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SoCal train info

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SoCal train info
Posted by calgirlm13 on Thursday, September 14, 2017 1:18 PM

Hello there. My name is Callie. First off let me just say that I know literally nothing about trains which is why I am here. Perhaps one of you fine people can help me out. I am getting married at green river golf club in corona on April 29th 2018. The ceremony is right next to the train tracks (right along the santa ana river where the 91 freeway meets the 71). Is there any way of knowing ahead of time when a train will be passing so I may plan accordingly? Do freights even run on sundays? Is there anywhere I could get a schedule for that track? Any information/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, September 14, 2017 4:56 PM

Short of Amtrak or regional passenger/transit service, there are no schedules, as such.

That said, it looks to be a well used former Santa Fe line, so you'll see a fair amount of traffic (even on Sundays).  But, I don't live there, so maybe one of our California denizens can give you a better idea.

On the plus side, there appears to be only one crossing in the area.  On the minus side, it's right next to the golf club.

The railroad isn't going to adjust their schedule for you, so I'd suggest that you make everyone aware that there might be a train (or two) through during the ceremony and treat it with some levity.  You know - the groom's last chance to make a break for it, or something like that...

Congratulations, and best of luck!

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Thursday, September 14, 2017 5:09 PM

and NO photos on the tracks!

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by mudchicken on Thursday, September 14, 2017 5:32 PM

That is BNSF's Los Angeles connection and funnel to the outside world. Along with the freight trains (fewer than the normal Saturday complement), you have the regularly scheduled MetroJoke/Link commuter madness and Amtrak.

Green River Golf Course puts you at about MP 31 between Corona and Esperanza (Prado Dam siding) on the San Bernardino Sub. - The only at-grade crossing for miles is the private x-ing for the golf course. There is no quiet zone at Esperanza or Corona - If you hear a horn, it's probably because some clown on a golf cart isn't where he/she is supposed to be) / 40+ Trains/ Day

I'd be more worried about the knuckleheads on the 91 Freeway and the weather (83 degrees w/10% rain)

Have a super day!

Former ATSF Roadmaster at LA.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by K. P. Harrier on Thursday, September 14, 2017 7:10 PM

Your description of the wedding site is a broad one, but was sufficient for me to zero in on where I think your wedding will be held at.  While the TRAINS Magazine’s very recent reposting of things I can and cannot ask you about, I think your very brief descriptive inquiry is sufficient to address your inquiry.

The tracks are the super busy Transcon of the BNSF Railway, so you can expect noise at any time and a lot of it.  HOWEVER, I was on a nearby bridge overlooking the tracks a few years ago, and feel safe in saying the tracks seem (“seem”) to be WITHIN embanked hills and there are many, many trees in that area, both of which should act as a deadening sound barrier.

About in the above photo center is a grade crossing, probably the railroad’s private one.  If you visually go through the cut just to the grade crossing’s left and go out of view, the unseen building(s) are probably the ceremony area.  

But, if you are that concerned about noise, I suggest spending an hour or two in and out of the ceremony building if indoors, or if outdoors where the event will take place.  Like I said, you are dealing with the Transcon, and that area may see 50 to 100 trains on a given day.  If you visit the treed site, you will know real quick if the noise will be a problem or not …

An aerial link is in a separate post because links seem to malfunction when photos and links are in the same post.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.

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Posted by K. P. Harrier on Thursday, September 14, 2017 7:16 PM

Aerial of the river bridged area and the grade crossing mentioned in the above post.  The bridge is on the upper right, the buildings are on the lower left.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Corona,+CA/@33.8751595,-117.6724195,797m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x80dcb0b9ea5d606d:0x8998d10fd29252f1!8m2!3d33.8752935!4d-117.5664384?hl=en

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.

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Posted by samfp1943 on Thursday, September 14, 2017 7:29 PM

1st: Congratulations to you and your Sweetie!   Bow 

    Hope your Saturday wedding is all you expect!Cool

  As I am nowhere near that area, all I can say is as Mudchicken and K.P. have spoken possibly ther only air horn noise will be the misplaced golfer who causes a cautious engineer to warn with a toot...  Otherwise, the horn 'music' should only occur close on to the nearest road crossings.  

