An Arizona Trip like Few Others
September 30-October 1, 2016
Part X (of X-XVII, Overall I-XXXIV)
A Meet Gone Amuck and a …
… Special Engine Number
Eastbound on I-8 it could be seen that another meet was taking place. There was no need to stop until TWO unusual things were seen at the east end of the siding, at CP SP841 PIEDRA.
The DPU on the rear did not clear the CP (and fouled it) and the unit was UP 8888.
The eastbound on the main came to a stop at the red signal, and because of the eastbound had cleared the west end, the train in the siding soon came back on the mainline and headed west. That left a stopped, gleaming new Tier-4 GE and consist at the east switch, and when it got a green signal it crank up the run notches and headed east.
Continued in Part XI
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 XI (of X-XVII, Overall I-XXXIV)
Shawmut Wonder!
K.P. approached Shawmut (in the M.P. 870 area) on the now two-lane Highway 238 that follows the single-track mainline east. The intent was to get to Maricopa as quickly as possible. But, the Shawmut SIDING was occupied, the siding that is on a different alignment and some distance away from the mainline!
In the fourth photo down above, the shorter mainline route is visible between the freight car frame and the rails.
Continued in Part XII
Part XII (of X-XVII, Overall I-XXXIV)
The Future Maricopa, AZ Amtrak Stop Site
In Maricopa, the site of the future Amtrak stop is easily found, by presently two intermediate mast signals. The ground seems to have preliminary grading that sets it apart from its surroundings.
Continued in Part XIII
Part XIII (of X-XVII, Overall I-XXXIV)
At Roosevelt and Garvey Avenues, looking west, those signals and grading are seen.
From the same basic location, an eastward view:
Above, the yellow street sign on the background far left covers to a degree the well-known water tower in town.
In the just above view, that preliminary grading stops (lower half), and better view of the water tower is seen.
But, back west BY those mast signals a problem was observed.
Continued in Part XIV
Part XIV (of X-XVII, Overall I-XXXIV)
Future station locators have to deal with a wash by those signals!
So, apparently the Amtrak siding will be on the north side of the tracks and EAST of that wash and intermediate signals.
Continued in Part XV
Part XV (of X-XVII, Overall I-XXXIV)
The Surroundings of the …
… Future Amtrak Stop Site
Just to the north is a fire station, one of the reasons for the desperate need for building a Highway 347 overpass over the Sunset Route. IF emergency responders had to cross the tracks but it was blocked by Amtrak No. 2 for example, a circuitous route is available, but at least five minutes or more would be added to possibly a life and death response time
A lot of construction is taking place in that “Estrella Gin” business park area, in sight of the Sunset Route.
K.P., at this point in time, realizes if he doesn’t scoot out of town he won’t be able to photograph everything on the agenda before darkness sets in. So, next stop, Casa Grande, AZ, the town the forum’s desertdog occasionally passes through.
Continued in Part XVI
Part XVI (of X-XVII, Overall I-XXXIV)
A Quick Stop in Casa Grande, AZ
East of the Hermosilla Street grade crossing (M.P. 919.09), the incomplete industrial track to be used for switching through town without fowling the mainlines is still incomplete, with ties rotting away.
By that grade crossing is that cute little industrial switcher.
Continued in Part XVII
Part XVII (of X-XVII, Overall I-XXXIV)
Red Rock, AZ is Finally Reached!
Yes, Red Rock is finally reached, and the tripod is put in service, as it is getting too dark for handheld photography.
All that rushing before nightfall to get a single post photo! Oh, well. It was hoped a few shots of the reported (at least in the past) Red Rock Yard are could be taken, but it was too dark for that …
Picacho Floodlights at Night
It had been discussed in the past here at the forum about lights trackside at Picacho, by the junction with the Phoenix Line. K.P. visited the site later that night and took the following photo among others.
There was a long line of auto-rack cars just to the east (left), but none actually under those lights. The idea crossed K.P.’s mind that those lights might be used for a purpose other than security.
It was time to pitch the tent and sleep outdoors trackside for the night. (Not really.)
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Continued in Parts XVIII-XXV Thursday, October 13, 2016 by 9:00 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Been meaning to say, many of K.P.'s pics have caught some fantastic light! Please consider posting at a higher resolution so we can have some great desktop 'wallpaper'.
