Extra diamonds at Rochelle - new or old?

[kenotrainnut]

https://goo.gl/photos/NUytWComioaCsESY6

While at Rochelle recently, I noticed these diamonds lying in the weeds about 100 yards east of the ninth street crossing along the UP tracks. Curious if these are from a previous diamond replacement or a future ones.

They have clearly been lying here for some time judging by the weed growth. The ties are also deeply weathered leading to the conclusion that they are old. On the other hand, the frogs look largely untouched...

Thoughts?

[ChuckCobleigh]

If you go back in the Google Earth wayback machine, you can see the remnants of the last diamond changeout about five years ago sitting next to the UP tracks east of the diamonds.  See this link for a picture show of the replacement in late 2010.

[blue streak 1]

Could it be that theae are the old diamonds ?  That said do they remain in case there is an incident that tears up part or all of the new diamonds ?  That way the old ones are already in place and can substitute until new ones can be built. Place old ones or whatever parts including new crossties into any torn up sections.  Anyone know how long it takes to build new diamonds ?

[kenotrainnut]

ChuckCobleigh

If you go back in the Google Earth wayback machine, you can see the remnants of the last diamond changeout about five years ago sitting next to the UP tracks east of the diamonds.  See this link for a picture show of the replacement in late 2010.

 

The remnants you reference are indeed the track equipment in my photo. I see in Google Earth they appear sometime between August 2010 and October 2011. This would lead to the conclusion that the diamonds I photographed are those removed in 2010.

After watching the video you linked, it actually looks like the new diamonds were staged in the area where the old ones now reside before they were slid down the mains to the crossing (a fascinating process!). They probably just slid the old ones back to the same place and left them! Kind of remarkable to me that I have been there several times in the last 5 years and never noticed them until last week.

What was striking to me was the apparent lack (to my untrained eyes) of wear on the diamond frogs themselves. I would have expected to see some significant deformation to the frog points.

Interesting thought, also, that perhaps they were left there for a "contingency" in the event of a derailment that causes severe damage to the crossing. This would, undoubtedly, give them the ability to get things running again quickly while procuring new  replacements for the damaged track material. 

Thanks!

[ChuckCobleigh]

kenotrainnut

Interesting thought, also, that perhaps they were left there for a "contingency" in the event of a derailment that causes severe damage to the crossing. This would, undoubtedly, give them the ability to get things running again quickly while procuring new  replacements for the damaged track material. 

Mudchicken has observed that it is common practice to leave the old diamond(s) in the weeds for just that contingency.  Since it takes considerable time to fabricate a diamond, that would make sense.  As I recall, the last replacement was completed in less than a day.

[BaltACD]

ChuckCobleigh

kenotrainnut

Interesting thought, also, that perhaps they were left there for a "contingency" in the event of a derailment that causes severe damage to the crossing. This would, undoubtedly, give them the ability to get things running again quickly while procuring new  replacements for the damaged track material.

Mudchicken has observed that it is common practice to leave the old diamond(s) in the weeds for just that contingency.  Since it takes considerable time to fabricate a diamond, that would make sense.  As I recall, the last replacement was completed in less than a day.

After months of preparation and scheduling with both MofW and Transportation.

[K. P. Harrier]

Far Away but Very Relevant

Let me set the stage, at the famous diamonds location at Colton, CA, where the UP (SP) Sunset Route crosses the BNSF (AT&SF) southern Transcon (below cross tracks).

An eastward view July 21, 2011:

In the early to mid-1880’s the California Southern (later Santa Fe) crossed the Southern Pacific at Colton, the Santa Fe thus had maintenance of the crossing.  However, apparently part of the Colton Flyover agreement, on the early morning of December 28, 2009 on a dispatch K.P. was involved in, he passed the Colton Crossing and noted that a large, towering crane was present and other equipment too, and UP was changing out the four crossings..  A couple of hours later, after the assignment, a return to the site found all the equipment was finished and leaving or otherwise tying up.

So, that Colton trading out the old diamonds for the new took only two to four hours!.

A few years later the Colton Flyover was finished, and on April 6, 2016 the following view was shot.  Note the UP headlights in the distance!

So, the diamonds at Rochelle could be traded out in like manner.  The railroads seem to have made changing out a cluster of diamonds a science.  Those that see such a rare event can say they really saw something!