Covering some loose ends ...
From high up on Interstate 15 overlooking the tracks: From left to right, the UP, the BNSF 2.2% gradient Tracks 1 and 2, and the 3% Track 3. It is difficult to see, but the Silverwood connection between the UP and BNSF is mid way up on the far left to just above the photo's center.
A new large drainage item
Railroad employees servicing the Swarthout Canyon Road crossing gate are now protected by a frail (but sufficient) fence
Everything was locked-up for the July 4 Holiday weekend. BNSF now has a number of such gates in Cajon Pass.
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Modelcar wrote: ....My thanks also for all the scrip and photo updates.I note the center barrier on the highway at the crossing in the last few photos....It seems to me, this is what is needed at crossings where "quiet zones" are put in place so drivers can't drive around the horizontal gates.
....My thanks also for all the scrip and photo updates.
I note the center barrier on the highway at the crossing in the last few photos....It seems to me, this is what is needed at crossings where "quiet zones" are put in place so drivers can't drive around the horizontal gates.
Modelcar:
There are many technical aspects in making a grade crossing a "Quiet Zone" grade crossing. I am not sufficiently up on such to comment authoritatively. But, they all seem to have a center divider.
The NEW divider at Swarthout Canyon Road, whether or not for a "Quiet Zone," has already suffered much physical abuse, and extreme collision markings from tires.
Also, regarding the below photo, in my auto and within the proper lane by the crossing gate in the background, I've noticed a personal tendency to WANT to drive straight into the opposing traffic lane in the foreground. Even as a railfan, a conscious effort must be made to route myself into the proper foreground lane (far left). Thus, I envision problems arising from those unfamiliar with the area, or when there is heavy fog. And that fog is much more common to Cajon Pass than one may realize.
Nevertheless, under very adverse and almost impossible conditions, BNSF has done remarkably well in altering the Swarthout Canyon Road grade crossing for the triple-tracking
K.P.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
Thanks for the column & pics. Was out there last week & it was a surprise to see all the work done.
thx ign
Once again thanks KP for the excellent photos and updates. As I had said earlier I thought about coming to Cajon this weekend but my boss had different ideas, I have to work this Saturday. Anyway have vacation coming after the fifteenth of the month so will get a chance to visit Cajon Pass and the UP double tracking along the southern transcontinental. Was thinking I might drive all of the way to El Paso and photograph as much as I can. I also want to spend some time along the Surf Line as it is a few years since I have visited that area.
Al - in - Stockton
As of Thursday, July 3, 2008:
The tie laying train didn't really go anywhere Thursday, and will apparently spend the long holiday weekend at Blue Cut.
Unmanned Distributed Power Units (DPU's) push a train up "The Hill." Because of Midwest flooding, it is unknown if BNSF will be in catch-up mode this holiday, or as quiet as the tie laying equipment in the background
CNW 6000 wrote:Awesome pics and info. Thanks for the updates. I guess when the RRs want something done quick it gets done quick!
To CNW 6000:
Thank you for your kind words.
The progress on the triple-tracking may seem fast and dramatic. But, as a "local" (that traverses the pass frequently whether he wants to or not), the progress seems painfully slow and drawn out. However, railroads can move super fast when they want to!
Case in point: Check out this recent Rialto, CA photo of Union Pacific's West Colton Yard, probably 20 miles southeast of Cajon Pass.
In the 1980's, the track arrangement was very different under Southern Pacific. But note the area left of the Trim Tower. Back then, one day SP Daylight steamer 4-8-4 4449 was due to pass through around 3 P.M. As a "local," I visited about 7 A.M. and "found" that somewhere left of the Trim Tower that a major, major mishap had occurred. Thirty or forty railcars had derailed and piled up higher than the tower! What a sight to behold! And, with 4449 coming, the situation was an impending public relations super disaster! At 2:00 P.M. I retuned, but, to my surprise, EVERYTHING had been cleaned up! At 3:00 P.M. 4449 arrived, and hundreds and hundreds lined the overpasses, shot pictures, and gawked, totally unaware what had happened earlier!
So, BNSF Railway probably could finish the whole triple-tracking of Cajon Pass in a few more weeks if it really wanted to, and was willing to spend heaps and heaps of extra money ... But, it is just methodically moving along at a slow pace and getting the job done. The budget breaker, though, may be the unanticipated current high cost of fuel.
Dan
As of Wednesday, July 2, 2008:
In just one day, several developments have occurred ...
Remember this May 23 photo at Blue Cut?