And regarding SR-347 blockage by Amtrak, absolutely No sympathy. The city could have paved a temporary platform east long ago to alleviate the situation.
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! ***
Excellent posts, K.P. Haven't been able to visit my old stomping grounds of late for a bundle of reasons. Thanks for bringing us up to date.
John Timm
Part XVIII (of XVIII-XXV, Overall I-XXXIV)
Amtrak No. 2 at the Stop …
… in Maricopa, AZ
K.P. doesn’t have an absolutely accurate ‘railroad timepiece’ but the clock he was using was sufficient accurate to be around railroads. He arrived at 5:22 A.M. at the Maricopa Amtrak Station JUST AS Amtrak No. 2 was arriving! Eight minutes early! Well, he missed photographing the power again! But the early scheduled 5:30 A.M. train stopped overall for a long time, and made THREE station alighting and pickup stops before departure.
The train eventually moved forward and the sightseer car (right) passes and a few cars later No. 2 stops again, for discharges and boarding more passengers.
This time (above) the last car of the train, a private railcar, hangs over Highway 347.
Continued in Part XIX
Part XIX (of XVIII-XXV, Overall I-XXXIV)
Then the second to last car and the private car stops (the train's third time), and passengers alight and board; but since Highway 347 is no longer blocked, traffic moves freely over the grade crossing.
Surprisingly, once the last car cleared Highway 347 and the gates went up, traffic cleared in just a short time. K.P. had heard stories and expected the town to be totally log jammed for another ten miles, but traffic cleared in just a minute or two.
A wider angle (actually normal) as No. 2 finally departs.
A very heavy telephoto (caused by severe cropping back in the office) of Amtrak No. 2 approaching the next signal just down the way at CP SP899 MARICOPA, that displayed a red over green indication. With all the smoke the power was belching out, for a time K.P. heard a very loud four cylinder distinct GE engine sound that he seldom has heard. It must have been the dampness in the air that carried the sound waves back to the station area! Or, maybe there was something wrong with one of the engines.
Continued in Part XX
Part XX (of XVIII-XXV, Overall I-XXXIV)
More about the Maricopa Stop
After all this time, K.P. decided to shoot a photo of Highway 347, looking southward with NO traffic!
Then CB&Q Silver Horizon, reportedly the once Amtrak station for Maricopa, just had to be photographed in the lit up ‘dawn’ light.
The Amtrak station from by Silver Horizon:
Continued in Part XXI
Part XXI (of XVIII-XXV, Overall I-XXXIV)
From the Amtrak parking lot, the water tower:
And a ‘barn’ across the street and tracks:
A last look at Silver Horizon:
Can you imagine that Silver Horizon is some 68 years old now, and once tail car ended the original California Zephyr though the Feather River Canyon in California, the Colorado Rockies, and the Nebraska Plains? That CZ train was Union Pacific’s then competitor, and to a lesser extent Southern Pacific’s Sunset Limited that was route through Phoenix and not Maricopa!
Continued in Part XXII
Part XXII (of XVIII-XXV, Overall I-XXXIV)
More about the Maricopa
K.P. does not know if it is relatively new or not, but he has no recollection of Maricopa High School just a few blocks to the south from previous visits.
Whether or not it is new school, the future Highway 347 grade separation, reportedly an overpass, will not only make for a vehicle passage super safe, but also for pedestrian (read high school kids) safety as well, let along train crews that have to live with the aftermaths of grade crossing incidents.
Once the new Amtrak station is operational, and the Highway 347 overpass is functional, Maricopa should be a nice place to pass through. And train crews will like it too, as eastbound runs won’t have to stop short of Highway 347 as a courtesy to motors when trainmen get a red signal at CP SP899 MARICOPA.
It was relatively low light morning when K.P. started back to California, but his last area to check out was the Phoenix Line in the Buckeye area west of Phoenix, and the findings therewith were more than surprising.
Continued in Part XXIII
Part XXIII (of XVIII-XXV, Overall I-XXXIV)
The Phoenix Line West of Phoenix for a Bit
In the Buckeye, AZ area Highway 85 crosses UP’s Phoenix Line at a double grade crossing, i.e., the southbound roadway is separated from the northbound roadway about a short block’s distance. In the past there were Automatic Block Signals several blocks to the east, one of the true ‘tri-light’ arrangement.
