A couple of more pages of photos were posted on the Metro Flickr GL album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolibraryarchive/sets/72157627612864007/
There are some good closeups of rail based construction vehicles. Most of the current work looks related to clearance testing.
Links to my Google Maps ---> Sunset Route overview, SoCal metro, Yuma sub, Gila sub, SR east of Tucson, BNSF Northern Transcon and Southern Transcon *** Why you should support Ukraine! ***
Catenary and the Iconic Bridge
Arcadia, CA
On Thursday, January 8, 2015 K.P. was dispatched to Los Angeles, the routing also brought him to Hollywood, and thereafter passed under the Iconic Bridge in Arcadia while traveling over the eastbound lanes of the I-210 Freeway. This trip K.P was partially accompanied by L. R. Lawrence that was more than willing to take a few photos of the Iconic Bridge! Thus, three shots in sequence where taken, with an emphasis on the new catenary poles on the bridge:
It did not appear than the actual catenary wires had been strung over the bridge yet, but at least the poles for it are up.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
Update as of Saturday, February 7, 2015
Part “A” (of A-F)
Progress by the Arcadia Stop
By the Arcadia stop at Santa Clara Street and First Ave., it was found that the catenary was in place, and the grade crossing flashers looked workable. Looking outbound at the rise for going over Huntington Drive and Second Ave.:
(When this right-of-way was owned by the Santa Fe Railway and the Super Chief was supreme, the background left bridge was what was used, and instead of the track shifting as it does today it came straight towards the camera.)
The inbound track at the Arcadia stop with catenary overhead:
Inbound (right) and outbound tracks that rise over Santa Anita Ave. in the background:
The platform still needs to be finished.
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (of A-F)
There are many crossing gate mechanisms.
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (of A-F)
A well-known light rail supplier:
A stylish sign:
Arcadia put in an attractive stop.
The site was departed from, and a place that hasn’t been cover here before was stumbled across …
Continued in Part D
Part “D” (of A-F)
A Maintenance Facility
Monrovia, CA
Most easily found on maps at California Ave. and Duarte Rd. in Monrovia, a maintenance facility has been going in on the property.
Looking south, the Foothill Extension tracks are on the other side of the background walling. Arcadia, Pasadena, and Los Angeles are to the right.
Continued in Part E
Part “E” (of A-F)
Other views:
Continued in Part F
Part “F” (of A-F)
Final views:
The facility is easily seen from the eastbound I-210 Freeway lanes if one knows where (and when) to look.
This will conclude the series.
An Upcoming Update Report …
As of Saturday, May 2, 2015 …
The Foothill Extension grade crossings at Buena Vista St. (City of Duarte) and Mountain Ave. (the border line between the City of Monrovia and the City of Duarte) were visited on the above date.
Above is a constantly lit new signal just east of Mountain Ave. On the upper right is a lit signal for the spur track related to the new Monrovia maintenance facility.
A photo-report about the findings will be forthcoming in about a week.
Update as of May 2, 2015
The Mountain Ave-Buena Vista Rd. Area
Monrovia-Duarte, CA
Part I (of I-VI)
The two street areas were visited on the above date, and the crossing gates were in place and flasher lights facing traffic, and presumably working.
The rail tops were basically dull, but one could tell some movements had gone over them.
A heavy telephoto looking west on the inbound track, with a pot-like signal lit in the distance, at Mountain Ave.:
The outbound track (movements towards the camera):
A westward overview from Buena Vista Ave.:
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-VI)
An eastward view from Buena Vista Ave.:
A northwardish view:
Duarte Road straddles the two-tracks, looking east. The Foothill Extension spared no expense with a multiplicity of flashers and gates.
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-VI)
An eastward, outbound telephoto:
On the northwest corner of the grade crossing, a building right next to the tracks had construction workers doing something to the building, possibly brick layers. Undoubtedly, none of those workers were railfans, but if they were, what a cool place to work at … and even more so a type place when the Foothill Extension is running in 2016 …
At Mountain Ave., west of Buena Vista Ave. the grade crossing is a swerving one, with additional flashers and crossing gates needed.
