Update as of January 30, 2016
The Diversion Scene
Pomona, CA
Part II (of I-VI)
On the south side of the tracks is 1st Street, with temporary ‘No Parking’ signs, that indicated something will happen here on both sides of the street OVERNIGHT in early February.
K.P. does not believe the No Parking is railroad related per se. A search of the Internet found nothing, BUT, there was a year or so ago an overnight movie shoot in the area. Something like that fits the present situation very well, and may be what those signs are all about.
Continued in Part III
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
Part III (of I-VI)
Near the pipeline relocation site, on the SOUTH side of both the SP and LA&SL tracks, is a parking lot. K.P. in the past has found the public parking lot convenient to get relatively close-up photos of the tracks from. But now, the parking lot is closed off for an unexplained reason.
Above, the CP on the background left is LA&SL’s CP ROSELAWN.
As with the photo above, the below east slanted photo is of a CP, this time the SP-side CP AL513 POMONA. But the point here is that the parking lot fencing now has bushes hindering views of the tracks. Will things ever stop cropping up from preventing us from getting clear shot photos?
Continued in Part IV
Part IV (of I-VI)
Now on the north side by CP CO30 ROSELAWN, large items were trackside.
As K.P. first arrived at the above photo’s site, a piece of equipment was lifting one of the semi-square items up and transported it somewhere (“somewhere”). Trying to get the camera out and ready, that movement had vanished!
Large pipes were now on scene.
Continued in Part V
Part V (of I-VI)
Some telephoto views of the pipes.
The pile of dirt on scene was being shovel-equipment moved away, but that equipment seemed to be camera shy and didn’t return, as with the yellow box-like equipment that vanished.
Continued in Part VI
Part VI (of I-VI)
Previously, K.P. photographed an abandoned shopping cart by the pipeline relocation site, and forum contributor desertdog reply commented about it. Last visit, the shopping cart was gone. But, this visit, another cart was on scene, with even another one blurred in the background.
Apparently, there is some type of food market somewhere north of the tracks and someone takes their groceries here, and then carries what they purchased over the tracks to their house somewhere south of the tracks. The cart is likely there for a few days, and later when the person wants to return to the market it disappears again.
By Temple Ave. on the west side of the Diversion, everything was as it has been for a number of years.
Above, the track on the left, our “A” track, by the overpass the photo was taken from, was quite dull, unlike the shiny mainline railheads in use. Nothing happening continues, but according to the Alameda Corridor East people (that MikeF90 alerted us about), that track should be in service by the end of the year.
This will conclude the series.
-------
A brief Second Section follows, however, about ‘feeling’ a train on 1st Street in Pomona.
In a day or so, a brief update on the South Milliken Ave. grade separation (Ontario, CA) on the LA&SL will be posted about.
Second Section: Very Unseen Forces!
Eastbound UP 7773 came by while this contributor was safely on 1st Street, a road that is right by the tracks.
While a person can’t literally see it, you could sense it, the force rumbling as the wheels were forcefully digging into the rails on the uphill grade. What an experience!
Seeing underneath the fuel tank to the other side of the moving locomotive is an experience in itself.
Seeing ballast in the street is a sight to see too!
K. P. Harrier Update as of January 30, 2016 The Diversion Scene Pomona, CA Part IV (of I-VI) Now on the north side by CP CO30 ROSELAWN, large items were trackside. As K.P. first arrived at the above photo’s site, a piece of equipment was lifting one of the semi-square items up and transported it somewhere (“somewhere”). Trying to get the camera out and ready, that movement had vanished! Large pipes were now on scene. Continued in Part V
The items in the top photo appear to be trench shoring boxes, used to prevent the walls of an excavation from caving in on the workers.
John Timm
desertdog The items in the top photo [of Part VI] appear to be trench shoring boxes, used to prevent the walls of an excavation from caving in on the workers. John Timm
The items in the top photo [of Part VI] appear to be trench shoring boxes, used to prevent the walls of an excavation from caving in on the workers.
Swinging by the South Milliken Avenue …
… Overpass Construction Site
Ontario, CA
On that checking out the Diversion date, Saturday, January 30, 2016, the southern Milliken Ave. grade separation construction was checked out too.