 I live between the closest road crossings, by over a mile in either direction; the only noise we get is from an engineer responding to a neighbor kid begging for a toot of recognition, or the neighbor's son tooting at his folks, on their back deck down the street.Whistling

 

 


 

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Thursday, September 14, 2017 9:56 PM

Presently there are two Metrolink trains in each direction on Sundays, two in the morning before nine and two in the evening between four and six.  Amtrak's SW Chief EB is in the area if on time about sevenish.  As noted by MC and KP, there can be pretty significant numbers of freights coming through with no apparent rhyme or reason.  Passenger schedules may change a little bit, but freight traffic will be the dominant theme.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Thursday, September 14, 2017 10:12 PM

Uh... Guys!  Please re-read the OP's post... the wedding is NEXT YEAR!

"April 29th 2018"

I doubt much if the train traffic will change much, but there is another 7 months for the powers that be in Railroading to completely change all schedules.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, September 14, 2017 10:22 PM

Semper Vaporo
I doubt much if the train traffic will change much, but there is another 7 months for the powers that be in Railroading to completely change all schedules.

I'd opine the passenger trains will be about the same, and freight operations, which may be nominally "scheduled," are usually pretty random.

We've probably given her a fair idea of what she's in for.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by SALfan on Saturday, September 16, 2017 8:53 PM

K. P. Harrier

Your description of the wedding site is a broad one, but was sufficient for me to zero in on where I think your wedding will be held at.  While the TRAINS Magazine’s very recent reposting of things I can and cannot ask you about, I think your very brief descriptive inquiry is sufficient to address your inquiry.

The tracks are the super busy Transcon of the BNSF Railway, so you can expect noise at any time and a lot of it.  HOWEVER, I was on a nearby bridge overlooking the tracks a few years ago, and feel safe in saying the tracks seem (“seem”) to be WITHIN embanked hills and there are many, many trees in that area, both of which should act as a deadening sound barrier.

About in the above photo center is a grade crossing, probably the railroad’s private one.  If you visually go through the cut just to the grade crossing’s left and go out of view, the unseen building(s) are probably the ceremony area.  

But, if you are that concerned about noise, I suggest spending an hour or two in and out of the ceremony building if indoors, or if outdoors where the event will take place.  Like I said, you are dealing with the Transcon, and that area may see 50 to 100 trains on a given day.  If you visit the treed site, you will know real quick if the noise will be a problem or not …

An aerial link is in a separate post because links seem to malfunction when photos and links are in the same post.

 

I'll add just a bit to K. P.'s excellent suggestion to visit the wedding site.  Suggest that when you have the time three months or less before the wedding, visit the site on the same day of the week and the same time of day as your wedding.  That should give you a rough idea of the RR noise at your wedding.  Mention to the clergyman or person who will perform the marriage, and your guests, that there will probably be however much noise you expect.  Talk to the person officiating and decide how you wish to handle it; they may have had similar prior experience that could serve as a guide.  And as someone suggested, treat it humorously and don't get upset, and people should handle it reasonably well.  Finally, I wish you and your future spouse a long and happy marriage (have been married 34 years myself).

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Posted by Mookie on Saturday, September 16, 2017 10:18 PM

Relax, don't dwell on too many details you can't change, and just remember, the trains may be a little noisy, but you can't change that nor the fact that there may be birds overhead.  

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by CShaveRR on Saturday, September 16, 2017 10:46 PM

I don't know that you can (or would want to) change the venue within seven months of the big day, so I would echo the suggestion that you both go out there and see what you'll be up against.  At this point in the game you may be able to discuss some possibilities with the golf club for making the experience less bothersome.  You'll always have guests who won't appreciate the presence of the trains, but you just might have some for whom the experience will be the high point of the ceremony.

If a train drowning out the words of the ceremony to everyone but you two is the worst thing that happens, you might get a chuckle out of it many years down the road.

