the Tehachapi Loop near Keene in Kern County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
The Cross at the Loop
San Bernardino Train Disaster - 1989
Photographed by Craig Baker, September 21, 2019
1. The Cross at the Loop Marker
In memory of conductor Everett S. Crown, brakeman Allan R. Riess, who lost their lives in a tragic train wreck in San Bernardino Calif, May 12, 1989.
Erected by employees and S.P.T.C.O. (Southern Pacific Railroad).
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Railroads & Streetcars.
Location. 35° 11.948′ N, 118° 32.285′ W. Marker is near Keene, California, in Kern County. It is in the Tehachapi Loop. It can be reached from Broome Road half a mile north of Woodford-Tehachapi Road, on the left when traveling north. Located within the Tehachapi Loop, on private property. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 28554 Broome Rd, Tehachapi CA 93561, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Joaquin Valley, specifically in the Central Valley, and in the Sierra Nevada. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Tehachapi Loop (approx. 0.3 miles away); Tehachapi Pass Railroad Line (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Great Flood of 1932 and Engine No. 3834 (approx. 0.4 miles away); Cesar E. Chavez National Monument (approx. 2.1 miles away); A Humble Home (approx. 2.2 miles away); Helen's Park (approx. 2.2 miles away); Nόwa - Kawaiisu People (approx. 4.3 miles away); Bear Valley Historic Schoolhouse (approx. 4.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Keene.
Regarding The Cross at the Loop. On May 12, 1989, at 7:30 AM, an out-of-control freight train speeding down the Cajon Pass derailed in the Duffy Street neighborhood of San Bernardino. It was more than 3,000 tons heavier than estimated, and some of the engine dynamic brakes were not working. The conductor could not slow the train as it approached a bend in the tracks adjacent to the residential neighborhood. The train was going more than 90 mph in a 40 mph speed limit zone
Photographed by Craig Baker, September 21, 2019
2. The Cross at the Loop Marker
A bench near the tracks faces the marker and the cross.
Two weeks later, a gasoline pipeline near the tracks erupted in flames, spraying burning fuel onto homes and streets, killing 2 more residents and destroying 11 more homes. The pipeline had been damaged by the cleanup crews' heavy equipment.
After the accidents, the railroad bought the homes that were damaged or destroyed, promising to turn the land into a memorial park. This has not happened. Instead, this monument was placed here by the railroads Mountain Divisions, which includes the Cajon Pass and the Tehachapi Loop.
Also see . . . San Bernardino Train Disaster on Wikipedia. (Submitted on September 3, 2024.)
Additional commentary.
1. Access blocked by locked gate
Access to Broome Road and the marker is blocked by locked gates with no trespassing signs at both ends of Broome Road.
— Submitted January 9, 2021, by George Mouchet of Tehachapi, California.
2. Access Through Gate
At mid-day on weekdays, a gate on Broome Road near Woodford-Tehachapi Road is sometimes open, and visits to the
Photographed by Craig Baker, September 21, 2019
3. The Cross
Located on a hilltop within the Loop.
— Submitted November 14, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
Additional keywords. San Bernardino Train Disaster, Duffey Street, Trona,
Photographed by Craig Baker, September 21, 2019
4. The Cross
With a string of lights wrapped around it, and a freight train in the Loop. On private property.
Photographed by Craig Baker, September 21, 2019
5. Marker at the Cross
May 12, 1989. In loving memory of Everett S. Crown and Allan R. Reiss, and to all who have given their lives for the Mountain Divisions of the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe Railroads.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 11, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 23, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 3,366 times since then and 233 times this year. Last updated on September 1, 2024, by Michael Fogassy of San Bernardino, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 23, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
