Railfanning on California’s Route 66

Following his first article on the Beaumont Hill area, Chris Jones takes us once again on a railfan tour of Southern California. This second installment takes in the historic Route 66 between Barstow and Needles.

A map showing key locations along Chris' route. Map data ©2021 Google.

The stretch of railroad between Barstow and Needles, CA provides some of the best freight railroading action in the Western United States. The rolling hills and mountain backdrops of the Mojave Desert see a daily parade of intermodal and mixed trains travelling between the Ports of Los Angeles and the Midwest. Paralleling much of this stretch is the famous Route 66, which for decades saw thousands of migrants and tourists travel across its ribbon of asphalt from Chicago to Los Angeles until the advent of nearby Interstate 40 made it obsolete. Today much of Route 66 can still be driven, and perhaps one of the best stretches is this one as it takes you away from the Interstate through beautiful desert landscapes and quaint small towns that will transport you to another time. A freight car and caboose can be seen at 'Barstow Station' (not to be confused with the actual station at Harvey House mentioned below). Barstow Station is popular with tourists and hosts a number of chain restaurants, including McDonald's and Subway. Photo by Thomas Rogers.

The best way to start this journey is with a visit to the former Harvey House in Barstow, across the tracks from town. This beautiful old station, which still serves as a stop for Amtrak’s twice daily Southwest Chief, now serves as the home for the Western America Railroad Museum, Route 66 Mother Road Museum, and the Harvey House Museum. All three have extensive displays that tell the stories of their respective subjects, and outside the station sits a small collection of vintage railroad equipment. The platforms and road bridge near the station both provide a good spot to set up your camera to capture trains entering and leaving the massive Barstow Yard. The Western end of the historic Barstow Harvey House (above) which was built in 1911 as the Casa del Desierto. This former name can be seen on the building's facade (below).

From the Harvey House, make a left on 1st Avenue and cross the bridge over the train tracks, then left at the T-intersection onto East Main Street. Follow the signs for the National Trails Highway through town and past the I-15 and I-40 onramps to the tiny town of Daggett. This is where the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks split as the UP heads to Nevada and the BNSF to Arizona and provides a neat first spot to capture train action outside of Barstow. If you do stop here, make a left on Daggett-Yermo Road to cross the BNSF tracks then make the first right onto Santa Fe Street and follow it to just the other side of the UP tracks. This places you right at the junction of the UP and BNSF lines. From here you can either retrace your steps back to Route 66 or stay on Santa Fe Street to Hidden Springs Road, then right and left back onto Route 66 to continue east. Continue following signs for National Trails Highway, crossing I-40 again and now for the most part driving away from the tracks until the town of Ludlow. 

Ludlow sits where Route 66 parts ways from Interstate 40 and follows the tracks southwest. This “town” consists of a Chevron gas station, a small restaurant, and a motel along with a few scattered houses. It is also the last town that both I-40 and Route 66 pass through until Needles. For that reason, Ludlow also serves as a good start point if you would rather get here straight from Barstow on I-40. Just get off at Exit 50 and follow signs for National Trails Highway going east. From here you will leave the modern fast-paced world behind as you head down the small two-lane highway back in time. 

A little under 7 miles down the road from Ludlow is perhaps the most famous photo spot on the BNSF Needles Sub: Ash Hill. Famed railroad photographer Richard Steinheimer took one of his best-known photos here, and it sits a short distance off the highway. Reaching Ash Hill requires going off-road, but if you are careful and stick to one of the service roads you should be fine with only two-wheel drive. I would recommend having four-wheel drive though as there are patches of soft sand, and if you get stuck it can be a while before the nearest tow truck can get to you. 

Once you have made it onto Ash Hill and stand above the tracks, you get a sweeping perspective looking both east and west. It should not be too long before a train reaches you, and you will get a bird’s eye view above the locomotives as they rumble past.  It is easy to spend an hour or more here watching trains tackle the hill, and once you are done just head back the way you came to reach the highway and continue east. Route 66 sits right next to the tracks for much of the way, so it can be easy to pull over at any point and photograph a freight train going past.

The next significant town is Amboy, home of the famous Amboy Crater. Route 66 crosses the tracks here and is also where the tracks and road part ways until you near Interstate 40. Amboy itself is not much of a town, with its biggest landmark being Roy’s Motel and Cafe. Fans of the railroading computer game Trainz may recognize this building from the game, with its famous star-shaped sign and uniquely designed office and motel room buildings. The motel itself is like a monument to the glory days of Route 66, when Amboy served as an important stop for travelers seeking a meal, a place to fill their gas tank or a place to stay between Needles and Barstow. It has been gradually renovated and reopened for new generations of travelers who have rediscovered Route 66 and brought back to life a classic image of Americana. Roy's Motel and Cafe, Amboy, CA.

Depending on the time of day, Amboy could serve as a halfway point where you will turn around to follow Route 66 back to Interstate 40 and Barstow. For those continuing to Needles, continue east on Route 66 as the tracks disappear off to the right. If you are feeling adventurous, turn on to Cadiz Road at the town of Chambless and follow it a little over three miles to the site of Cadiz. This is the interchange between BNSF and the Arizona & California Railroad, and if you are lucky you might catch some train activity here. Returning to Route 66, you will keep following it to where the tracks briefly meet up with it again at the site of Essex. Just north of Essex marks where the old Route 66 continues to the left while the new one takes you back to I-40. If you are keen to reach Needles sooner than later, keep following the National Trails Highway and rejoin I-40. If you want to stay on Route 66, make a left here and keep following the tracks past the town of Fenner. Fenner also provides a place to hop back on I-40 to head back to Barstow. 

The road and tracks are side-by-side to the town of Goffs, where the road crosses the tracks then diverge for about six miles before meeting up again and continuing to parallel one another to Arrowhead Junction and US Highway 95. Arrowhead Junction provides one last good place to railfan before Needles, since there are very few if any spots until then. Take Highway 95 south to I-40 then hop on the eastbound ramp for the short drive into Needles. Take exit 141 and make a left onto Needles Highway. Follow it past I-40 and make a right onto West Broadway Street which takes you into downtown. Stay on West Broadway Street to F Street, then make a left to get to the Needles Amtrak station. Find parking either in the lot if there’s space or park on the street, then walk over to the platform. Needles serves as a crew change point for BNSF trains, so you will need to stay alert while photographing trains here. Once you have wrapped up in Needles you can backtrack to J Street to get on I-40 or continue down West Broadway Street to the third I-40 onramp on the east end of town. Now it is just a straight shot on I-40 back to Barstow as the fading light brings your railfan day to an end.  BNSF 8017 alongside a freight consist at Needles, CA. Photo by Dorian Wallender CC-BY 2.0 (featured / cropped to 16:9 format).

Any railfan who wants to spend a day chasing freight trains should absolutely give this adventure a chance. Not only will you get some great railroading action, but you will also be exploring a part of American history and lore on the historic Route 66. Towns like Ludlow and Amboy have all but faded away, and it is thanks to the travelers and adventure seekers of today who drive this winding two-lane ribbon of asphalt that keeps them alive. Driving on Route 66 takes you away from the Interstate and hectic pace of modern life and allows you to slow down and enjoy the journey. That is part of what makes this adventure so great, and whether you are an avid railfan or just want to explore the scenic route, this day trip should absolutely be on your list.

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