Arizona Report III, Section A
In the last "Arizona Report" post, east of Highway 347 in Maricopa, a new control point's west signals were depicted. In this post, the east set of that CP's signals are shown. They are NOT in service, and may not be for months to come.
A block or two further to the east, these new single-mast intermediates are NOW IN SERVICE, and are directly linked to the new CP and signals back west at Highway 347.
Further to the east, at Porter Road (M.P. 900.25), new intermediate signals have been installed, but not put in service. Looking west: The crossing gates have not been reposition yet, and are still in the way of laying a second main.
Continue at Section B
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
Arizona Report III, Section B
Also at Porter Road ... One can't help but notice a new business that seems to have sprung up out of nowhere in this whopping growth area. Years ago, there was practically nothing out here.
Looking east ...
New crossing gate bases are on both sides of the southbound (far side) roadway lanes by the north side intermediate signal. Will the future crossing gates block a westbound train's view of the right mast signal?
Continue to Section C
Arizona Report III, Section C
Is Arizona Playing Russian Roulette with People's Lives?
In single-track days, by far the majority of trains swiftly passed Maricopa at speed and its State Route 347 grade crossing. Now, however, the former siding west of State Route 347 is Main 2. Assuming half the trains use Main 2, those previously swift trains now must negotiate through the old slow speed turnout to transition to or from single-track east of the highway.
The above photograph was shot AFTER seeing two things: (1) a police car in lights and siren mode quickly head north, and (2) a minute later a fire engine in like manner headed north too. Another minute later the above ambulance came by, also in Code-3 mode, when it dawned on this forum contributor to document what was being played out before everyone's eyes.
The State of Arizona's political efforts to get UP to pay for overpasses and underpasses in exchange for permission to lay a second track through some high trafficked grade crossings has reached an ironic twist in the community of Maricopa. Politicians now (or will soon) find themselves in the awkward position of being directly responsible for trains from or to Main 2 blocking Highway 347 for LONGER periods of time! Thus, emergency responders have the potential of having to wait longer to get through when extra minutes can often mean the difference between life and death! There is no other way to cross the tracks, unless an emergency vehicle takes a circuitous, roundabout way via Porter Road, all the while keep the fingers crossed that that grade crossing won't be blocked also!
Interestingly, the control point box at State Route 347 is NOW identified as CP 899 EAST MARICOPA. The box's nameplate does NOT match the crossing's milepost of M.P. 897.80.
Back in May, a new, uninstalled box on the NORTH side of the track there was identified as CP SP898 MARICOPA (not EAST Maricopa).
At the time, an OLD, in use box labeled CP 898 MARICOPA was in service on the SOUTH side of the track.
Back in May, also, the new crossovers' control box east of town had CP SP899 EAST MARICOPA placarded on it (below photo), but does NOT have such now and is totally placard-less.
(A photo of the present placard-less box was in "Arizona Report II, Section C.")
This forumist's opinion is that when Arizona officials finally see the light and their own awkward, counterproductive ways, i.e., the delaying of emergency responders, the problem of two-tracking grade crossings may just kind of magically go away.
With that, a second track could finally be laid over Highway 347, and future high-speed crossovers could be installed at the CP east of the highway. In this forumist's opinion, UP would then return the CP SP899 EAST MARICOPA designation to its rightful box; PLUS leave the same designation at S.R. 347 with only eastbound holding signals thereat. BOTH the holding AND actual crossover CP signals would need to be lined for a holding signal to clear for an eastward movement, thus ensuring as much as possible an unobstructed Highway 347 grade crossing for emergency responders. Once an overpass or underpass was built, the holding signals would be removed.
While the above is obviously only conjectural, it is believed the concepts presented herein are both sound and meritorious.
It should be noted that the NEW south side crossing gates at Highway 347 are positioned for only single-track. However, there are also buried bases with screwing for quickly repositioning the newly erected crossing gates to new positions that would allow for two-tracks. The orange cone on the below photo's bottom shows one of those places.
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Arizona Report IV is scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, September 15 ... and get ready to hold your nose and breathe through your mouth ...
K. P.:
Thanks for these great photographic updates! After driving through Cowtown, I sure pity the track laying gangs that have to work there. People who work there full time have probably lost their sense of smell.
The last road trip I took between Tucson and Maricopa a couple of weeks ago indicated that there is absolutely no construction activity taking place. There were no Ames Construction vehicles or people evident. A couple of UP signal maintainers were working in one location, but that's all.
