Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
This is the most extreme example of approach-lit wayside signals I have ever seen!
K. P. HarrierUpdate as of Friday, December 11, 2009: (Part IV of V) West Colton Yard, CA This forumist visited Pepper Ave. at West Colton Yard in the early evening and noted that an EASTBOUND had just been route lined switch-wise (the orange switch light on the photo bottom). The eastbound went under Pepper Ave. and stopped because of a DARK OVER DARK signal! The vertical reflective light underneath the two signal heads is only the "Begin CTC" sign. After a few minutes, apparently the signal was manually turned on at some unknown location, and it displayed yellow over red. Since the signal stayed yellow over red until the train went past the signal, apparently a cross-traffic BNSF was lined over the Colton Crossing, and the above train had to wait at [CP] RANCHO a mile to the east. Continued in Part V.
Update as of Friday, December 11, 2009:
(Part IV of V)
West Colton Yard, CA
This forumist visited Pepper Ave. at West Colton Yard in the early evening and noted that an EASTBOUND had just been route lined switch-wise (the orange switch light on the photo bottom).
The eastbound went under Pepper Ave. and stopped because of a DARK OVER DARK signal! The vertical reflective light underneath the two signal heads is only the "Begin CTC" sign.
After a few minutes, apparently the signal was manually turned on at some unknown location, and it displayed yellow over red.
Since the signal stayed yellow over red until the train went past the signal, apparently a cross-traffic BNSF was lined over the Colton Crossing, and the above train had to wait at [CP] RANCHO a mile to the east.
Continued in Part V.
CShaveRRI doubt that the frog is forced open by the flange (certainly not in a facing-point movement!), but is rather thrown open when the switch is lined for the diverging route. This may or may not be accomplished by a separate switch machine.
This is the first instance I've seen of a sprung frog used for a medium speed diverging route or crossover. This should be no surprise since the South Shore had a number of 40-45 mph spring switches at passing sidings before CTC was installed.
Sprung frogs were used more typically for low-speed sidings off mainlines and mainline crossovers, a C&NW, and other's, practice. As with a spring switch, the flange does indeed force open the rail on a sprung frog, both facing and trailing. In later years, most were replaced with solid frogs along with relaying heavier, 115# & 136# rail.
Only recently the UP has installed movable point (nose), machine-powered, frogs for medium speed #20 mainline crossovers on the Transcon similar to those in the photos around Colton, CA.
Locomatt63 (12-13):
Thanks for posting the photo links to the Maricopa, AZ activity.
The second photo of the second link was a treasure! It was felt that the alignment shift would take place in the Spring, but it is taking place NOW! That is great to know!
I have to wonder if the track machinery, when they are done in Arizona, will come to Pomona, CA for reportedly some big track pow-wow there in January.
MikeF90 (12-13):
And your link must have brought back memories for SP fans at the forum ...
As a kid, the few times my parents brought me to Pomona, I remember seeing SP switchers on the SP side setting out and picking up cars throughout Pomona. I never saw such on the LA&SL side, though.
Today, under one unified railroad, switching power now works BOTH the SP and LA&SL sides, and units are in very strange configurations, as seen above. Likely, such weird combinations are to meet Federal regulations mandating that all sets of power must have at least one working restroom on board, and switch engines are notorious for lacking such.
In the photo above, as you know MikeF90, the third track from the bottom is currently unused, and is actually unconnected to the mainlines. Because the signal bridge on the top right has signals for four tracks, likely that unused track will be relaid (spoken of previously in this thread as the "mystery track") and become one of four mains in the future, at least that is how I see it anyway ... but I don't anticipate the reported pow-wow in January to affect that track, at least east of the signal bridge. Is that the way you perceive things, MikeF90?
CShaveRR (12-14):
Believe it or not, as HarveyK400 stated in his post above this one, the flange does in fact force a path through the tightly closed frog. If you study the frog area of the below re-posted photo, the diverging rail has a number of heavily loaded spring tension areas against it. The weight of the locomotive or freight / passenger car on flanged wheels forces the heavily spring tensioned rail back, and the wheel goes through a path for it.
