General Discussion

Update:  Arizona-New Mexico

Part II of VI:  East of CP SP887 to West of MARICOPA

East of CP SP887, the new signals are not in service yet.  Because the present ENID siding is still in service, the new north side (right) signal has been erected in a temporary, very jerry-rigged manner

Looking west from the Rio Bravo Road grade crossing, M.P. 891.34

Looking east:  New intermediates here are conveniently service accessible by public roadways.  A new dragging equipment detector strike-mechanism is on the right track

From Ralston Road, looking west.  Ballasting is crude here

Looking east.  Another convenient intermediate signal location

The last signals eastward before Maricopa:  Note the lower, west facing (rightward) signal heads on both masts

Part III:  “Solving the Mysteries of Maricopa” is scheduled for presentation Saturday morning, June 6

Thanks for the updates, KP.

I'm looking forward to the rest.

--Robert

K.P., 

Judging from the large amount of Union Pacific trucks and equipment parked next to the Maricopa Amtrak depot, I get the impression that the segments where track is already in place will be put in service some time soon and that they will continue to erect signals and associated equipment in areas where they have suspended track laying.

As always, I am enjoying your pictures and comments.

John Timm 

As of Friday, June 5, 2009:

West of Temple Ave., Pomona, CA

At the western end of the SP route relocation onto the LA&SL in Pomona, two four-track signal bridges have now been erected

Update:  Arizona-New Mexico

Part III of VI:  Solving the Mysteries of Maricopa

This photo (dated May 29) found a good length ballast work train in the Maricopa siding, just west of Highway 347, or John Wayne Parkway.  You may remember this work train from “desertdog” John Timm’s camerawork in a post at the end of May

Looking west:  The east end of the present MARICOPA siding (the FUTURE Main 2) will, until modified, ALWAYS be governed by a RED OVER SOMETHING signal indication (Compare the size of the two signal heads)!  Yes, Main 2 WILL END here from the west!

But yet, the east side is graded for the continuation of Main 2 (on the right)

A sole new westbound Main 1 signal has been erected at Highway 347

Less than a mile to the east, a new double-crossover is being constructed.  Here, the northern west side signal (for the future Main 1) has been positioned.  Its companion (for Main 2) is still lying on the ground in the background

The future control box and location name, EAST MARICOPA

The east side signals are still to be uprighted

Between 500 and 1000 feet still further east, ANOTHER new, bidirectional signals mast has been erected!

This photo looking eastward from the Amtrak stop at Highway 347 shows just how close the above new unhooked-up signals are to Highway 347

What gives here?

My interpretation of all this is as follows:

The end of two-tracks from the west WILL BE AT HIGHWAY 347 (John Wayne Parkway) and the second to last photo above shows a future sole nearby intermediate signal mast EAST of said highway.  But, I also believe, THAT arrangement will only be a temporary measure.

Once present grade crossing controversies and issues are resolved, some reportedly as soon as the next one or two months, and / or the underpass / overpass matter is settled, then the second track will be laid EAST of Highway 347, and the CP EAST MARICOPA will be put in service.  The new CP MARICOPA (at Highway 347) likely will then be abandoned and the control box (and its signals, switch, and switch motor) moved somewhere else miles away, as well as the so called mystery mast only 500-1000 feet east from the future EAST MARICOPA!

So, we have an old signal system (whose days are numbered) being overlaid by TWO new systems, one temporary, the other a long-term permanent one.

Only the above explanation fits the new signals’ spacing.  You may recall in Part II the below last photo thereof WEST of the west end of the present in-service (I assume) MARICOPA siding.

From those signals TO the new EAST MARICOPA control point is about two to two and a half miles, just the perfect distance consistent with current UP signal spacing practices!

Part IV, “East of Maricopa to West of Tucson,” is scheduled for Monday, June 8.  It is photo heavy!

 Excellent updates and photographs -- thanks for posting them.  With the Arizona Corporation Commission's recent approval of UP work through Maricopa, changes may be made to these alignments rather quickly so the work can be completed within the imposed deadline.