Continued in Part IV
Part IV (of I-VI)
Note the sign on the left!
An interesting warning sign, looking outbound, east:
Just above, note the two pot-like signals on each side of the tracks.
Continued in Part V
Part V (of I-VI)
A northward view of the low signals, the right one with a shade covering:
Just to the southeast:
Continued in Part VI
Part VI (of I-VI)
Again, a bunch of crossing warning devices … Note the yellow ‘thing’ near the photo center.
A crossover to a crossover for entrance to the yard! The track with the bumper post is for a track so that the two mainlines don’t have to be fowled.
Looking inbound, with a line rail item on the alignment in the distance:
There we have it, a situation review at two grade crossings on the Foothill Extension.
This will end the series.
Great updates! Waiting for service to start.
A Passing by the Foothill Extension …
… at California Street
Part “A” (of A-B)
On Friday, July 3, 2015 a brief stop was made at the California Street grade crossing, just west of the Foothill Extension maintenance facility (left).
A piece of track equipment was parked just south of the facility’s west end.
Part “B” (of A-B)
The facility has a wall all around it, as seen in the background, with the foreground the California Street cross gates.
Looking west:
Looking east:
In the future K.P. hopes to spend more time in this area, as there are many signals and crossovers in the area, not the common just two-track line with catenary.
This will end the series. However, a Second Section follows.
Second Section
The California Street ex-Santa Fe grade crossing only two and a half years ago back on January 3, 2013 looked like this:
Quite a change from today!
Update as of Saturday, September 19, 2015
The Downtown Azusa Area
Looking east, the downtown Azusa stop with a light rail set parked in it:
During the brief time there, things looked mostly finished, at least heavy construction-wise.
Looking inbound:
While on site, certain identities (of track and platforms) and directions of travel (“directions of travel”) signs were casually photographed, but later, in reviewing the day’s photos, the full implication of those signs hit home. Thus, an effort will be made sometime in the future to return to the area (and BEYOND the Foothill Extension’s area), to better photograph the full implication of those identities and directions of travel, directions that are different from the compass. Hopefully, a return can be made to the area in two or three weeks.
Would this be about Foothill Gold Line Azusa to Montclair Project ?
The web site states "Completion of the Azusa to Montclair segment of the Foothill Gold Line will cost approximately $1 billion. No funding has been secured for this segment of the extension. Once funding is secured, final design and construction will take approximately five years to complete."
Electroliner 1935 (9-23):
No, it does not pertain specifically to the Azusa to Pomona future segment, at least per se, though it is affected too, but when the line ultimately gets to Ontario International Airport people will do a double take and scratch their heads …
The next time I’m out in Azusa I’ll focus specifically on this somewhat illogical. But, what is really wanted to be photographed is the other end of the Gold Line, towards East Los Angeles.
The Gold Line seems to be the opposite of freight railroads, as with Union Pacific’s line over Tehachapi Pass.
But, give me time to document the issue from one end of the Gold Line to the other end. Just a few photos at each end will suffice. It is only then can an authoritative presentation with documented facts be worked up for the forum.
Take care,
K.P.
The Homework is done (Most of It, Anyway)
On Friday, September 25, 2015, a visit to both East Los Angeles and Azusa was made, and the discerned direction premise of the Gold Line was confirmed. For Los Angeles area local thread readers the direction premise may (“may”) be old hat, but it likely will not be for others, especially non-Southern Californians around the country.
The above is the stop in East Los Angeles, the end of the line, one of two such places. With the Foothill Extension effort, one of the two ends of the line will be moved eastward, to the east side of Azusa.
In several days a post series will be presented to the forum for its evaluation of a very unusual situation, the posting series tentatively titled, “We ARE Sober Here -- A Strange Compass!”
We ARE Sober Here, Right? -- A Strange Compass!
Part I (of I-V, Overall I-XI)
Introduction
“Hey Conductor of the EASTBOUND Super Chief …
… Why are we heading north? I’m going east to Chicago, not Northern California!”
