad line, with a parking lot (not for the station) beyond it and old warehouses beyond that.

South of the Fresno station, the line passes a closed-off former grade crossing (Kern Street), a grade crossing (Ventura Avenue), the SR 41 freeway bridges overhead, a small yard (Fresno Yard, MP 997.4), shared with the San Joaquin Valley Railroad and spurs to industries on both sides of the tracks (including one to the south and then west that reaches the south end of the UP, former SP, Fresno Yard), with Santa Fe Avenue to the west and S. Topeka Avenue to the east after which the line turns south again, crossing E. Butler Avenue at grade. The rail-served Dickey-Malhus truck and storage company facilities are on the east side, followed by a company with corn-oil tank cars in its spur and another company with rail service. There is a grade crossing (E. Hamilton Avenue) and S. East Street runs alongside to the west. At Sunmaid (MP 996.7), there is a flat crossing with a former SP branch east to Exeter, now operated by SJVR, with connectors in both the northeast and southeast quadrants, and E. California Avenue crossing the main line at grade just to the south of the east-west line and within the connectors. There are extensive grain storage facilities and a tank farm on the east side of the line. There is another grade crossing at E. Lorena Avenue, S. East Street still alongside to the west, extra tracks on the east side, and another grade crossing (E. Church Avenue). The line bends southeast, with S. Sunland Avenue alongside to the east, alongside the extensive (16-track) Calwa Yard (MP 994.7), west of the tracks and between the BNSF and UP (ex-SP) lines at this point, with a road bridge (E. Jensen Avenue) overhead within the yard, a long building towards the north end of the yard and at least twelve yard tracks south of that point, where an ATSF agricultural branch once headed east to Reedley and Cutler/Wyeth (and a spur remains at least across the road on the east side). There is a BNSF depot building on the east side of the line, which then turns south again (with a spur heading east at a wye at that point), passing a rail-served grain elevator on the east side of the line, to cross the UP line at Calwa crossing (MP 994.3), passing under the S. Golden State Avenue overhead road bridge at the crossing and the E. North Avenue road crossing at grade (MP 994.22) just south of the rail crossing. There is a spur off to the north on the west side of the S. Golden State Avenue bridge but to the geographical north of the E. North Avenue grade crossing, just south of Calwa crossing.

Fresno (Calwa) to Bakersfield (Kern Junction)

The route is divided into the following subdivisions:

·        BNSF (former Santa Fe) Bakersfield subdivision from Calwa to Bakersfield

This line south of the UP crossing at Calwa (MP 994.3) is single track, CTC-controlled, except through Bowles, and Bakersfield, where it is two main tracks, CTC-controlled, with passenger speed limits of 79 mph and freight 70, except at Hanford and from Jastro to Bakersfield. Single track across the Calwa crossing (MP 994.3) and as far as Thorpe (or perhaps in reality, West Bowles, in March, 2006), the line passes under the S. Golden State Avenue overhead road bridge at the crossing and over E. North Avenue road crossing at grade just south of the rail crossing. There is a spur off to the north on the west side of the S. Golden State Avenue bridge but to the geographical north of the E. North Avenue grade crossing, just south of Calwa crossing, and another grade crossing at S. Golden State Avenue Frontage (MP 944.1). There are automobile junk yards on the east side, newly-built (but not yet in use in March, 2006) signals between MP 994.0 and 993.5, in locations implying the imminent (in March 2006) construction of an additional track on the east side f the line, and Highway 99 passes overhead on a pair of bridges, immediately south of those new signals. There is an RV Park, and then a sewage facility, on the east side, and warehouses on the west side. After a bridge over Central Canal, the E. Central Avenue grade crossing (MP 993.3), and Thorpe (MP 993.0), where two main tracks nominally begin, the line passes through Oleander. More agricultural countryside follows, although the land and vegetation is now much more arid than at the lower elevations further north. There is a grade crossing at Malaga Avenue (MP 992.8), petroleum storage tanks on the east side, citrus orchards on the east side, and a grade crossing (American Avenue, MP 992.3).

