Corrizo

[tatans]

Any news or progress on the Corrizo Gorge Railway or is it doomed??

[ChuckCobleigh]

Carrizo Gorge.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-tijuana-railroad-20181013-story.html

[samfp1943]

ChuckCobleigh

Carrizo Gorge.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-tijuana-railroad-20181013-story.html

From the link provided by Chuck Cobleigh:  "...The western portion of the line, from Tijuana to Tecate, is already being operated by Baja Rail, which recently released a preliminary report on rehabilitating the rest of the line.

The line continues north from Tecate across the border into Campo, and then through craggy desert hills into Carrizo Gorge. From there, it winds toward Plaster City, El Centro and the Union Pacific Railroad, which heads east.

Izquierdo said much of what is manufactured in Tijuana, such as parts for cars and electronics, would benefit from such a connection.

“Our major markets are in the central United States and the eastern United States, so we need that bypass,” ..."

The article also indicated that the'reconstruction' had been re-established to a schedule that would take approx 5 years to complete.       FTA:"...Baja Rail isn’t close to meeting optimistic predictions in 2016 that the line would begin operating this year, but the company has made steady progress since it toned down that optimism a year ago.

Rehabilitation of the rail line, which ceased operations in 1950, could be completed in three to five years, Izquierdo told the council’s economic development committee..."

Also mentioned were the fact that there were unspecified 'endangered species' in the way of the line's completion, but that was expected to be resplved in a matter of months .

I had recalled that there was a narrow gauge operaton at Plaster City, Ca. but knew very little about this line. Found the following article, and photos on-line.

Linked @:http://railfan.com/plaster-city-alcos/

[ The article["Plaster City Alco's"] is from Railfan and Railroad Magazine

[dated: Oct. 10, 2018 by By Charles Freericks/photos by the author] 

[ChuckCobleigh]

samfp1943

I had recalled that there was a narrow gauge operaton at Plaster City, Ca. but knew very little about this line. Found the following article, and photos on-line.

The narrow gauge operated by U.S. Gypsum runs north to the gypsum mine that feeds the board plant at Plaster City.  Trains had an article on the operation a few years ago with extensive quotes from the mechanical guy Mel Rader (younger brother of a high school classmate of mine).  I suspect Mel has retired by now, though.

The mine is about 21 crow miles, 25 or so rail miles from the plant.  When I was a lad, their two engines had come from Hawaii, but those may have been replaced since then.  A couple of times a week, a GP7 would drag some empty box cars out from El Centro and pick up some loaded boxes and bring them back to town.  It is possible that the El Centro to San Diego freight would pick up boxes of wall board as well.  The people I could have asked about that have now passed on, so I can only guess.

[erikem]

An article on page B4 of today's San Diego Union-Tribune covered the still on-going negotiations on re-instating rail service between Tecate and El Centro. Main motivation is to avoid rail congestion in the LA area for traffic originating in the Tijuana-Tecate corridor.

Rehabilitating the track through the Carrizo Gorge will be the biggest challenge of the project.

[ChuckCobleigh]

erikem

Rehabilitating the track through the Carrizo Gorge will be the biggest challenge of the project.

Watching a YouTube video some time ago of a move down to Coyote Wells from Jacumba in 2012 suggested to me that a lot of tie replacement is in order, at a minimum.  There may also be some significant tunnel work involved.  It certainly doesn't look like a simple, quick rehab in any event.

Here is the video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L66pfI5fuqY

Goat Canyon trestle is 35 minutes into the video.

And...the return trip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYt91UpxH6U

[Fred M Cain]

samfp1943

 

 "Rehabilitation of the rail line, which ceased operations in 1950, could be completed in three to five years, Izquierdo told the council’s economic development committee..."

 

I'm not sure this is quite true.  The Old SPTCo operated the line daily throughout the 1960s right up into the '70s when it was washed out from the remnants of a hurricane.  Then after the SP pulled out, it was operated off and on through the years right up until the early years of the new millenium.  However, it has been moribund for the last 15 years or so.

 

Regards,

Fred M.Cain

[ChuckCobleigh]

Hurricane Kathleen (was down to tropical storm when it hit the US) took out stretches of the SD&AE track west of Octotillo.  That would have been in early September, 1976. Additional damage was noted on the Sunset route as well plus an ATSF line north of Blythe.  

SP decided in 1977 to abandon the line west of Plaster City and the rest, as they say, is history (and a sad one as well).  I remember driving past the washed out sections and it was just sad where the track was hanging between the edges of the washout.

It's not nice to fool with mother nature.