Sullivan's Curve – Hesperia, California, USA | Train Spotting Location

Sullivan’s Curve is one of Cajon Pass’s signature railfan balconies—a sweeping, horseshoe-shaped bend where long freights lean into a 2 percent mountain grade, stack cars glowing in high-desert sun and locomotives thunder uphill in sets of three, four or more. From a single turnout along old U.S. Route 66, visitors can watch triple-track action framed by sandstone outcrops and the San Gabriel Mountains, making this spot a must-see for anyone chasing heavy rail traffic in Southern California.

🛤️ The Trainspotting Experience

Arrive and you’ll find an elevated dirt turnout that looks directly into the inside of the curve, placing you level with the locomotives as they swing past. Trains appear without much warning, the sound echoing first through the pass before the lead units round the far end of the horseshoe and glide toward you. Southbounds (railroad timetable westbounds) struggle uphill at 15–25 mph, giving ample time to inspect power consists, fallen-flag heritage units or distributed power mid-train helpers. Northbounds coast downgrade at 35–40 mph, dynamic brakes whining. Expect heavy horn use at nearby grade crossings and a deep, resonant rumble as consists stretch through the curve—over one mile of cars in full view at once. Night visits add bright headlight tunnels and pulsating ditch lights set against a dark mountain backdrop.

🌄 Landscape, Setting and Local Atmosphere

Sullivan’s Curve sits at roughly 3,300 ft elevation on the desert side of Cajon Pass. The surrounding terrain is a mix of chaparral, pinyon and scattered Joshua trees clinging to rocky slopes of decomposed granite. To the west rise the steep flanks of the San Gabriels; to the east, the Mojave Desert opens out beyond Victor Valley. Light is crisp and dry most of the year, with winter bringing occasional snow dustings that contrast dramatically against red sandstone. Summers are hot (90 °F and above) but breezy, and sunset fills the notch of the pass with golden backlighting ideal for silhouette shots. Apart from distant Interstate 15 traffic, the atmosphere feels remote; only the grinding locomotives remind you of modern industry.

🚂 Type and Frequency of Train Activity

Cajon Pass is among the busiest mountain rail corridors in North America, and Sullivan’s Curve samples nearly the full parade:

• BNSF Railway: Approximately 60–70 trains daily, dominated by intermodal stacks, domestic trailers, unit grain and occasional crude oil or auto racks.
• Union Pacific: About 15–20 trains via trackage rights, mostly manifest freight and intermodal bound for Los Angeles or the Salton Sea route.
• Amtrak: The Southwest Chief (trains 3 and 4) passes twice daily, generally in early morning and late evening.

Total traffic routinely surpasses 80 trains per 24-hour period, with peak bursts in late afternoon and overnight. Consists average 8,000–10,000 ft; helpers or distributed power units (DPUs) are common on the steepest segments just upgrade from the curve.

📸 Best Angles for Photos and What Railfans Enjoy Most

The classic vantage is on the inside of the bend looking northwest, where the rail heads stack in an “S” leading line and distant ridges provide layered backgrounds. Morning light favors east-side shooting, illuminating locomotive faces; late afternoon shifts color onto the train’s flanks while mountains darken for contrast. A short scramble up adjacent slopes offers a higher perspective showing the full horseshoe plus parallel tracks on the opposite hillside—ideal for capturing meets or overtakes. Telephoto lenses (200–400 mm) compress the curve for dramatic length; wider lenses (24–35 mm) include sky and sandstone. Many railfans aim for shots with the iconic Mormon Rocks visible beyond the last cars, or night exposures with blurred headlight trails snaking around the bend.

🕰️ Historical or Cultural Relevance

The curve lies on the 1913 Santa Fe realignment that eased grades over Cajon Pass. It took its name from Richard “Dick” Sullivan, a mid-20th-century rail photographer who popularized the location through published images in Trains magazine and railroad calendars. The pass itself has been a strategic transportation link since the 1850s wagon era, later hosting Route 66 and now Interstate 15. Rail engineering milestones nearby include the 1972 addition of a third main track and BNSF’s 2008 second main on the north slope, both projects boosting capacity while respecting the curve’s geometry.

🧭 What Makes This Spot Different from Others

Unlike Hill 582’s panoramic overlook or Blue Cut’s flatside views, Sullivan’s Curve puts observers almost at railhead level, close enough to feel ballast vibrate yet high enough for a full-train panorama. The combination of curvature, triple-track density and mountain backdrop means you can shoot nose-to-tail action without relocating. Few places in the pass offer such intimacy with heavy tonnage climbing a grade while maintaining unobstructed sightlines for over 180 degrees.

📚 Additional Resources

San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society
Cajon Pass Railfans Facebook Group
BNSF Cajon Subdivision Timetable (PDF)