I imagine the State of Arizona didn't ask UP's "permission" to widen 347 either.
With the Highway Trust Fund running on empty, more communities are desperate for funding for railroad crossing improvements or elimination with grade separation structures; so the logical target is the big ol' robber-baron railroad. Somehow, it's the railroad's fault highway traffic increased ten-fold or more and emergency services need to get to new development across the tracks. Just saying, since this will only get worse for the railroads. There is a chance political pressure for grade separation could bring down the railroad industry - CN fighting for its life with the EJ&E is not that different than for Maricopa, AZ.
K.P.,
For the sake of simplification and maintenance, I wonder if they will eventually remove the crossover at SR 347 and use the first crossover west of Maricopa to put eastbound Amtrak on track 1?
John Timm
Arizona Report IV Section A
Heading east, this is at the "White & Parker Road" grade crossing at M.P. 901.5. It is an incredibly smelly location with fenced cattle everywhere southwest of the track ...When two-tracking workers finally get here, some may very much not like it. It took me hours afterward to air my car out completely!
Many tubular orange cable-like items are sticking out of the ground by electrical boxes.
There is plenty of the stuff.
Arizona Report IV Section B
This is a staging area near Bon
The wide area in the below three photos is somewhere near M.P. 912, give or take a mile or two in either direction, and appears to have been wide-graded and prepared for a future double-crossover CP location. A similar look was noted at [CP] ENID in Arizona Reports I, Section C.
Looking west ...
Crosswise.
View eastwardly.
Continue at Section C
Arizona Report IV Section C
Remember these two May photos at the Thornton Road grade crossing in Casa Grande at M.P. 917.4?
Everything has changed, and a CP box is now way away from the main. There is also some temporary CP box leveling jerry-rigged.
The above, used CP box placement, in being so far away from the tracks, seems illogical at this point in time. It had been suggested previously that holding signals would be put in here, but, apparently that won't be the case.
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Arizona Report V is scheduled to be posted the morning of Thursday, September 17, and briefly covers Red Rock and some odds and ends in Arizona.
desertdog K.P., For the sake of simplification and maintenance, I wonder if they will eventually remove the crossover at SR 347 and use the first crossover west of Maricopa to put eastbound Amtrak on track 1? John Timm
Desertdog (9-14):
I think what you are referring to is the dual-control TURNOUT (or switch) just west of S.R. 347, where single-track currently becomes two-tracks.
Yes, I believe the above turnout will eventually be eliminated, and the single-track east will be two-tracked.
Currently, a number of miles to the west, there is a two-track double-crossover at [CP] SP887 ENID. When all is said and done, the next double-crossover east should be [CP] SP899 EAST MARICOPA a number of street blocks to the east of S.R. 347. There will be four block sets, and three signal sets between ENID and EAST MARICOPA.
So, Amtrak Sunset Limited trains that are on Main 2 west of [CP] ENID or east of [CP] EAST MARICOPA would have to crossover to Main 1 to take on or discharge passengers at the Maricopa Amtrak stop. Of course, if Amtrak or some other entity paid for a concrete sidewalk platform between the tracks, either main could then be used, but this forum poster does not believe that will happen.
It should be noted that, as posted previously, the now in-service intermediates about two to two and a half miles west of the future [CP] EAST MARICOPA double-crossovers has an advance lower signal head turned aside. So, there will be no other crossover before the future [CP] EAST MARICOPA.
To have Amtrak limited to using only one track (of two) for a station stop is not that usual. In California, an eastbound Amtrak on Main 1 would have to crossover to Main 2 at [CP] WEST PALM SPRINGS and run a number of miles on Main 2 to [CP] GARNET, where the Amtrak would then head into a SIDING for the Palm Springs station stop (below photo). There is NO crossover at [CP] GARNET between Mains 1 and 2, only a south side siding switch off Main 2
After the Palm Springs station stop, an Amtrak would continue east on the siding to [CP] EAST GARGET where it would junction into a double-crossover, where it could be routed to either Main 1 or Main 2 to head east toward Arizona.
I hope, desertdog, the above broadens your understanding if you were not already aware of all this.
Take care.
K.P.
The Orange tubular items are polyvinyl conduit, used for burying cables. orange generally indicates communications vice power or gas (yellow). Fiber optic lines are typically run in conduit such as this...