The new signal units are now hooked up and active, except the units for the unlaid Track 1 on right
The old mast signals were quickly removed
The new wall by Swarthout Canyon Road is fast coming together
A sign on Cajon Blvd.: Enlightening info for railfans and motorists alike
This is the location with the future 36-hour window. By Tuesday night, so much will be different here
Work railcars with thought-provoking loads railroad east of Keenbrook
Rare Powder River Basin SD70MAC (second unit) passes newly cut rockwork
Tie laying train comes into Blue Cut
The sky darkens, and the work day is over. Empty tie cars have already been taken away
As of Tuesday, July 1, 2008:
Tie laying train was moving eastbound towards Blue Cut
Remember ...
... this EAST TO WEST tunnels shot by Warren Smith in his post of November 10, 2007?
Warren Smith wrote:
Now Views:
All photos taken this and next section from Interstate 15:
Views look WEST TO EAST. Heavy telephoto of where the under 500-foot Tunnel #2 was once located
Shadowed cut on right was the approximate location of the tunnel
A wider view
This is what is considered ALRAY. One can see the new cut again in background. Tracks curve around on the left, and out of view on the right curve under the freeway and into the CP WALKER crossovers. Track in the lower foreground is Union Pacific's Palmdale Cutoff.
The CP WALKER crossovers:
Views look west:
A telephoto shot. Track 2 is on the left, Track 1 is on the right. In the background, the tracks curve to the right and then out of view swings to the left. That new grading is on the far left. Just past the far signal structure, the left track appears to disappear ... only because the ties and rails lower and are un-ballasted. Union Pacific's Palmdale Cutoff in the distance is just below the cantilevered part of the signal structure
Quentin
Once again thx KP for the continuing saga of the triple tracking on Cajon and was quite honestly shocked to see the backlog of double stacks.
As of Sunday, June 29, 2008:
The under construction University Parkway overpass in San Bernardino, at the timetable location of ONO, is coming alone fine. At this spot, holding tracks are present for overflow EMPTY double-stack platforms from the San Bernardino Intermodal facility. However, both railroad west and east of Ono, the overflow tracks are occupied with powered and loaded stack trains apparently unable to reach Chicago became of severe flooding in the Midwest.
Between CP KEENBROOK and CP CAJON, in the vicinity of the old Keenbrook siding of decades ago, a loaded tie and track positioning train is idly spending the weekend. Previously, between CP WALKER and CP CAJON, the tie train worked westbound. Apparently, it is now working eastbound.
Just railroad east of the tie laying train are new block signals. The heads for Tracks 2 and 3 are now functional, with only the future Track 1 signals turned aside.
Swarthout Canyon Road at Blue Cut now has markings in the roadway where the third track (#1) will go. The new crossing gate now has crossbucks and a sign attached.
The captions for the 1st 2 photos of K. P. Harrier's post of 06-23-2008 at 7:55 PM (above) are:
"Very slow going as two BNSF workers walk their track equipment." and
"One of the workers has reached the large, now landmark famous retaining wall."
It looks like the trackmen were applying the clips - Pandrol ? - that hold the rails to the concrete ties, although it is hard to identify their machines/ tools from the extreme distance of these photos. For more info on those machines, see the Pandrol's website video page at:
http://www.pandrol.com/html/video/index.htm
Any other or different thoughts ?
- Paul North.
Thx for the photos once again KP on the continuing progress.
Sure those firetrucks are racing to a fire or is it possibly a couple of Alcos struggling up Cajon. And here I thought all the fires were in Northern California
As of Monday, June 23, 2008:
Very slow going as two BNSF workers walk their track equipment.
One of the workers has reached the large, now landmark famous retaining wall
A fire breaks out in Cajon Pass. With red lights and sirens, emergency vehicles are seen passing each other in opposite directions on Cajon Blvd. As for the old signal boxes trackside (lower right), their days are numbered, and will have to make way for the laying of the third track
Update as of Saturday, June 21, 2008:
The laying of the new track westward from CP Walker has almost reached to CP Cajon
The steep 3% Track 3, presently aligned with Track 2 at Cajon, will soon be alignment shifted to Track 3 in lower foreground. Track 2 on the left will then be alignment shifted to meet up with the new track in the above two photos
The counterpart switch of this future CP Cajon crossover between Track 3 and 2 is still missing and unaccounted for, and may be an indication the completion of the project is still months away
(If necessary, click on photo to enlarge.) From left to right: Tracks 1 and 2. The rightist most Track 3 has not been laid yet. Note NEW crossover from Track 2 to 1 in the far DISTANCE. This poster believes the original CP Cajon crossover from Track 2 to 1 in the FOREGROUND will be eliminated. The two uninstalled turnouts on the right just past the foreground signals, once installed between Tracks 3 and 2, would complete the control point crossovers INSTALLATION (except for the missing switch above). However, keeping the foreground Track 2 to 1 crossover in addition to the far background one would allow great flexibility in view of the operating restrictions imposed by Track 3's 3% grade between CP Summit and CP Cajon, but this poster does NOT feel such will be the final arrangement. Rather, this poster believes the Cajon foreground Track 2 to 1 crossover will be transplanted to Keenbrook when the third track is laid between CP Cajon and CP Keenbrook.