There are intermediate signals at MP 991.4 (with those on the east-side track not yet in use in March, 2006) three grade crossings (Lincoln, MP 991.3, Clayton, MP 990.8, and Adams, MP 990.3, Avenues), crossovers at West Bowles (MP 989.3), where Two Main Tracks actually begin, in March 2006, with the control box on the east side of the line, right at the South Avenue grade crossing, an 8,959 ft. siding (third track) on the east side at Bowles, with a canning/bottling plant alongside to the west, where there are also extra tracks on both sides of the line, the line crosses Manning Avenue (MP 988.28) and angles east of due south at the crossovers at East Bowles (MP 987.3), where the siding ends, followed by  the Springfield Avenue grade crossing (MP 987.98). Following Floral (MP 986.35), the east end of Two Main Tracks, and the Floral Avenue grade crossing (MP 986.3), there is a rail-served petrochemical plant on the east side, intermediate signals at Monmouth (MP 985.6), a bridge over an irrigation canal, a grade crossing at Nebraska Avenue with the Vic Del lineside industry on its northeast corner, a detector at MP 984.5, and grade crossings at Chestnut (MP 984.4), and Mountain View (MP 989.19) Avenues. There are grapevines on both sides of the line, and a 9,051 ft. siding on the east side, from West Conejo (MP 983.2), past Conejo (MP 982.2), and a grade crossing at Conejo Avenue (MP 982.0). There are several spurs on the east side near East Conejo (MP 981.3), the "east" end of the siding, with stacks of packaging and shipping materials, an acute angled grade crossing (Peach Avenue, MP 981.32), more grapevines on the east side, and three more grade crossings at Clarkson (MP 981.0), Elkhorn (MP 980.0), and  Clovis (MP 979.6) Avenues.

There is a small town at Laton, with Fowler Avenue on the east side for a short distance, some intermediate signals at Laton (MP 976.0), where there are extra tracks on the west side and an ATSF branch to Lanare once left to the west, a bridge over Laton Creek, a grade crossing at Riverdale Avenue, a bridge over Fowler Avenue, and a wooden trestle bridge over the Kings River, a golf course on the east side accessed by the Douglas Avenue grade crossing (MP 974.85), a deck girder bridge over another part of the Kings River, and another grade crossing (Dover Avenue, MP 974.27), just north of West Shirley. New construction in late 2005 and early 2006 has replaced the former configuration (of 9,055 ft. siding at Shirley (MP 973.2), intermediate signals at Pitco (MP 970.1), and 4,490 ft siding to the “west” at "Hanford", located geographically north of the crossovers in the middle, with an 8,963 ft. siding on the “east” at "Hanford"), with a configuration in which Two Main Tracks start at West Shirley (MP 974.2), past a grade crossing (Excelsior Avenue, MP 973.19, just south of station sign Shirley, MP 973.2), and a rail-served petrochemical facility (Moore Agricultural Products) on the east side of the line, through crossovers at East Shirley (MP 972.2), where the line turns south.

There is a grade crossing (Elder Avenue, MP 972.17) as the northern edge of the housing at Hanford is reached (on both sides of the tracks). There is another grade crossing (Flint Avenue, MP 971.17), a grade crossing (Fargo Avenue, MP 970.16), Intermediate Signals at MP 970.1, a curve to the south-southeast, more crossovers at CP Mingo (MP 969.1), a grade crossing (Grangeville Boulevard, MP 969.10), a bridge over a concrete waterway channel, a grade crossing at Elm Street, and a grade crossing at an acute angle (11th Avenue, MP 968.30). There is a grade crossing at Lacey Street, a grade crossing (Eighth Street) and the parking lot just north of the brick-built depot with blue awnings on the east side of the tracks, with platforms on both sides and three shelters on the west side, at Hanford (MP 967.9), and another grade crossing (Seventh Street, MP 967.8) just south of the depot. Only the easterly track of the Two Main Tracks services the Hanford station.