Sudden, Big-Time Changes at West Colton Yard

In a reportedly two-day blitz type convergence, a massive reworking of track is taking place at West Colton Yard in California, in the Pepper and Rancho Avenues area.  The Palmdale Cutoff has been closed for two days, and both legs of the wye have been severed.  The long awaited rerouting of Main 1 to the north side of the Balloon is taking place.  Sunset Route through-trains are being rerouting southward via the City of Riverside.  The following photographically documents these events.

From Pepper Ave., looking west:  Main 1 on the right now curves under the overpass

The well-known cantilever signal previously in the above photos’ views has been cut down and is being chopped-up

Looking east, Main 1 (left track) has been rerouted

Main 1 is now routed outside the Balloon Track

A signal is being installed at Pepper for Main 2, which unlike Main 1, will remain on the south side of the Balloon

The old tracks are all cleared away by the west leg of the wye

From the Rancho Ave. overpass, a westward view looks onto the rerouted Main 1 (formerly the By-Pass).  The new signals here have electrical juice to them now and in this view are turned on

New signals, looking west from under the Rancho Ave. overpass

Looking east:  Main 1 is being relocated toward the former By-Pass route

A telephoto looking east toward the east end of [CP] RANCHO:  Note the old three-headed target signal mast on the left with a crane-like truck next to it.  The old signal is being readied to be taken down

Much track equipment has converged onto the scene.  Here, ballast is being dropped

Ballast is being evened

At [CP] RANCHO, there are no functioning, in-service signals at this time!  The old mast in a photo above now lies on the ground.

Minor train moves occur, like this one at Pepper Ave., but Sunset Route through trains are being rerouted via the City of Riverside over the BNSF Railway before reaching the original UP Los Angeles and Salt Lake tracks to Los Angeles

The signals being replaced ironically replaced even earlier signals many decades ago!  Those ancient signal equipment bases were never cleared away by Southern Pacific

UP vehicles with license plates from Arizona, Idaho, and Utah were seen, but other states may be represented as well; truly a big-time project that necessitated much planning and bringing in workers from all over.

If, in fact, this is only a two day blitz, by Monday morning everything should look very different from what everyone has been accustomed to

K.P. and desertdog, thank you for the pictorial updates!

Regarding Maricopa, K.P., I have a similar hunch as yours, when all the Maricopa work is done: I think that the current CP SP898 Maricopa will be a double crossover so Amtrak can access the platform. When the double-tracking is complete to points southeast, I think CP SP898 Maricopa will remain as crossovers but CP SP899 East Maricopa will disappear. I think CP SP899 East Maricopa is temporary, until double-tracking continues.

As for Colton, thank you, K.P., for these updates. I hope you can get some pictures of the "finished" product, as this seems to be a very complicated project, even though it is centered in a half-mile (??) radius.

Finally, as for your picture at Temple Avenue in Pomona, I drove by that recently and saw that massive four-track signal bridge. UP has a lot of work to do to finish this project by Fall 2009, as stated on the Alameda Corridor East webpage.

Update:  Arizona-New Mexico

Part IV of VI:  East of Maricopa to West of Tucson

Coming into Casa Grande from the west, at around M.P. 915, the newly graded right-of-way shifts from the north side (photo right) to the south side (left).

An eastward view:  The west end of the present CASA GRANDE siding is in the distance

From Hermosilla Street (M.P. 919.2) in Casa Grande, a view looking west:  The industrial track is old and dilapidated.  Is such a track responsible for Casa Grande being prep delayed for a second main?

Apparently that track above leads to an industry with its own switching power

Looking eastward

Now, at Park Link Road in Red Rock:  Looking westward, the new grading is on the south (freeway) side

Looking eastbound:  We find there is now grading for the future Main 2.   A section of track is laying in wait for installation over the grade crossing.  Somewhere in this vicinity is where the new Red Rock Classification Yard will be built, supposedly in the next few years.  Modifications of West Colton Yard in California (for future west traffic) is well alone, so a Red Rock Yard (for future east traffic) mustn’t be far way!

