ATSF Pasadena Sub-San Dimas...???

[Anonymous]

I was foolin around like always on my google earth program last night (BTW, everyone should download this for free at the google website, its awsome for RR's!) and I noticed that the line off of the San Bernardino-LA Metrolink route thru Cucamunga, Upland, Montclair, Pomona Norh etc...the farthest north Metrolink route...the line came off of the route at a little after the Claremont Metrolink Station and heads norh thru San Dimas to Arcadia and stops at the freeway where it dead ends. Is there any locals thru here? San Dimas? Anywhere on that track? It stops at the 210 frwy, it used to go between the freeway, when the frway wasnt there of course, and to Pasadena, correct?
How come they didnt keep that line open to Pasadena? Didnt Amtrak stop there awhile ago? Thnks, Ben

[ericsp]

It went down the middle of the freeway when the freeway was there.

I am sure they run trains at least as far at the Miller brewery along side Interstate 210 between Interstate 605 and Irwindale Boulevard.

Further east they have California Steel Industries, Tamco Steel (the only mini-mill in California), Parallel Products, and Steelscape as customers.

By the way, the furthest north that Metrolink goes is Palmdale (it might be Lancaster now).

[Anonymous]

Thanks eric, when i said the farthest north, i meant the farthest north from San Bernardino to LAUPT in the valley. Not including high desert. But you are right about palmdale. What do u mean when u said that u rode in the center of the freeway when it was there? Riding on the Metro local light rail line? Or Amtrak?
And I tottally forgot about the Miller plant! haha, I see that everyday, and I forgot about it, there is always a couple cuts of cars there. OMG, I think I just answered my other topic question about the empty stack train! At the miller plant. there is always about 10 empty container cars just sitting, probably on a storage track, they have been there for at least a year. So those 10 or so cars could have made up some ot the train I saw? hmmm Thnks, Ben

[Anonymous]

As a kid growing up in Duarte (70's-80's), we used to see Santa Fe freight trains and Amtrak trains in the middle of the freeway there all the time.

I also got on Amtrak in Pasadena a couple times.

Somewhere online I found a pic of an ATST loco there in the middle of the freeway.

[Anonymous]

BNSF97,

You say it dead ends. I bet what you're seeing is where it goes through the tunnel, then pops out and heads south - past the Pasadena Amtrak station, then to the yards in Los Angeles.

Check it out again with that in mind - I bet you'll find it coming out of the tunnel...

[Anonymous]

I LOVE GOOGLE EARTH!!!!

OK BNSF97 - check it out....

turn on the "roads" check box on google earth.

Heading westbound, the tracks enter a tunnel on the 210 just before N. Marengo St. They go under N. Marengo St, and pop out under a short tunnel just soutwest of N. Marengo St. - now headed southwest. You can follw the tracks through trees, a couple small tunnels, etc., down to the yard's in LA.

I may have to join a Google Earth addiction support group soon.

I grew up in that area, but was too young to understand the layout of the land. So now I love getting on Google Earth and finding out what's where, etc.

Google earth doesn't show tracks when you check on the "roads" button, but they are shown slightly more of the tracks on the cartoon-ish map drawings at www.maps.google.com - use the two together to do your detective work, and you'll be having a ball.

[jimrice4449]

That used to be Santa Fe's main psgr route from LAUPT to San Berdoo. I think the Grand Canyon (& possibly the Fast Mail) used thesouthern route through Riverside which was the main route for frieght.
Be advised that I moved from Southern Calif in 1950 so what went on after that is pretty much a mystery. Imagine my suprise awhen visiting a couple of years ago and I had the occasion to go by the site of Taylor Yard!

[ericsp]

I have never rode those tracks. I did ride on Interstate 210 about a year ago. If I remember correctly, most of the tracks were in place in the freeway then. However, it seems like there was a bridge over the freeway at the east end that was gone, although it did look like they were doing something with the tracks, I do not remember what exactly they were doing.

[ericsp]

Here is some information about this line.
http://www.nu-linestructures.com/1003proto.htm

[Anonymous]

bnsf97,

After re-reading your first post, I think you're referring to where the track stops at the freeway at about Santa Anita st. (ave?)

OK, there used to be a bridge there - where the tracks entered the center of the freeway. I remember, as a kid, they were saying the bridge wasn't earthquake safe by today's standards. A few years later, the bridge was gone. ATSF must have eliminated that line around that time.

I drove by later and saw that metrolink was now on the tracks in the middle of the freeway. The tracks continue to the west, on the 210 (read my post above for following it do downtown LA).

[West Coast S]

Sometime in the early 60s the orginal AT&SF right-of-way was abandoned to make way for the 210 freeway. The Pasadena Sub Division or second district was the principle passenger route into or out of LA due to the 2+ percent grades that required assigned helpers for freight and passengers, hampered the line as a serious contender for freight traffic, orginally doubled tracked to Pasadena it was slowly single tracked as passenger volume fell off.

The Chiefs, El Capitans and California Limited frequented the line, the Fast Mail and Grand Canyons used the sub westbound and returned east via the fourth district through Fullerton.

The trackage from Pasadena to Kaiser was operated under a 25mph speed restriction due to mutliple grade crossings and trackage literally located in backyards, parking lots and alleys. Relocation of the line was a vast improvement from a speed and safety standpoint and reduced the ruling grade somewhat. San Dimas still retained its rural atmosphere during this time, packing house spurs required frequent service, it was also the point where time was made up with trains permitted to operate at full track speed.

Amtrak was the last to operate through passenger service, freight traffic had become more common in it's last years. SF sold the line to LA County in 1994 for the Metro Gold line extension and all vistages of SF trackage and structures removed.

Dave