Just south of the depot and its adjacent Seventh Street grade crossing, there is another grade crossing (Sixth Street), a flat crossing (SJVR Crossing, MP 967.4) with another ex-SP branch (that formerly went to Coalinga) now operated by the SJVR, two more grade crossings (Fifth, MP 967.74, and Fourth Streets), a highway (SR 198) crossing overhead on a concrete bridge with another grade crossing (Third Street, MP 967.5) just to its south, crossovers at CP Wagner (MP 967.2), a grade crossing at Hanford-Armona Road (MP 967.00), a storage spur on the east side, a grade crossing (Houston Avenue, MP 965.96), and crossovers at East Hanford (MP 965.x).  The line turns south again. A spur on the east side goes into an area with many corrugated sheds, just north ("west") of Kings Park The shuttle-enabled destination Cargill elevator on the east side, just south of the Iona Avenue (MP 964.99) grade crossing, has its own chop-nosed Geep (2014).  There is an International Paper packaging facility on the west side, also on the south side of Iona Avenue. GWF Power Systems has a power plant on the west side of the line, north of the Idaho Avenue grade crossing at Kings Park (MP 964.0, northeast corner of Idaho Avenue). Several spurs on the east side serve the shuttle-enabled destination Integrated Grain Milling grain silos, on the south side of Idaho Avenue, which are also served by a chop-nosed Geep, numbered 2161.There are also storage tracks on the east side of the (still Two Main Track) line here.

Del Monte has a large processing facility on the west side of the line, opposite the Kings Park sidings, there is another grade crossing (Jackson Avenue, MP 962.98), at the south edge of the Del Monte facility, crossovers at West X-over Guernsey (MP 961.2), and a grade crossing at Kent Avenue. The line angles south-southeast, and there is a storage spur on the east side. The Two Main Tracks section extends, as a result of construction in 2005, all the way from West Shirley, replacing the previous 8,879 ft. siding at Guernsey (MP 960.3), with, in the region of that former siding, extra tracks on both sides (four of them on the west side), a grade crossing  at Kansas Avenue (MP 959.9), a petrochemical plant on the west side, another grade crossing at 10th Avenue (MP 958.5) just north of the south end of Two Main Tracks) at East Guernsey (MP 958.6), cattle pens on the west side, and a grade crossing at Lansing Avenue (MP 958.71) on the north side of the first of two bridges over irrigation canals in the agricultural fields (the second being Cross Creek).

There is a dirt road grade crossing, intermediate signals at MP 955.1/2, the Nevada Avenue grade crossing, a road (Highway 43) on the east side of the tracks, West Corcoran (MP 953.1), start of the 9, 951 ft. “west” siding at Corcoran, with a grade crossing at Orange Avenue near its midpoint and streets on both sides to the south of that location, several formerly rail-served agricultural facilities on the east side, and the erstwhile location of a wye (the wye is still in existence, but the branch has gone) where a branch headed east to Tulare and Visalia,. a control point at Corcoran Lap (MP 951.1), where the "west" siding ends and the 5,990 ft. "east" siding begins, with crossovers between them, and the Brokaw Avenue grade crossing, north of the stucco Corcoran depot (MP 950.9) on the west side of the line, with a parking lot to the north of the depot, a grade crossing at Whitley Avenue and the spot where a branch once headed west and then south to Liberty.

South of Corcoran, there are rail-served industries and shuttle-enabled destination grain elevators on the west side of the track (including the Coast Grain Company), additional formerly rail-served grain elevators on the east side, a grade crossing at Gracecourt Road (or Sherman Avenue, MP 950.51), and a road (later becoming Highway 43) on the east side of the line as far as Wasco, with the J.G. Boswell Company's Cotton Mill on the east side of the road on the south edge of Corcoran adjacent to the south end of the siding at East Corcoran (MP 949.9). There is a bridge over an irrigation canal, big storage facilities on the west side of the line, cotton fields on both sides of the line, and the 4th Avenue grade crossing (MP 948.57). The Corcoran prison  is off to the west side of the line, beyond the cotton fields.

There are intermediate signals at MP 947.1/2 a grade crossing (Avenue 144), the Tule River bridge, huge feed lots on the west side of the line, another grade crossing (Avenue 136) into the feed lots, Blanco (MP 945.9), a grade crossing (Avenue 128), intermediate signals at MP 945.1/2, a detector at MP 943.7, another grade crossing (Avenue 120), and West Angiola (MP 942.8), west end of the 8,999 ft. siding at Angiola (MP 942.1), with a grade crossing (Avenue 112) in the siding near the north end. There are grain silos with extra tracks on the west side of the siding, and grain silos with an extra track on the east side. There are cotton fields on the west side of the line, the south end of the siding at East Angiola (MP 941.0), a bridge over the Homeland Canal irrigation canal just south of there, and a grade crossing at Avenue 88, where there are also intermediate signals (MP 938.1/2). Mendes Calf Ranch operates a massive feedlot on the east side (of the road on the east side), there are intermediate signals at MP 937.1/2, and a bridge over Deer Creek. At Stoil (MP 936.0), there is a petroleum facility and a branch to Alpaugh, now operated by a short line heads west. On a clear day, the mountains to the east are clearly visible.