Last month, retaining wall construction workers departed after finishing their work. But, seemingly out of the blue, a retaining wall is again being constructed. This one is just railroad east of Swarthout Canyon Road
(Note: Railroad west of CP Cajon, the tracks will alignment shift, so at Blue Cut in the two above photos, the un-laid track will be Track 1. A photo of the alignment shift location is in a May 24, 2008 post in this topic)
....Thanks to the above for photo updates.
Update as of Wednesday afternoon, June 18, 2008:
Westbound tie and track laying train, after passing Sullivan's Curve and the famous Mormon Rocks, ran out of ties and tied up for the night.
As of June 15, 2008:
Many Cajon Pass visitors have discovered that CP SILVERWOOD, about half a mile west of CP SUMMIT, is very difficult to visually see, and hence, what is actually there is kind of a mystery for them. Nevertheless, here it is. Union Pacific's Palmdale Cutoff is the track in the bottom left corner
From top to bottom: (1) Track 3, the old steep 3% line; (2) Track 2, the old 2.2% line; (3) Track 1, the newly installed track adjacent Track 2; and (4) the Connector between BNSF and UP
UP's own CP SILVERWOOD (lower left). Popular dirt roadway for locals and visitors alike goes underneath the BNSF
Between CP SILVERWOOD and CP WALKER. The new track is on the right. The UP line is in the top background
Believe it or not, but the top of the new cantilevered signal bridge at Blue Cut has met up with graffitists
The new grade crossing device at Blue Cut is now in place. The third track will be laid approximately where the old, in use crossing gate stands
Passengercar:
Reference both your June 7 and 13, 2008 posts about visiting Cajon Pass during the July 4 holiday weekend ...
There has been some conjecturing that railroad WEST of CP CAJON the tracks would be realigned at that time because few trains will be operating. It has been quite difficult to second guess the railroad, but after assessing present developments, I now feel it is somewhat safe to say NOTHING will transpire project-wise on the the July 4 weekend. (I hope I don't have to eat crow on this one.)
Last Thursday (June 12), the westward track laying train reached the mid point between CP WALKER and CP CAJON. However, it was observed Saturday (June 14) that a new stock of ties was on site, but no further westward progress had been made. (Note the lack of laid ties on the left.)
At CP CAJON, all the turnouts and future turnouts are present, except one.
The farthermost CROSSOVER (lower left) is missing a turnout, and its whereabouts is totally unaccounted for
The steep 3% track will likely soon be realigned from the Track 2 position to Track 3 (right). Note the right track is now longer than in the above photo. Also, I'm inclined to believe that the new signals at CP CAJON will be activated soon.
Afterwards, laying new track and getting everything in order between CP CAJON and CP KEENBROOK may take a few months.
Be mindful there are presently dirt road closures and that some Permit (Pass) issues may or may not present themselves for you.
At Blue Cut, the famous lookout overlooking the tracks is closed for location repair and rebuilding.
If all the above doesn't faze you, be mindful that Cajon Pass security does NOT go away on holidays ... The many lights at night make Summit look like a different world
And security is at Cajon too
The railroad's security paranoia in Cajon Pass all started with a disastrous February 1, 1996 runway and pileup that the National Transportation Safety Board said was probably caused by an unknown air hose blockage in conjunction with an unsuitable end-of-train device
If you, Passengercar, will still be visiting Cajon Pass anyway on July 4 ... Enjoy yourself! It is a great place.
K. P.
......Thanks for sharing your great track laying photos. It's always been a mystery to me the way new track is put down....Graded and then ties and rails installed and last....ballast installed "over it all".....It just seems it would be awkward to get the track up on top of the ballast and everything leveled and contoured correctly. I suppose now with so many machines, each with a special job to do, this process is accomplished and not too much thought of it.
Thx KP
As usual your photos bring us right up to date with what is happening at Cajon Pass. Today was a bonanza of fine photography. Looks like the TV news was trying to cut into your photgraphy a bit. There camera's are very heavy and makes them top heavy when they stand close to bridge edge like that a slight bump and you would have your photography spot all to yourself once again. Just Kidding!!!
Would your educated guess still think they are going to be aligning the tracks about the July 4 weekend. I have already started planning trip that way for the long weekend. Still going to take convincing better half. Hate to think how much that shopping spree is going to cost.