Such a mechanical process is difficult for anyone to see in this post 9-11 environment. Twenty years ago when one could be trackside in the middle of nowhere, train crews would trill at seeing a friendly human with a camera, and smile and wave, but no more. So it is very difficult for a non-railroader to see such frogs in action as I once could. My memories, though, from long ago during better times are vivid, so rest assured that the description painted herein is the way it is ...
Interestingly, in "A Side Note About Switches" in my 12-14 post that you, CShaveRR, replied to, it was stated that it is unknown if other switches on the Sunset Route two-tracking has those movable frogs. In hindsight, the though is somewhat in error. In the November 2007 TRAINS article on the Sunset Route, a photo on page 38 thereof shows a "movable POINT" frog. Movable point frogs require TWO switch motors. So, LA&SL lines seem to use one type of frog (with one switch motor) while the SP lines use another (with two switch motors).
The recently installed LA&SL turnout in downtown Pomona that presently goes nowhere seemingly only has ONE switch motor. So, because the future [CP] AL514 HAMILTON will likely encompass both LA&SL and SP lines, will the CP have BOTH types of 50 M.P.H. turnouts? If reports are true, we should get the answers by February 2010, but I am only keeping my fingers crossed ...
Take care all.
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.
K. P. Harrier...CShaveRR (12-14): Believe it or not, as HarveyK400 stated in his post above this one, the flange does in fact force a path through the tightly closed frog. If you study the frog area of the below re-posted photo, the diverging rail has a number of heavily loaded spring tension areas against it. The weight of the locomotive or freight / passenger car on flanged wheels forces the heavily spring tensioned rail back, and the wheel goes through a path for it. Such a mechanical process is difficult for anyone to see in this post 9-11 environment. Twenty years ago when one could be trackside in the middle of nowhere, train crews would trill at seeing a friendly human with a camera, and smile and wave, but no more. So it is very difficult for a non-railroader to see such frogs in action as I once could. My memories, though, from long ago during better times are vivid, so rest assured that the description painted herein is the way it is ... Interestingly, in "A Side Note About Switches" in my 12-14 post that you, CShaveRR, replied to, it was stated that it is unknown if other switches on the Sunset Route two-tracking has those movable frogs. In hindsight, the though is somewhat in error. In the November 2007 TRAINS article on the Sunset Route, a photo on page 38 thereof shows a "movable POINT" frog. Movable point frogs require TWO switch motors. So, LA&SL lines seem to use one type of frog (with one switch motor) while the SP lines use another (with two switch motors). ... Take care all. K.P.
...
Another note on the spring frogs: The sprung rail used to be a separate piece of stock rail with joint bars at the toe block visible in front of (nearest the camera) the point of the frog. Just as switch rails now are welded up and bend, so apparently does this sprung frog.
I could be wrong; but I don't expect that a substantial volume of traffic would use this turnout. A guard rail keeps the wheels from spreading the sprung rail and picking the frog. As it is, you can see the wear from worn wheels riding over the spring rail and frog in the short time it has been in service. I should live so long to see the results.
In any event, there is one less switch machine and wiring to drive up costs. A heater might be just as advisable as for a movable point frog in cold climates.
K. P. HarrierAs you know ... the third track from the bottom is currently unused, and is actually unconnected to the mainlines. Because the signal bridge on the top right has signals for four tracks, likely that unused track will be relaid (spoken of previously in this thread as the "mystery track") and become one of four mains in the future, at least that is how I see it anyway ... but I don't anticipate the reported pow-wow in January to affect that track, at least east of the signal bridge.
The location of that former setout track at White Ave could be used for a new RH crossover at CP Hamilton between the two subs. Unless they've put in footings for new signaling masts (and those big 'shacks' seen in storage), in January they might just cut over the diversion with some pinned (inactive) turnouts. We'll see ...
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! ***
Found an interesting article about spring frogs.