There are intermediate signals at MP 935.1/2, next to the Pixley Wildlife Refuge on the east side, a pond on the west side, and a grade crossing at Avenue 56, just north of West Allensworth (MP 933.3), the north end of the 8,948 ft. siding on the east side at Allensworth (MP 932.3), which extends past the Palmer Avenue grade crossing, leading to the Colonel Allensworth State Park on the west side of the line, to East Allensworth (MP 931.3). The line edges from south-southeast to closer to the south, there is a grade crossing at Avenue 24, and intermediate signals at MP 927.1/2. West Sandrini (MP 925.5) is the beginning of the 9,032 ft. siding on the east side at Sandrini (MP 924.6) with a grade crossing at Garces Highway in the siding and rail-served agricultural facilities near its south end at East Sandrini (MP 923.7). Many of the fields along here are used for growing cotton, but after the harvest appear not to be in current use, even for haying. 

There is a grade crossing at Schuster Road and intermediate signals (new signals turned sideways in April, 2012) at Pond (MP 921.1/2), where the line turns south, a parallel road on the east side, Pond Road grade crossing, a detector at MP 921.0, rail-served agricultural facilities on the east side, Peterson Road grade crossing, West Elmo (MP 920.1), start of the 8,964 ft. siding on the east side at Elmo (MP 919.2), where Highway 43 is still parallel on the east side (as far as Wasco) with agricultural fields on both sides of the line, a spur on the east side of the line, an irrigation canal on the west side at East Elmo (MP 918.2), the "east" end of the siding, a grade crossing at Blankenship Avenue, a bridge over Poso Creek, and a grade crossing at Taussig Avenue.

There are Intermediate Signals at MP 914.1/2 ((14.41), Neufeld (MP 914.0), where the fields are only on the west side, petrochemical facilities on the west side and agricultural fields on the east side, a grade crossing at McCombs Avenue, a petrochemical plant on the west side beyond the street, a bridge over a sunken highway (California 46), a former goods shed on the east side, a grade crossing at 6th Street,  spurs on the west side east of the street, an Amtrak shelter at Wasco (MP 913.0) on the west side with the street beyond it, and a massive coal depot (Savage Coal) on the east side of the line, with spurs for storing coal hoppers, a grade crossing at Poso Avenue (MP 912.5), and a spur on the west side.

West Wasco (MP 912.3) is the start of the 6,568 ft. Wasco siding, with orchards on both sides near the south end of Wasco siding at East Wasco (MP 911.0), with covered plant growing and agricultural facilities on the east side. Highway 43 runs alongside to the west (sometimes beyond the fields), south of the town of Wasco, with an almond bulk storage and shelling facility (Shafter Vacuum Almond Hulling Company) also alongside to the west (on the west side of Highway 43), and a highway alongside to the east for a short distance, with the Kimberlina Road grade crossing between them. Mountains are visible to the southeast on clear days. The line turns southeast at Palmo (MP 910.5), there are intermediate signals at MP 908.1/2, grade crossings at Merced Avenue (MP 907.98) and Poplar Avenue agricultural facilities and orchards on the west side, Intermediate Signals at MP 906.1/2, the Fresno Avenue grade crossing (MP 906.54) among orchards on both sides of the line, and a grade crossing with agricultural fields to the southeast.