These desert photos remind me I spent most of the daylight hours on the Builder and Southwest hoping for a rattlesnake sighting. It's a phobia and exaggerated, I'm sure. Even so I want to say watch your step.
I did mean "turnout" as opposed to "crossover" when referring to the switch at the present end of the second track at SR 347. Sorry for any confusion.
I agree that it is unlikely that Amtrak or anyone else will pour a second platform at Maricopa. Aside from the expense there is a question of safety. You don't want people standing on a platform with a live rail between them and the depot itself. Or you do as they do in suburban territory in Chicago which is to hold trains back when another is loading at a station. The answer is to bring the train closer to the depot and avoid either situation.
I am going to go out on a limb and speculate that the signal box at Casa Grande is sitting where it is because they will extend the yard eastward across Thornton Rd.
JSGreen (9-15):
Thank you for identifying the orange cable-like stuff as polyvinyl conduit. I would imagine that thick, black, multi-wire signal cable is threaded through it, thus keeping the actual cable protected and in like-new condition for decades.
HarveyK400 (9-15):
Your recommendation to watch our step for slithery creatures like rattlesnakes was absolutely excellent advice! I only saw a rattlesnake trackside but once, in Cajon Pass probably thirty years ago. Fortunately, it was seen at the last second, and we slowly backed up and went around it.
Desertdog (9-15):
Concerning the Thornton Road grade crossing area on the western side of Casa Grande (in the M.P. 917 area) ... You may have something there with extending at least one yard-like track eastward over the grade crossing. That would certainly keep switching movements off the eventual two mains.
The below file photo from May looks railroad east from Thornton Road. There IS grading on the right for such an extension.
From last year the whole Thornton Road area has somewhat baffled this poster. And, I could not figure out why they would potentially put short tracks in on the photo left. But, desertdog, might the clearing on the above photo's left actually be for a control point box governing double-crossovers just east of Thornton Road? Such would be about five miles east of the cleared land for a CP somewhere in the vicinity of M.P. 912 that was posted about with photos last Tuesday. IF, in fact, a double-crossover is put in here, in view of the severely cluttered background, it seems the east end of such a CP would be a good candidate for a cantilevered signal structure.
Notice the above Casa Grande similarity to the previously shown photo below of CP SP887 ENID.
It could prove worthwhile to keep an eye on the Thornton Road grade-crossing area.
Stay safe everyone.
Seems to me switching moves will tie up the Thornton Road crossing more than presently. That, along with increasing rail traffic, will bring the grade separation issue to a head.
HarveyK400 Seems to me switching moves will tie up the Thornton Road crossing more than presently. That, along with increasing rail traffic, will bring the grade separation issue to a head.
HarveyK400,
Without knowing the actual traffic count, Thornton Road is what I would call moderately busy. As a connector, it is certainly nowhere as busy as, say, SR347 over in Maricopa, or the main arteries right there in Casa Grande. However, if they were ever to widen it to four lanes, I could see a grade separation as a possibility at that point. The local governments have much more leverage than they used to in these matters.
As I look at the photos again, I wonder if the eastward extension across Thornton will more likely serve as a lead for the industry across the way (the plastics outfit that recently built a plant)?
I get down that way every 4-6 weeks so I will take another look--and perhaps some photos, as well.
HarveyK400 (9-16):
It is doubtful anything plus or minus switching-wise will really change in Casa Grande.
The below WEST facing photo from Thornton Road is re-shown.
Currently, any movement into the spurs (if they are such) on the photo's background left fowls the main. Since laying a second main will disrupt things so much, UP may be thinking that they will fix the matter once and for all by simply laying a separate access track in addition to the second main. In that way both mains would be totally free flowing while a perhaps once a day brief switching moves took place on the new switching track.
Desertdog (9-16):
I think you may be onto what will happen with the "lead" idea.
I look forward to your assessment report of the Thornton Road area of Casa Grande whenever you can get down that way.
Best,
Arizona Report V Section A
Nightfall befell this poster in his travels. But this Casa Grande signal with two heads on one mast caught the eye, and the camera was taken out again for a few more shots ... It was much darker out than it appears in this photo ... Can you believe this was a hand-held photo! Unbelievable!
The next morning Red Rock was visited, site of a future classification yard. Area ‘inhabitants' weren't very friendly and didn't say much ... It is unknown if the below graze land will be bulldozed or not for the new Red Rock Yard.