Toward the east end of the RED ROCK siding:  Looking westward.  The siding alignment widens; also, the new grading widens as it goes eastward (rightward)

At the east end of the RED ROCK siding, grading is on both sides, but widens dramatically on the south side (right)

East of the small community of Red Rock is the Arizona Public Service Corp. road, at M.P. 953.60.  The grade crossing there has a track section for the second main already laid into it.  There appears to be no rhyme or reason as to WHERE laying short sections of track over grade crossings takes place.  Interstate 10 is in the background

From Ina Road, near M.P. 974, looking westward

Looking eastward, at the beginning of a current CTC siding

The second main will necessitate more than the typical skill in relocating this grade crossing device.
 

Note the advertising signs in the background, which is reminiscent of the signs over the tracks in the West Colton Yard area in California.

Next, Part V, “The Cienega Creek Track Identification Issue,” scheduled for Wednesday, June 10

K.P.,

In the view taken from Hermosilla Street (MP 919.2), on the right you can barely make out a buff colored building.  That was the Casa Grande depot, dating back to 1939. I stress the word "was" because this past Friday it burned to the ground in a spectacular blaze.

It was a great example of pueblo deco architecture, but in recent years stood abandoned and slowly fell into disrepair.  The railroad had given it to the City of Casa Grande, but it had to be moved.  That meant no federal historic preservation money for restoration and it was considered too fragile to move anyway without inflicting severe structural damage. 

Bottom line, another railroad landmark sadly disappears.

As you point out, the industrial lead to Arizona Grain is likely a stumbling block of sorts.  There were structures on the left between it and the side street that disappeared in the last year.  My guess is that the spur will move left and the new main will occupy its place.

Great shots and commentary, as always.

John Timm

Q:  What's better than K.P. giving a photographic blow-by-blow description of progress along the Sunset Route in California?

A:  K.P. with a hunting license to roam the whole blooming Sunset Route, from Southern California clear to El Paso, providing updates as he moves down the line.

Thanks again, K.P., for your most informative photo-essays of progress along this line.  Your work is much appreciated.

billio:

Thanks again, K.P., for your most informative photo-essays of progress along this line.  Your work is much appreciated.

Let me 2nd that response......Really enjoyed the photos and included descriptions.....

Modelcar:

billio:

Thanks again, K.P., for your most informative photo-essays of progress along this line.  Your work is much appreciated.

Let me 2nd that response......Really enjoyed the photos and included descriptions.....

3rd on that.

Follow-Up Report

West Colton Yard, CA

This will update the previous report of events last Saturday, June 6.  Monday, June 8, workers were still finishing off the blitz, but everything seems to be in place now, and the following photos should give everyone a pretty good idea of what things look like now …

From Pepper Ave., looking east:  Main 1 is on the bottom left), Main 2 the center track to the top far right

A telephoto of the key new trackwork for Main 2’s routing

Another view:  On the center left is the Balloon, top left is the West Leg of the Wye (off the Palmdale Cutoff).  Main 2 is the straight track left of the signal

From Rancho Ave., looking west:  Main 2 (from left to right, the foreground third track) has been realigned.  It follows Main 1’s old alignment to and in the background, by where the gentleman is walking.  The top track is the East Leg of the Wye, off the Palmdale Cutoff

The two routes:  Main 1 now goes under the Palmdale Cutoff (top center)

Looking east down onto the revised [CP] RANCHO:  Track equipment is still working on the new Main 1.  The old Main 1 (bottom right, the track that ends) is ALMOST magical (What?) …

The OLD Main 1:  Now you see it, now you don’t

The east end of [CP] RANCHO:  The signals are being tested

Back at Pepper Ave., looking eastward:  An old signal awaits its being hauling away in the future

A long ballast train lays more ballast on Main 2

With all the Mains having been out service over this past weekend, not surprisingly, things look quite cleared out in the Departure Yard