There is a grade crossing at North Shafter Avenue, Shafter (MP 905.4), where there are extra tracks on each side of the line, an old depot (now a museum) on the west side, and grade crossings at Central Avenue (MP 905.46) and Lerdo Highway (MP 905.13) in the town of Shafter. The town is north of the "west" end of "west" Shafter, West Shafter (905.8), start of the 5,963 ft. siding on the east side of the line, with extra tracks on each side, past a grade crossing at South Beech Avenue, “west”, i.e. north, of  the crossovers at Xovers Shafter (903.8), where there are rail-served facilities on the east side of the line, the “east end of the “west” siding which is also the ‘west” end of the “east” siding, and  4,833 ft. siding “east”, i.e. south, of Shafter, extending past the Riverside Avenue grade crossing and the Cherry Avenue grade crossing (MP 903.0) to East Shafter (MP 902.8). Highway 43 turns away to the south at the south end of the town of Shafter, but Santa Fe Way, which turns southeast off Highway 43, runs alongside to the west for the rest of the way almost to Rosedale. The south end of “east” Shafter is at MP 902.8, followed by a grade crossing, citrus orchards on both sides of the line, a cemetery on the northeast side of the Burbank Avenue grade crossing (MP 902.3), a rail-served grain facility on the east side of the line, a spur heading west across Santa Fe Way at MP 901.9, Intermediate Signals at MP 901.1/2, Intermediate Signals at MP 900.1/2, a detector at MP 900.0, the 7th Standard Road grade crossing, Crome (MP 899.5), where there is a spur heading west and a tank farm on the east side of the line, and West Una (MP 898.7), start of the 9,015 ft, siding at Una (MP 897.2), with a grade crossing at Kraftmeyer Road (MP 897.3), extending to East Una (MP 896.8). Santa Fe Way is still alongside to the west, with open fields beyond it.

There is a grade crossing over Reina Road (MP 896.62), south of the south end of Una, another grade crossing at Hageman Road, RV lots on the west side and open fields on the east side at Rosedale (MP 895.7), with Santa Fe Way running alongside to the west. Route 58 (Rosedale Highway) passes overhead on a bridge with power lines on the north side of the highway, there are Intermediate Signals at  MP 893.1/2 on the southeast side of the bridge, and the line turns due east. Calloway Drive passes underneath the railroad, with the northwest part of Bakersfield bordering the line on both sides, followed by a siding at Lopez (MP 892.5). There are power lines on the north side of the line, the Coffee Road overbridge, the closed-off Coffee Road grade crossing, rail-served oil refineries on both the north and south sides, and a lumberyard and construction facility on the north side. Two main tracks start again at Jastro (MP 891.1), there is a bridge over Emery Canal, a grade crossing with Mohawk Street, a grade crossing with Mopeco Road (MP 890.55), and a wye at Mopeco with the SJVR line heading north to Oil Junction on the UP (ex-SP) line. There is a through girder bridge over the Kern River and one over the adjacent bike path on the south side, a bridge over a road paralleling the ‘south” side of the river, and a through girder bridge over Gates canal. There are crossovers at Gomez (MP 889.7), followed by West Bakersfield (MP 889.2), the west end of the Bakersfield Yard, and the two concrete bridges where Highway 99 passes over the line.

The Bakersfield Yard (MP 888.0) is on the south side of the tracks, with Oak Street passing over it on a bridge, with crossovers (signaled with multiple signal bridges) between the yard tracks on the south side. and team tracks and the BNSF facilities and former Amtrak depot on the north side,  The east end of the yard is at East Bakersfield (MP 887.5), where there are four tracks east of the yard. After crossing a few bridges (H Street, where there is a street alongside, and Chester Avenue) with three tracks and grade crossings (L Street (MP 887.23), N Street (MP 887.11, with footbridge on east side) ) over Bakersfield city streets, the line expands to four tracks, there is a bridge over P Street immediately at the west end of the new Bakersfield station, depot, and bus court, with its dedicated tracks on the north side of the main line, are reached (Amtrak Lead, MP 886.9, just west of P Street). The station has three platforms serving three tracks, with an umbrella shed over the north side platform only, platforms on both sides of the second track, a fence beyond the third track, and then two BNSF main tracks with a spur to industry on the south side of the line.. East of the new station, there are intermediate signals at MP 886.1 and just a few more city streets to cross (a bridge over South Union Avenue, grade crossings at Sonora Street, Tulare Street, Baker Street, Beale Avenue, Owens Street, 21st Street (MP 885.57), Gage Avenue (MP 885.57), and Sumner Avenue (MP 885.4)), before reaching Kern Junction (MP 885.2), where the BNSF line merges with the UP (ex-SP) line for the crossing of Tehachapi Pass.