What was previously the Mission Blvd. roadway is now cordoned off, with a detour route available (this side of the barricades).
Above, it is not clear what will fill the gap between the tracks and north to a side street connection, but it looks like the gap had an east-side wall erected (just right of center).
Looking semi-west, the LA&SL alternate Sunset Route is visible across the background.
A similar view of the top photo, but highly blown-up, shows an interlocking plant’s signal, one of several in the area.
That particular signal is for CTC access to dark track, where auto-rack cars are short-tern stored until moved elsewhere. The week before K.P. was able to check out the North Ontario Milliken Ave. Flyover (on the actual Sunset Route) that was finished several years ago now, and that flyover remain single-track still with NO work yet for adding the second main there. When that section is two-tracked, K.P. envisions the LA&SL route still having a good number of trains on it.
This will end the single post posting.
I would love to see what pipeline burying digger machines they would use to go that deep (50 to 100 feet down).
Edit: But seriously, the only "pipeline" you'll find that deep (and deeper) is an aqueduct tunneled through a mountain. Pipelines must be accessable for maintenance and repair neverminding that no heavy equipment manufacturer makes an excavator that digs deeper than 24 feet or so (based on the one pictured).
A10
Pipelines can be 100 feet deep. KP you can fill us in as to if there were two diferent size diameters of pipes. That way the pipeline company can jack and bore under the ROW with the larger diameter pipe then insert the smaller diameter pipe thru the casing to the other side of the ROW.
Right about the trench shoring boxes. It is a requirement by OSHA so workers won't get crushed by cave ins. Most cave ins are the result of no shoring boxes in a trench.
Equipment Heading Towards the Sunset Route
During the morning of Wednesday, February 10, 2016 a southbound Union Pacific work train was spotted in the Canyon siding on the SP Palmdale Cutoff in Cajon Pass (CA) …
… apparently a southward movement that was meeting northbound trains here and there, as it was seen in the Hiland siding (at the top of the pass) earlier.
It didn’t strike K.P. as a two-tracking train but some type of regular maintenance-of-way movement. Various type of equipment was also being moved, including UP ‘white’ buses.
Even though two-tracking of the Sunset Route seems to have dried up it is good UP is keeping its system maintained.
A Special Memo to BNSF6400 (11-3-2014):
About a year and a quarter ago you commented on a reportedly California Southern (AT&SF, now BNSF) high bridge in Cajon Pass. K.P. was involved in an expedition recently that finally reached the site believed to be it, but it was NOT the site. So, now K.P. will eat crow on this one … Aerials proved unbelievably deceptive. So, with the truth uncovered, the focus has shifted back to the BNSF line itself. Aerials suggested the actual site was much away from the Gish site that you mentioned, and K.P. was involved in another expedition on the above mentioned date. What is at the new BNSF site now is illogical in itself, but sort of fits the way railroads historically do things. In the next few months it is hoped a definitive statement can be made on the subject, possibly in this thread, but more likely in the “Cajon Pass Triple-Tracking Updates” thread.
Take care,
K.P.
Sure, they "can" be but there are several factors to consider like crush resistance along with "how did they dig a trench deep enough ?"
Correct on the shoring boxes.
San Gabriel Trench update
A visit was paid to view the progress on this project at the western end of the Alhambra sub. Starting from the west, an eastward view from Chapel Ave of the beginning of the track shifting / shoofly.
From the south ROW side looking north, the 'temporary' retaining wall and the permanent south wall piers are seen. Interesting that they used I-beams rather than rebar.
We come to the wash known both as 'Alhambra' and 'East Ranch'. The height of the 'flood stage' walls appears to be about 10 feet. Note that the existing bridge was built on the north ROW edge (date unknown), perhaps in anticipation of double tracking.
At this time no piers or footings are seen that could be used for a second bridge. It is hard to envision what the final trackage west of Ramona St will look like.
(to be continued)
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! ***
Looking west from Ramona St, we see tensioning cables emerging from the south wall. The road bridge is open for use.