Nothing had changed at the site ... Except it was pouring rain off and on. There is a short distance between the freeway frontage road and the tracks. On the upper right, the grading MAY be for a future control point.
After the above last two photos were shot, this poster headed back to California.
Arizona Report V Section B
Some Odds and Ends
At Gila Bend, AZ, an unusual arrangement was stumbled upon. There are not too many places where intermediate signals are BETWEEN siding switches, as below. Photo looks east ... The freeway overpass in the distance only has room for two-tracks when the second main is finally laid through here.
There was a CTC office in Gila Bend, believe it or not. Assumedly, that sign meant a signal department.
At Wellton, AZ the line from Phoenix curves back into the Sunset Route. From years ago a semi two-track / double-track situation begins here and goes as such for several miles to the west, or photo right. That trackage is semi-mountainous, and previously there was some talk circulating about a rerouting the Sunset Route to eliminate slow running curvature, but this poster has not heard anything further on this subject.
The secondary through line from Phoenix has been out of service and mothballed for years. There has been some talk of reopening the line, but that was before the current economic downturn. At this western end (looking east), the line is still in service to handle local shippers. But mud that has covered over the ties shows that little, if any, maintenance is carried on. Once the Sunset Route's Picacho to Wellton section is two-tracked fully, reopening the line via Phoenix would in essence give UP a triple-track line between those points.
Arizona Report V Section C
Additional Odds and Ends
This is the roundabout line via Phoenix, at the Highway 84 southbound grade crossing: Looking east.
A telephone from the same spot the above photo was shot at. The secondary line has only jointed rail. The still in service rails here are shiny. An industry is serviced on the left. The Automatic Block Signals (ABS) still work, but spend the overwhelming majority of their time in dark mode.
Back in May, the same ABS signal was lit for unknown reasons! Note the circular nature of the tri-light on the right, and the two-lamb vertical on the left. The distant right-of-way seems to be semi-overgrown with weeds.
Looking west: Another industrial spur.
In 1995, Amtrak's Sunset Limited, via Phoenix back then, traversed these very rails. On a fateful night within an hour west of where these photos were shot, the Sunset Limited met up with the successful efforts of a saboteur(s). There was one fatality in the resulting pileup. The case has never been solved and reportedly is still open.
As was mentioned in Section B above, it is unknown if this line will ever be reopened to through traffic. If it does reopen, it is unknown whether Amtrak's Sunset Limited would ever return to its original route via Phoenix. It would seem Union Pacific would be anxious to have it do so. That would leave the Sunset Route between Picacho and Wellton unhindered by somewhat incompatible speedier passenger trains. It would seem that for Amtrak to get to service such a high population center as Phoenix again would be too tempting to pass up. But Amtrak's investment in a station stop in half hour away Maricopa on the actual and quicker Sunset Route argues against such.
This will end the Arizona Reports series.
Where Have All the Diamonds Gone?
Update as of Saturday, September 19, 2009:
The four new crossing diamonds that had suddenly appeared at Colton, CA have seemed to have now disappeared!
Inspection of the crossing from a distance indicates that NO light blue insulated joint markings are present on any of the diamond trackage, so the new crossings may NOT have been installed but rather carted away.
(Traditionally, BNSF [ex-Santa Fe, nee California Southern] has always been responsible for maintaining the crossing and signals thereat.)
Odd Yellow over Green and Yellow over Yellow Signaling near West Colton Yard, CA
Five photos are the basis of this post:
PHOTO "A":
This is on the Palmdale Cutoff, at the north end of the SLOVER siding just north of West Colton Yard. Southbound is from right to left. Note that the top head only has two bulbs, yellow and red. The bottom head SHOULD have only two bulbs, but has three.
PHOTO "B":
This is the south end of the SLOVER siding. The two new standing signals face northward for southbound trains. The photo was taken June 6 this year during signaling transition. The old signals that stood here for years are about to be carted away in the big cutover shindig that day. To the right, the line is single-track over the I-10 Freeway.
PHOTO "C":
These are the south facing signals of the south end of SLOVER, each signal governing movement FROM a leg of the Wye. (The East Leg is on the left, the West on the right.) Note the lower heads have the standard siding arrangement, only two bulbs, yellow and red. These south end signals are the counterpart to PHOTO "A" shot at the north end of SLOVER siding.
PHOTO "D":
The TOP LEFT track is the East Leg of the Wye. That track junctions into Main 1 of the Sunset Route on the right.