Thanks for the dedication K.P. and company!!
K.P./Desertdog: UPDATED PICS OF NEW "CP East Maricopa" and the double tracking of SR347 finally.
follow the links for updated pictures of NEW happenings in the "AZ"....Matt
http://www.westcoastrailforums.com/view_topic.php?id=3399&forum_id=73
http://www.westcoastrailforums.com/view_topic.php?id=3400&forum_id=73
Stored Power
At West Colton Yard in California, there is a long line of stored power recently moved from the Receiving Yard to the Departure Yard. In the below photo shot Monday, December 14, 2009, I personally have not been able to determine if the line has shrunk or expanded.
Compare the above new photo to the one below (that was posted a week earlier). The easternmost (photo closest) units are different in each view.
Anyone have an opinion on this?
rdamon (12-16):
You are very welcome! And, thank you for the great link on spring frogs.
After reading the article, I have to wonder if UP will start using spring frogs on the second half of the Sunset Route two-tracking instead of moveable point fogs that they have been using.
A spring frog in action is something to see. Hopefully, that "something to see" can be captured and conveyed photographically to the forum soon for those unfamiliar with them.
locomatt63 (12-16):
Desertdog replied, "Great photos, Matt!" I'll second that.
The big surprise for me was that the single-track EAST of the new [CP] EAST MARICOPA did not go straight west and connect to Main 2, but rather, alignment shifted instead to Main 1.
Stay safe.
K.P. Like you, I am a little mystified about the way they connected up the tracks east of CP East Maricopa. What mystifies me even more is why they even bothered to replace the GRS searchlight signals by the depot with new, hooded signals and then, a few months later, took them out altogether. The only reason I can come up with is that they were still in negotiations with the State over the SR347 crossing issue and had no date certain for resolving it, so they decided to replace the signal as long as they had men and materials handy.John Timm
Hello K.P. and Desertdog, yes it is quite interesting in the way they hooked it all together so far, but things may "straighten out" some, when they get ALL of the CP East Maricopa double crossover put together and start laying track east from that point, because the graded area is on the NORTH side of the present single track main. Desertdog, I believe that was a "temporary switch" west of 347 and I think they installed it after they got the new rail west of town to reach town, but not cross 347.
I still think that the way everything has been put together and to get the "jog" out of the rail just east of the depot, is far in the future they are leaving an "option" to add a switch east of the station and another west of 347 and give the depot its own "dedicated" siding where the "silver horizon" was supposed to be situated as the Maricopa depot. That being the Idea of a possible commuter service that the Maricopa Association of Goverments are talking about. The commuter service would connect Tucson, Maricopa, Yuma, Casa Grande, Phoenix, Buckeye and Gilbert. They are also throwing around Ideas about Phoenix - Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angles.
I will look for the information and post it to a seperate thread/post of the main page and you may look it over...Matt
As of Wednesday, December 16, 2009:
Part I (of II)
Cleaning-Up Some Construction at West Colton Yard, by Colton, CA
In revamping West Colton Yard, the Balloon area in recent months has acquired a sort of junkyard appearance. But UP is now cleaning some of that up!
Two SD70ACe's head up a work train on the Balloon. While both Sunset Route mains are out of view, the new Main 1 is to the left, Main 2 is to the right. Note the pile of ties on the lower right. The cleanup mainly dealt with metals. The lowering track in the background (above the SD70ACe's) is off the Palmdale Cutoff (out view on the left).
An orange claw-like machine was dumping old debris into gondolas on the Balloon. Sunset Route Main #2 is the lower of the three tracks on the center right. It is also barely visible in the right bottom corner. Note the now paved access road crossing underneath the end gondola's truck.
Another heavy equipment item, this time yellow, was also working the scene. The CP SP535 PEPPER house is in the lower left.
Continued in Part II.
Part II (of II)
Misc. Items of Interest, West Colton Yard
Many yard switches are presently clearly identified with hand drawn markings. Some have obviously temporary orange cones beside them. These yard switches, for those unfamiliar with West Colton Yard, are unlike normal slow moving motorized mainline turnouts. They are thrown and change position instantaneously. For good reason the railroad doesn't want any trespassers in the yard!