We used to hold summer church services in a park across the street from the tracks.  It was a quiet zone--no sounding of horns for crossings under normal circumstances--and they would make a big deal about a "reverent pause" when the trains went by (which could be from zero to five times during the course of the service).  However, to my ears, the noise of planes overhead caused more of an interference with the service.

Please heed the admonition about not having any photographs taken on or near the tracks.  It's not only unsafe, it's illegal.  A photographer who suggested that to anyone in my family would not be employed by us afterwards.  

Your day will be a special and memorable one, no matter what...and sometimes it's the imperfections that make it memorable.  The wedding can be messed up, but if the marriage is good, you'll accept the memories, perhaps with a shake of the head.

We had an incident after the reception at our elder daughter's wedding.  Going home from the reception venue (to where my other daughter's date's ride would be waiting), we had to cross our local railroad's main line.  We got upto the first place where we could cross, and the gates began to go down.  Of course, me being me and my younger daughter being the tolerant soul that she still is, we allowed the gates to block us.  But they didn't go up again for another hour and a half, at least, while train after train went through, using all three tracks.  My wife still thinks I had something to do with that.

I hope you think your experience with the readers on this forum was helpful, and--even if you don't respond right away--that you'll write and let us know how your big day went.  We wish you nothing but the best (we're coming up on 45 years together at this point).

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, September 16, 2017 11:17 PM

I attended a outdoor wedding this Summer.  Quaint location on the shore of a lake.  The wedding was scheduled for 4 PM.  The portico that covered the wedding party participants was located on the Eastern shore of the lake.  The audience was East of the portico and as such had to look toward the Sun for the duration of the ceremony (and the Sun was out on the 90+ degree day).  Then to top things off, it appears either no one turned on the sound system or it was woefully undersized for the approximately 200 in the audience to be able to hear anything.  Occasional boaters on the lake added their sounds to the ceremony.

There was a very nice reception so all was forgiven.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by MidlandMike on Sunday, September 17, 2017 9:51 PM

If the only crosssing in the area is a private one for the golf course, maybe during the ceremony the golf club would station a crossing guard there to make sure no golf carts have a close call that would cause the railroad engineer to blow the horn.

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Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, September 17, 2017 10:35 PM

MidlandMike
If the only crosssing in the area is a private one for the golf course, maybe during the ceremony the golf club would station a crossing guard there to make sure no golf carts have a close call that would cause the railroad engineer to blow the horn.

As long as there are Whistle Posts for the crossing - Engineers are required to blow for it.

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, September 18, 2017 7:59 AM

BaltACD
As long as there are Whistle Posts for the crossing - Engineers are required to blow for it.

It's listed on the national crossing inventory as a private crossing (026535Y).  That it's listed on the inventory would tend to confirm Balt's assertion.

There was a vehicle struck there in 2014...

 

LarryWhistling
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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, September 18, 2017 8:34 AM

tree68
 
BaltACD
As long as there are Whistle Posts for the crossing - Engineers are required to blow for it. 

It's listed on the national crossing inventory as a private crossing (026535Y).  That it's listed on the inventory would tend to confirm Balt's assertion.

There was a vehicle struck there in 2014...

And if one thinks the trick is to remove the Whistle Posts you are in trouble on two fronts.  1.  Whistle Posts are 'fixed signals' that engineers are expected to know the location of and comply with even if they are missing - they are also supposed to report that the post is missing so that it can be replaced.  2.  You have just commited a Federal Crime in vandalizing railroad signalling equipment.

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Posted by MidlandMike on Monday, September 18, 2017 9:09 PM

I thought it was a golf cart crossing, and I assumed that private crossings were exempt.

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, September 18, 2017 9:35 PM

MidlandMike

I thought it was a golf cart crossing, and I assumed that private crossings were exempt.

That would be the question of the moment.

If you look at the crossing, though (N 33 52' 28" W 117 40' 21"), there's a lot more going on than just golf carts crossing.  There are a number of roads/trails that lead away to the north.

 

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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