Looking east at the same street, the north and south walls are almost complete except for what is probably a non-loadbearing cap wall. From here east the shoofly will eventually be replaced by a bike / hiking trail maintained by the city on UP owned land.
Looking west from Mission Road, we see where a short length of Main St has been sacrificed for the south retaining wall.
Looking east at the completed Mission Road bridge:
To the east of the above bridge, the bottom slab has been poured.
A close up view, it looks like like the gaps between CIDH piers have been filled with shotcrete.
Due to track maintenance further east on the Sunset Route, the Sunset Limited is leaving LAUS about six hours early (4pm ish).
Looking west from Del Mar Ave:
Looking east, these temporary supports are in place for unknown purposes.
Looking east toward San Gabriel Ave, the trench is being excavated to the west from the 'haul road' access point here at Lafayette Street. Note the sound barriers and what appears to be a food grill.
Looking back west from Walnut Grove Ave where the other end of the shoofly begins. It doesn't look like any new piers have been placed for the RR bridge over Rubio Wash yet, but public access here is extremely limited.
End of post.
Update as of Thursday, February 18, 2016
Worktrain off the Sunset Route
On February 16, 2016 a photo of worktrain equipment southbound in the UP Canyon siding by BNSF’s Sullivan’s Curve (Cajon Pass in Southern California) that was heading to the Sunset Route was posted. (It earlier that day was spotted in the Hiland siding at the top of Cajon Pass.) Apparently, that equipment wasn’t destined for the Sunset Route per se, as suchlike equipment was spotted in that Canyon siding Thursday, February 18, 2017.
Maybe (“maybe”) the equipment will be moved in due time to the Pomona (CA) area, and rework the tracks there and put the Diversion “A” Track in service as MikeF90 previously suggest was a possibility.
In the last photo above, look at the center white school bus type bus. What an exotic new type of vehicle, with slanted front end and large side windows!
Just for Fun
During the Canyon trackwork, a Local (local?) came by without slowing, with one of two headlight bulbs burnt out.
Contemporary power has two-bulb headlights for a reason …
MikeF90 (2-14):
Your ‘San Gabriel Trench’ posted series was wonderful! Thanks for updating us all about that area.
That current bridge arrangement over the Alhambra Wash (the one some distance west of Ramona Street) was probably put in circa 1978 when the Alhambra Trench was put in, a bridge necessitated as the track in the trench elevated eastwardly to ground level in San Gabriel. I would imagine that current Alhambra Wash bridging will be replaced as the now under construction San Gabriel Trench’s tracks will be lower.
Those vertical cylinders, some with vertical I-beams in them, baffle me, but may have something to do with a temporary rerouting of the wash, which may or may not be in the works. Of course, that was what I thought about Rubio Wash towards the east end of the San Gabriel Trench project, but construction workers did NOT reroute the wash as I had figured, and they paid dearly for it when an unexpected massive rain struck that that construction wasn’t prepared for, and a residence just east of Rubio Wash was lost.
Best,
Was it a Test for the Remaining Part of the …
… Two-Tracking of the Sunset Route?
Part “A” (A-E)
While the progression of two-tracking has been slow of late, and is basically non-existent currently (except unconfirmed two-tracking immediately east out of El Paso, TX), a strange oddity has been occurring in the past decade, especially in the last half a decade on the Sunset Route’s Alhambra Sub, the westernmost SP subdivision into Los Angeles.
On Saturday, February 20, 2016 K.P. was on a street by the east end of the Guasti siding, by CP AL525 GUASTI (M.P. 524.7) under lowering afternoon sun conditions.
This thread documented the changeover from target signals to color lights a few years ago, but in the changeover the CP boxes themselves and their electronics apparently were sufficiently modern and were NOT replaced.
K.P. is not aware of any similar signal cutover(s) taking place anywhere on the Sunset Route or the UP system as a whole. It was almost as if that Alhambra Sub, which is basically all within a high population type area and easily accessible, was a test case.
Just for comparison, the new, yet to be installed box for CP AL525 GUASTI is still sitting in the Colton Signal Dept. yard with plenty of cable there too.
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (A-E)
Thread readers undoubtedly will recall the Los Angeles & Salt Lake (LA&SL) line is currently having everything signal-wise replaced to fit the Positive Train Control (PTC) specifications.