Workers in a group (one was the important lookout, of course) were observed going from switch to switch and taking considerable time working on each of those switches.
Even other workers were presumably doing more wiring inside the new yard 'house' west of Pepper Ave.
While it was not overpowering, the many, many scattered workers here and there was clearly noticeable from the norm.
---------------
Those unfamiliar with spring frog switches may fined Monday's photo explanation to be mind broadening.
Spring Frog Switches
With the rebuilding of Southern California's West Colton Yard on the Sunset Route, some (but not all) switches were replaced with spring frog types. Within the throat tracks on each side of Pepper Ave. are a number of those unusual frogs, some so positioned that they are easily publicly photographed. For those that may be unfamiliar with them, the following photos and captions attempt to convey the wonder of those sometimes hard to comprehend turnout frogs.
A down-on view. Photo left is south, right is north, and SHINY rail designations herein are from the top left to top right, in a wheels on an axle order. There is the south TURNOUT route rail (1, far left), with the wheel flange to the right of the rail. The axle goes over to the third (3) rail, with the flange on the left of the rail Then, in STRAIGHT rail mode, the flange is also to the right (2). The axle goes across to the fourth (4) rail, with the flange to the left. It should be remembered that the wheel edge surfaces are normally wider than the rail head surfaces themselves.
As a railcar truck (hypothetically from a top to bottom basis) passes within the turnout route (1 and 3), the north flange quickly moves the rail (2) over (left), which can go no farther than screwed down stoppers (two of such are on the photo top left). The flange then passes BETWEEN the blocked rail (left) and a pointed rail (lower center bottom). The flange misses the pointed rail because of the DULL rail that closely parallels the left SHINY rail (1) in the first photo above.
In comparing the second photo above with the below photo, notice how the frog is pushed open as wheels force the rail over.
As the wheel quickly leaves (leftward), because of heavy spring compression, the pushed over rail super quickly returns to its original closed position.
Overall, the spring frog switch gives a remarkably smooth ride, because there is ALWAYS some part of the wheel on the railhead, unlike the thunk-thunk that one hears on traditional frogs as the flanges go THROUGH them. And, spring frog switches work equally well when passed through in the opposition direction. Notice how the left end of that movable rail is bent out slightly to accommodate wheels traversing the turnout in the opposite direction, which wheels quickly ease the frog rail over too.
It is hoped the above visually helps those unfamiliar with the simplistic marvel of a spring frog switch to comprehend them.
--------------
Coming the afternoon of Tuesday, December 22, 2009: Photos of what is currently going on in the Diversion at Pomona, CA.
Update as of Saturday, December 19, 2009:
Pomona, CA
Part I (of I-III)
An examination was made of the progress on the Diversion between west of Temple Ave. and Hamilton Blvd. The following are the results ...
East from the Temple Ave. overpass: Serious grading is now being made.
The construction under and immediately around the 57 Freeway overpass is so complete that the fine grain material in advance of ballast has been laid.
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-III)
West of Humane Way, heavy grading for the foruth-track is now clearly evident. The heavy walling to prevent the fourth track from collapsing under the weight of trains into the waterway has been completed and covered over.
The flood control modification still has temporary wood railings.
East of Humane Way, the finely laid graded material that was thinly spread appears ready to have track laid on it.
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-III)
Another view looking east from Humane Way. The not straight track looks warped in a heavily compressed telephoto. Just left of the warped looking track and immediately under the overpass, is the view of [CP] ROSELAWN, which is STILL in service. Note the new track also has NOT been finally positioned YET, but goes around the CP mast signals beyond the highway overpass.
Graffiti artists must be thinking it helps the economy to buy large quantities of such cans of paint for their unskilled artwork. The box is for the signals on the signal bridges on each side of Humane Way. The base of the west signal bridge is in the upper right.
Note the two straight, green lines on the ground on each side of the control box.