Can't wait for the next installment.
As of Thursday, June 12, 2008: An east to west report (CP Walker to CP Cajon)
A tie-work train's locomotives wait all day at the west end of CP Walker.
Just west of CP Walker, a back road is closed for track laying
Track starts into curve and will change directions by about 150 degrees
The day before, Wednesday, the west working tie and track laying train stopped here
Back to Thursday, crewed crane rolls on flatcars shuttling ties back and forth the length of the train
Ties are conveyed to ground level
What the scene looks like behind the tie laying train. Note the difference in track centers alignment as the new track on the right goes from the background to over the new bridge in the foreground
In the last few weeks, ribbon rail was off loaded indiscriminately. Now, a few hundred feet in advance of tie placement, rails are moved apart.
Tractor runs immediately ahead forcing rails completely apart so track laying machine can lay ties without obstruction
A water truck is a periodic visitor
An eastbound UP train with BNSF Railway helpers utilizes the steeper 3% line, and track laying progresses unhindered on the 2.2% line
Operation painstakingly moves west at a snail's pace. Probably just over a half of a mile is laid daily
A Los Angeles television station shows up
Shooting broadcast news video
The last car
Just about everything stops as a train approaches, but a water truck takes advantage of the work stoppage.
BNSF eastbound passes
KABC cameraman is still documenting event
What the track laying leaves behind
Nearing the end of the work day, the tie-work train is almost empty
Another train goes by, and again, all the work halts
At end of day, tie cars are separated from tie laying machine. The power at CP Walker will soon arrive and take the empty tie cars away over the newly laid track
Waiting to be put in service, turned away Cajon spur signal is lit as workers work on control box nearby.
Because of the track layout at CP Cajon, some feel this signal should have two heads. Since it doesn't, this apparently is not an absolute signal.
Thanks for the May 31 photos K P it's beginning to look like July 4 may be the perfect time to get photos. Moving the tracks into place could be the perfect time to be there.
A whole bunch of railcars loaded with concrete ties are now parked in the Martinez Spur east of Summit.
Update as of May 31, 2008:
Westward from CP Walker, offloading continuous welded rail has reached Cajon
Track equipment is starting to arrive
Nope - too short, too many, and appear to be too many bends / curves in them.
Typically, the shortest acceptable rails in a turnout are in the 20 ft. range, and there are usually no more than 2 of them in each turnout - perhaps 1 in each of the "closure" rails, which are the rails that connect between the heel ("pivot") of the switchpoint rails, and the toe of the frog.
From the amount of curvature and bends in these, they look like rails that have been cropped for scrap - although crops are usually in the 24" to 36" range, and these appear to be 6 to 8 ft. long. Are they laying on top of the rails of another track ? (hard to tell with the telephoto's foreshortening effect, the view angle, and the resolution of this image) Perhaps they have been set-up that way to facilitate scooping them up with the forks on a loader/ Pettibone/ lift-type machine ?
Alternatively, they might be stacked there pending being used as a skid (in lieu of the special purpose CWR rollers) for the CWR for the new track to be dragged and slid over into position. CWR is tough to move into position for a new track unless there's already an existing more or less parallel track nearby - say, less than 100 ft. and without any obstacles over say 5 ft. high. Depending on the location of the new track(s), would there be a need for this ? I've done it a couple times myself in years gone by - worked pretty good in dry ballast / cinders/ gravel conditions - not so good in wet clay & mud.
Anyway, for what it's worth.
By the way Kevin - thanks very much for your diligence in taking and posting these photos. Very unusal and informative "in progress" views of a fascinating major project at an important site that many of us can't visit in person - certainly not where you're able to get. Keep up the good work - look forward to seeing more, esp. as the actual track-laying gets underway !
K. P. Harrier wrote: As of Thursday, May 29, 2008:What is in the top background? Is it a row of turnout rail pieces awaiting assembly?
As of Thursday, May 29, 2008:
What is in the top background? Is it a row of turnout rail pieces awaiting assembly?
Four photos at Cajon:
Workers have to clear the main for an eastbound (rightward) that includes a CSX AC pool power unit
Assembling a turnout
Attached switch motor
A photo between Cajon and Walker (formerly Alray):
View looks eastbound from a State Highway 138 overpass. Ribbon rail has now been loosely positioned
As of Sunday, May 25, 2008:
The Track 1 (left) coming into the west end (foreground) of the new Walker crossovers has been alignment shifted, so Track 1 now aligns with Track 1. Track 2 is on the right.
Previously, Track 1 aligned with the Track 2 position. Note how close the unadjusted Track 1 WAS to the cantilevered signal support as opposed to the above photo.
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