PHOTO "E":
The West Leg of the Wye (top left, steep lowering track) junctions into Sunset Route Main 2.
Applications and Explanations:
The following details SOUTHBOUND movements ONLY, and is explained in a reverse, south to north manor.
A southbound off the Palmdale Cutoff (assuming the signals are lined and the track ahead is clear for several blocks), at either CP SP537 (PHOTO "D") or CP SP535 (PHOTO "E") would get a red over green indication. (The TOP head of each signal only has one bulb, red.)
At the south end of the SLOVER siding (PHOTO "B"), for EITHER AN EAST OR WEST LEG OF THE WYE ROUTING, a train would get a YELLOW OVER YELLOW display!!! No routing distinction is made! Years ago under Southern Pacific wiring, a high green would be for a swooping East Leg routing, whereas red over green would be displayed for a sharper West Leg routing. But, no more!
At the north end of SLOVER (PHOTO "A"), if the south end is lined for the West Leg, then a flashing yellow over red displays. If an EAST LEG routing is lined at the south end of SLOVER, the north SLOVER signal should display YELLOW OVER GREEN!
Since the latter routing is rare these days, and such routed trains would undoubtedly have to change crews, for a train to actually see a yellow over green indication at the north end of SLOVER is likely to be very, very rare. But, since the routing is possible, the yellow over green equipment is present. Or, maybe the circuitry isn't there ... yet!
It should be noted that since train crews seem to be unaware of any yellow over green indication at SLOVER, as well as such in the Indio area, yellow over green aspects MAY NOT currently be in effect, but could be used sometime in the future.
The 50 M.P.H yellow over green aspects, as per official UP documents, if used now or in the future, thus takes on an oddly maverick role at SLOVER. Immediately north of SLOVER (ahead of the yellow over green signal in question), trains are limited to 40 M.P.H. Between the north and south ends of SLOVER, the mainline speed limit is only 30 M.P.H. On either leg of the Wye (the ONLY two possibilities) ALL trains are limited to 15 M.P.H.!
Thus, an indication normally informing of a 50 M.P.H. situation ahead when only 15 M.P.H. can be used is odd indeed!
Since a south end of SLOVER yellow over yellow does not now distinguish for a train crew which routing a train is routed to, a yellow over green at the north end of SLOVER would be how a train crew could know that an East Leg routing was lined for them at the south end of SLOVER.
Well, it is good to see that the UP is FINALLY doing something on the "Sunset Route". I have never been a SP or UP fan, for good reason. I did take Amtrak from Montana to Tucson a couple of years ago. The trip on the "Coast Starlight" was okay. We were only four-hours late into LAX, having spent an inordinate amount of time in sidings awaiting freights, south (east?) of Oakland. The next day's "Sunset Limited" crawled out of LAX and we made Tucson at a time within reason. No complaints. Upon my return, things "went south". #2 arrived, almost on-time, without my sleeper (B/O'd at El Paso). Anyhoo, we sat (me. literally) in the TUS station while FIVE westbound freights passed us! Needless to say, there was no connection at LAX with #14.
The Amtrak "Thruway Bus" to Bakersfield was quite pleasant. The "San Joaquin" (BFD-MTZ) was a joy! Got to MTZ a couple of hours before #14 arrived. The rest of the trip, on into PDX, was, again, a lot of "siding time". I, for one, was very happy to regain BNSF rails out of PDX and take priority over lumber loads.
"There ought to be a law!". Well, there is, but it is not enforced. Too bad.
Bill Hays -- wdh@mcn.net Shelby, MT
P. S.: I hope the "two-tracking" helps, but an attitude adjustment in Omaha would be better!
BNSFwatcher"There ought to be a law!". Well, there is, but it is not enforced.
OTOH today Amtrak runs pretty close to ontime on western UP rails. The Coast line has always been problematic - too few long sidings. The Yuma sub that the Sunset Limited runs on shouldn't be a problem (mostly 8000 ft sidings) except when near capacity.
UP management is typical of large corporations - can't see the forest for the trees - not my budget/pot of money. Running dispatching excessively lean in Omaha is just plain brain dead stupid - the crews running trains aren't making minimum wage!!
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! ***
Part A (of A-C)
This three-part update is as of Tuesday, September 22, 2009:
Follow-Up: Colton Crossing, CA
View from the Valley Blvd. grade crossing in Colton, looking south. BNSF Transcon rails are in the forefront, the UP Sunset Route is by the CP boxes. The transition track between the routes is in the background with the double-stack on it. Between the routes where a few odds and ends are present, the new crossing replacement diamonds that use to be there are now gone.