Exactly what the green lines are for is unknown. Perhaps the railroad is being forced to erect a barbed wire fence around the not-in-service yet CP box to prevent graffiti.
Lastly ... West Colton Yard
A follow-up tidbit about tractors ...
The small fleet of the Sunset Route's West Colton Yard tractor-like work-dogs by Pepper Ave. had the weekend off, and were huddled together. Apparently, this is a regular staging area for such equipment.
In the above photo, the far west end of the Departure Yard (by Riverside Ave.) is on the background top right, and the engine maintenance shop building is on the background top center.
Update as of Monday, December 28, 2009:
Colton Diamonds Replaced
Colton, CA
Apparently on a slow railroad day of the week, today, a Monday, all the diamonds at the Colton Crossing were replaced at one time. The new diamonds came from seemingly nowhere! Notice the light blue joint paint that show these are new diamonds.
On the above photo, the UP Sunset Route to Texas is the foreground tracks on the left. The foreground tracks on the right is BNSF Railway's Transcon to Chicago. Both background tracks go to Los Angeles over different routes.
This forum contributor first stumbled upon the event at about 7:45 A.M. PST on the way to take care of personal business. A very high crane seemingly as high as the sky was present, with a lessor, but high boom crane on site also.
A return to the site was made probably around 9:30 A.M., and the tall crane was mostly taken down. Workers were all over the diamonds. View looks eastward toward Texas. Notice the light blue insulated joints on the BNSF cross-rails
Afterward, numerous ten-ton weights (for the crane) were being loaded and repeatedly trucked away.
The crossing site as viewed from the west.
Besides the contracted crane outfit workers and vehicles, there were many Union Pacific railroad vehicles, but seemingly NO workers or vehicles on the scene from BNSF. View looks southwest.
From over 125 years ago California Southern, which was superseded by Santa Fe Railway, and subsequently by BNSF Railway, has ALWAYS been responsible for maintaining the crossing. BUT, AS SEEN IN THESE PHOTOS, UNION PACIFIC WAS DOING THE REPLACING! Also, exactly why the diamonds were installed on the same alignment as before is somewhat perplexing, especially if a flyover bridge (of whatever has been decided upon) will soon be built so that there will be no crossing whatsoever.
However strange all this is, at least you quickly got to know something happened at the Colton Crossing this date!
A Few Other Items from Monday, December 28, 2009:
The West Colton Yard Area
You may remember these stored units now in the Departure Yard from a post earlier in December. They had been moved from Track 201 in the Receiving Yard.
After several personal trips by the Yard over several weeks, it was finally discerned the cars were in some kind of storage.
Below is a closeup from a different angle.
Exactly what the seemingly loaded cars are for is unknown. A few possibilities come to mind: (1) Equipment for transporting windmills (out of Colton perhaps), though the supports seem to be facing the wrong way; or (2) maybe large piping supports needed for relocating lengthy piping on one or more Sunset Route bridges for new two-tracking somewhere in Southern California or Arizona. Outside of that, this poster has no idea what the stored cars on Track 201 are all about.
The new Cypress Ave. overpass in Fontana is coming along fine. View looks west from Sierra Ave.
It will be interesting to see if UP lays two new tracks west (to match the new signal bridge's four signals) after the supporting woodwork for the overpass construction is no longer needed and removed.
CShaveRRThe reporting marks on these flat cars are TTYX, which suggests that they are indeed for the transportation of windmill components. The last load of the car in question (which is actually a two-unit pair of former pig flats) was turbine parts, so I presume that these cradles each carry one of the windmill's hubs, or a portion thereof.
Dan
Here is a story from last week's Maricopa Monitor. It does not tell us a lot more than we already know about construction along the Sunset Route, but it confirms a lot of speculation:
http://www.trivalleycentral.com/articles/2009/12/30/maricopa_monitor/news/doc4b325f8c32826505550167.txt
John Timm
On November 24th, John Timm wrote:
desertdog... farther down the way at the Rillito River crossing in Tucson, a pile driver is now in position and over the past week has driven several steel piles into the river bed.John Timm
... farther down the way at the Rillito River crossing in Tucson, a pile driver is now in position and over the past week has driven several steel piles into the river bed.