The ex-Super Chief ROUTE through Azusa years ago was part of the Second District, and it was an east-west route through town, just as the Los Angeles-Chicago route of the Super Chief was an east-west route. But, as seen in the two photos above, the ex-Santa Fe route in Azusa is now a north-south route, here on an east-west axis!
This is what that ex-Santa Fe line looks like now, with the transit functionality of the Gold Line Foothill Extension. View looks east (northbound).
Part II (of I-V, Overall I-XI)
Another EAST Side on the Gold Line
In downtown Los Angeles, that seemingly east-west Gold Line is actually on a basically north-south axis. South of the downtown stop, the line takes on again an east-west quality, ending at Atlantic Blvd. southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
That East Los Angeles end of the line has bumper posts.
Just above, the stopping structure has a “BP2” sign on it, which K.P. interprets as Bumper Post for Track 2.
So, it can be construed that two-tracks on a partial circle looks something like a “C.” The outer track is Track 2 while the inner track is Track 1.
Studying Track Identifications
At Azusa Ave. in Azusa, on the Foothill Extension, from south to north, are those track I.D. signs.
So, going back to our partial circle illustration, Track 1 is the inner partial circle and Track 2 is the outer partial circle. Simple enough! But, there is a monkey wrench! Two, actually! When first arriving at the Atlantic Blvd stop, K.P. walked up a long, mildly elevating ramp. See first photo, Part II.
In doing so at the Atlantic Blvd. stop, Azusa-like Track I.D. signs on the ties were seen, but they were not conveniently located to photograph. A walk to the other end of the station platform was made. Unfortunately, no such other signs were seen, and time was becoming critical, so K.P. left the scene WITHOUT photos of those signs. But they said “TK3” and “TK4” respectively! Tracks 3 and 4? What happened to Tracks 1 and 2? Thus, this matter will have to be pursued more another time … unless someone else at the forum has an explanation and volunteers it to us.
Part III (of I-V, Overall I-XI)
Southern End of the Line
There were, at that Atlantic Blvd. southern end of the line, light rail sets laying over.
So, apparently. load levels fluctuate during the day, and light rail sets not needed layover till rush hours.
In theory, the far eastern Azusa stop on the Foothill Extension should have a similar arrangement when the line opens in 2016.
If one is at Azusa, how does one go North to Azusa. You can't go North from the North Pole. Is this preliminary for future change to Claremont as the route is considered to be North Bound leaving LA and Southbound toward LA?
Does metro have an ombusman that you can contact?
Also is Montclair considered Cucamonga. Used to love the Jack Benny train caller announcing the train leaving for Anahiem, Azusa & Cucamonga.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrTWjS9bT68
Love your posts.
Part IV (of I-V, Overall I-XI)
At the Atlantic Blvd. stop, looking inbound:
That above photo’s sign was zeroed in on.
So, even with the southern kind of (“kind of”) east-west orientation of the line, the northbound and southbound terminology is used on signage.
Opposite that above sign is an unbelievable situation, and signs. The street that the Gold Line uses to get to the Atlantic Blvd. end of the line is POMONA BLVD!
Can you imagine when the Gold Line is extended east, or I guess north, but east sounds more logical, the line will eventually stop at Montclair, just past the county line and inside the county of San Bernardino. But, before leaving Los Angeles County, the City of Pomona will be stopped at! So, at one end of the line is Pomona Blvd., and towards the other end is the City of Pomona! How will sober people deal with that?
Part V (of I-V, Overall I-XI)
Back Towards the Northern End of the Line
Both at the Atlantic stop and Azusa stop, bicycle storage facilities were present. These were in Azusa.
In Azusa, what appeared to be a parking garage (background) was under construction nearby to the Foothill Extension tracks.
In AZUSA, there were southbound signs to the other end of the line, East Los Angeles.
----------
Continued in Part VI-XI, scheduled for posting Thursday, October 1, 2015 by 6:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Praytell, what would the sign direction be to West Los Angeles? I know its West of Azusa and East of LA. Looks like a Jack Benny routine possibility.
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