Light blue insulated joints marked those new, uninstalled diamonds. The diamonds presently in place at Colton Crossing have old, rust markings, NOT a light blue coating.
Yellow over Green
These are the southbound signals at the south end of SLOVER siding (during old and new signals transition), as previously posted. Notice that the lower heads on both masts each have FOUR bulbs. It was previously explained about a yellow over yellow indication being displayed for BOTH a West Leg of the Wye routing as well as an East Leg routing.
Because the next signal at either SP535 PEPPER (West Leg) or SP537 BYPASS (East Leg) only has a "red over" indication, to have a yellow over green at the south end of SLOVER would be rather un-conforming, but MAY be used nonetheless to distinguish an East Leg routing from a West Leg routing. There seems to be no other logical reason to have a lower head green bulb at the south end of SLOVER. This contributor is quite certain that the bulb in question is green, and not, perhaps, a flashing purple!
(To cover all the bases, a yellow over lunar displays at the south end of SLOVER when a red over flashing red indication is at the bottom of the West Leg of the Wye, at SP535 PEPPER for entering the yard thereat instead of at the normal yard entrance of Cedar Ave at few miles the west.)
Loaded Cable
At the signal facility at Colton, this fenced in parked truck and trailer was observed with plenty of signal cable on it. Presently, the only feasible destinations seemed to be West Colton Yard or Pomona.
Continue at Part B
Part B (of A-C)
Swarming West Colton Yard
On Tuesday, September 22, West Colton Yard was again swarmed with UP workers and equipment. The following attempts to give a feel of that blitz phenomenon ...
Equipment traverses a narrow residential alleyway trackside at CP SP538 RANCHO.
A new yard control box of some sort was put in west of Pepper Ave.
Congregated equipment and vehicles were by SP535 PEPPER.
Continue at Part C
Part C (of A-C)
Scattered throughout the east end of the Departure Yard, there was plenty of activity.
This poster briefly initially checked out Pepper Ave., where there was much equipment but few workers around. Then traveled to the downtown Colton area and photographed a portion of Part A. Then Pepper Ave was revisited. Just as this poster arrived, hence not photographed, was an after lunch gathering. About 25 workers had been huddled together for, assumedly, a job briefing and further assignments, etc. Then they all scattered to their assignments.
One Has to Wonder ...
West Colton Yard, in the big master plan, will eventually be the Sunset Route westbound classification yard, whereas the future Red Rock Yard in Arizona will be the counterpart eastbound classification yard. In light of the present down economy, one has to wonder if the planned 2010 construction on Red Rock will start as scheduled or be postponed and delayed.
The above previously displayed photo shows Red Rock now. It is hard to imagine a classification yard going in somewhere by grazing cattle!
Nor, the effect Red Rock will have on the crew change and inspection tracks put in at Tucson.
Or, even the effect on train crew districts (and their homes) that Red Rock will have. Red Rock is only about 35 miles from Tucson.
Change happens. This forumist can remember when West Colton Yard did not exist! A time when the background LEFT main in the photo below did not jog, but was only single-track and went straight to the main alignment on the foreground RIGHT, where the double-stack cars are at. Believe it or not, the location below was once an open rural area! The five-lane Riverside Ave. overpass the below photo was shot from was once just a two-lane, ground-level grade crossing. Within 200 feet (to the photo right) past that single-track was a stop sign, at the intersecting with Highway 99, which is now Interstate 10. Oh, how times have changed!
The big change coming for Red Rock, AZ should be something to behold! But, Red Rock Yard will probably be a very small classification yard, with much, much room for expansion. It seems that West Colton Yard, when rebuilt completely, will still have the same humping numbers until Red Rock opens, and thereafter the numbers will obviously be cut in near half.
The above photo shows a portion of the new CP SP535 PEPPER at West Colton Yard. This forum contributor has not seen a high green yet at this new signal, though it is such quite often for trains departing eastbound for Arizona and points east. If railfan photographers are anywhere near West Colton Yard, it might be a good idea to come over and try to get a photo of THIS signal in high green mode. When the eastbound Red Rock Yard in Arizona opens and West Colton is only a westbound facility, photos of such high greens here will probably be almost collect's items!
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