I went by that area on the frontage road, which allows up-close viewing, on 27 December. Six or more sets of four steel pilings have been driven into the riverbed, with steel crossbeams welded or rivited to the tops. The entire structure has wood scaffolding and forms around it, indicating that the beams are soon to be encased in concrete, forming a new bridge to support a second track.
This may be the last construction along the line until the economy improves. Evidence is that UP crews are performing all of this work instead of the Ames Railroad Construction contractor.
Update as of Saturday, January 3, 2010:
The Diversion, Pomona, CA
Part I (of III)
On a visit on the above date, the Diversion grading seemed complete, unlike it was only two weeks ago. Saturday's view below looks eastbound from Temple Ave.
In the above photo, the 57 Freeway is on the background top. On the foreground bottom left is black pavement on a lower level than the track grading.
The above black pavement seems to be only in the immediate vicinity of the Temple Ave overpass, and MAY be to insure the ground underneath the highly trafficked key overpass stays stable during heavy rains. On the photo right top is the shadow of the overpass's fence ironwork.
There is also new black pavement by a business close to the 57 Freeway.
In a surprise development, the dirt road grade crossing for UP personnel and construction workers just beyond (east of) the 57 Freeway has had crossing gates installed. The one on the north side, as seen in this view, is partially on the alignment of the yet to be laid fourth track. A DPU unit shoves an eastbound on the background right.
Part II (of III)
You may recall this west looking view from Humane Way two weeks ago, and the deep grading for the fourth-track then evident.
As with the Temple Ave area grading, the grading around Humane Way now seems complete too, or nearly so.
Part III (of III)
Concerning Signals
Near downtown Pomona, at the end of Myrtle Street (on the north side of the tracks, two blocks west of Hamilton Blvd.), this view looks west toward [CP] ROSELAWN. The [CP] ROSELAWN signal to the right (NOT the far right edge) is for the track transitioning from the SP side (foreground track). You may recall that when the Diversion is all finished, [CP] ROSELAWN will be eliminated.
As with most of the the photos in Parts I and II, the above photo was shot this past Saturday. Somewhere about a year and a half ago this forum contributor saw the RIGHT of the two old [CP] ROSELAWN signals facing the camera displaying yellow over yellow repeatedly for a continuous line of westbounds off the SP to the LA&SL.
As seen from the below photo shot westward from Temple Ave. back at the end of October, 2009, the very NEXT signal beyond [CP] ROSELAWN is NOT an absolute, but an intermediate on a mast (background right).
So, a yellow over yellow at [CP] ROSELAWN must repeat the intermediate west of Temple Ave.!
In the future, what will correspond to the two east facing [CP] ROSELAWN signals (that will soon be eliminated) in the first photo above will be the east facing intermediates on the new, not in service yet signals on the east signal bridge at Humane Way. On the below, previously shown May 2009 photo the third and fourth signals back correspond to LA&SL Mains 1 and 2 respectively.
Whether those two signals will display a repeated yellow over yellow too, or yellow over green, is unknown at this time.
Coming Wednesday afternoon, January 6, 2010: LA&SL: Montebello, CA.
LA&SL: Montebello, CA
Part A (of A-B)
From the west side of the Montebello / Commerce Metrolink stop, looking west at LA&SL's [CP] GARFIELD AVE. This use to be a single-track line, with the track on the right being the original alignment. That track still has wood ties.
The commuter stop is in a beautiful setting with palm trees. View looks eastward.
The east side of the Metrolink Montebello / Commerce stop, again looking west.
For historical buffs, in 2004, the famous Montclair (east of Pomona) to Commerce super speedy runway occurred, on a downhill all the way grade, and the resulting deliberate derailment pileup happened not far WEST of this Metrolink station stop.
Continued in Part B
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