Above views on Cima Hill
Unlike the Alhambra Sub which retained the old CP boxes and electronics, everything on the LA&SL is basically being replaced.
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (A-E)
Back on the Alhambra Sub, about a five mile section of single-track (including two CTC siding) between Ontario and Pomona the new signals with old boxes were quickly superseded in the two-tracking by new signals, but this time NEW CP boxes and electronics were installed too
Continued in Part D
Part “D” (A-E)
That initial Southern California Alhambra Sub cutover to new signals but the old electrical boxes remaining seemed successful, so the rest of the western end of the Sunset Route in ARIZONA likely will follow that pattern.
CP SP845 THEBA has a modern electrical box, but not the current type.
Continued in Part E
Part “E” (A-E)
The same with CP SP812 AZTEC:
On the above Parts D and E note the modern SP (“SP”) style CP boxes that linger on in Arizona, just like had been and still is on some portions of the Alhambra Sub. (See Part A’s first two photos)
The next time K.P. ventures out to Arizona he will try to make a cursory inventory of where modern but SP style CP boxes are at. But, his recollection is that most of the areas remaining to be two-tracked could just have the signals changed out to meet PTC standards which would conform to the PTC law.
Positive Train Control seems to have greatly slowed the two-tracking of the Sunset Route, and the upgrading on the Alhambra Sub in California in the last five years may have been kind of a test, probably a successful one, and may ultimately mean that PTC sidetracked and set back two-tracking for years. Add to this the continuing loss of coal trains on the Central Corridor, and UP seems to have an incentive to reroute Los Angeles-Chicago traffic off the Sunset Route to the LA&SL instead. Interestingly, the LA&SL is getting PTC compatible signals right now, but the Sunset Route lingers with the old equipment, BUT, a lot of that old equipment can easily (and rather cheaply) be upgraded to new signals with the relatively modern CP boxes remaining.
The economy seems to be having trouble (with shipment totals reducing). Pumping great amounts of money into the economy with two-tracking could be the railroad’s contribution towards improving that economy, but ironically, it can’t do so because of unproductive expenditures of the PTC legal mandate.
This will end the series.
Pure speculation but maybe either a shortage of bungaloes or more likely a shortage of electronics to put in the boxes so older electronics on one line ? Maybe nothing yet to put in new boxes.
These boxes are made of mild steel plate. Haven't been inside one lately, but they may be galvanized, as well. They should last forever. If the new electronics fit, they can be--to use the terminology of the day--recycled, especially if Omaha is tightening its belt.
Surprises and Developments …
… Related to the Diversion
After a scheduled group meeting in Upland (CA), considerable time was spent in Pomona on Saturday, February 27, 2016. An assumably new “Diversion” development was spotted from a visual inspection, and has led to some very different conclusions than what was concluded from previous visual inspections. A series is planned on that and other developments on the original SP line, as well as progress on the pipeline relocation that previously was the focus of much of the Diversion lawsuit delay.
Previously posted was this January 1, 2016 Diversion pipeline relocation photo:
What was NOT previously posted was this nearby north side photo from that same date, with the elevated 71 Freeway in the background:
It shows a public access spot above the original SP line. On the February 27, 2016 visit to Pomona, that road was gone to, and the location gives a relatively good down-on view of the old, original SP line. The photos taken there were very timely in light of what was found about a mile to the west, near Temple Ave., that led to ‘some very different conclusions’ as mention in the first paragraph of this posting, i.e., the WHOLE original line will be done away with within the Diversion limits area!
More photos and details before the end of the week …
Information in Fred Frailey's column of the April issue of TRAINS provides a significant rational about why UP is significantly reducing its spending on the Sunset Route double tracking as well as at other locations.
rdamon With the pushback of the deadline for PTC this may allow time for UP to rehabilitate existing bungalows instead of placing new preconfigured ones at a reduced cost.
Don't bet you lunch money on that. Economies of scale and 'production line' type assembly of pre-configured bungalows are big advantages over replacing components in a existing box. The cost of the box itself is inconsequential to the equipment that is installed in it.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.