A May 29, 2009 reshown view looking eastbound from the northbound Highway 85 lanes.
In preparation for this trip those old ABS signals did not appear on aerials, so K.P. assumed they were replaced with new signals somewhere (“somewhere) nearby on the line.
Above, the LEFT signal head (for westbound trains coming towards the camera) only has two lamps!
Continued in Part XXIV
Part XXIV (of XVIII-XXV, Overall I-XXXIV)
With actually driving over the Highway 85 grade crossing, new color lights signals were found to be present just east of the Highway 85 northbound grade crossing
Looking westbound, the Highway 85 southbound lanes grade crossing gates are seen in the distance.
Continued in Part XXV
Part XXV (of XVIII-XXV, Overall I-XXXIV)
The Highway 85 northbound lanes grade crossing:
At this point in the series, a very blown-up view of the color light heads are pointed to:
Make a mental note of BOTH of those THREE lamp heads, as they will be referenced later.
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Continued in Parts XXVI-XXXIV Saturday, October 15, 2016 by 9:00 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time
FP- Your pics of the Silver Horizon in Maricopa brought back pleasant memories of our trip on VIA's Ocean from Montreal to Halifax round trip a few years ago. We rode in one of their Park cars which is like the Silver Horizon. Slept in one of the four compartments, rode in the dome, and had liquid refreshments in the bar. A very fun trip.
Part XXVI (of XXVI-XXXIV, Overall I-XXXIV)
We now head east a few miles to the Apache Road grade crossing.
At the Apache Road grade crossing, looking west, towards signals and another grade crossing that forms kind of a triangle of roadways.
K.P. does not know what is east of here signal-wise, but looking west shows what looks like Anschutz era tri-lights on OLD masts and electrical boxes.
Look at all that jointed rail on the Phoenix Line here. Obviously UP has insufficient business through here that would warrant the installation of Continuous Welded Rail. And, THAT alone says something about the western portion of the Phoenix Line’s future! More later …
Westward beyond those signals, and around that curve, is a mystery!
Continued in Part XXVII
Part XXVII (of XXVI-XXXIV, Overall I-XXXIV)
We now come west to the Miller Road grade crossing, at M.P. 675.38.
Looking west, a north side (right) siding is present …
… with Automatic Block Signals in the near distance. And, thereat is the mystery!
WHY would the left head (for rightward westbound trains) only have a TWO lamp head whereas all the other heads in the area have THREE lamps?
K.P. has no official reason for it, as it is truly a mystery. However, K.P. is inclined to believe it may be so westbound trains round the curve a few blocks east of Highway 85 at a moderate speed and thus cross the two Highway 85 streets (separated northbound and southbound) with a speed expecting a collision. Most vehicles on that highway came from or are going to the I-10 Freeway, so those motorists are keyed to driving at a high speed. WHY there is not a two-lamp head for the eastbound mast signal a few miles to the west is confusing.
Continued in Part XXVIII
Part XXVIII (of XXVI-XXXIV, Overall I-XXXIV)
After crossing Highway 85, the next signals to the west was thought (“was thought”) to be at the Palo Verde Road grade crossing, at M.P. 866.70. BUT, aerials after the trip show that between Highway 85 and Palo Verde Road are another set of signals, at the DIRT Wilson Ave. Had K.P. known that he would have stopped there to get photos! But aerials seem to indicate the heads on that mast signal have three lamps each.
At Palo Verde Road further east, as one can see, both heads are of the three lamp type. Views look eastbound:
Looking westbound:
At this point a brief pause is taken for assessing the mysteries of confusing signal heads, heads that just don’t add up. On the east side of Tehachapi Pass in California, new color light signals seemed to be a new element for installers. One signal can ONLY display NO greater than a flashing yellow, but yet the head has three positions as if green could be displayed. K.P. believes installers were unfamiliar with the new signals’ modular wonders about what they were installing, thus they didn’t take advantage of the wonder. Likewise, the new color lights west of Phoenix are something new and installers are probably from the old school (and have little experience on the Sunset Route), like on Tehachapi. Thus, it will probably take a derailment that wipes out one the new signals AND a new generation of installers that understand the signals vision that will replace the signal with one that matches what the signals designers intended.
This all could be verified by actual field observations, with some signals theoretically only displaying yellow even though a green position is present. (See photo in Part XXIII) But, K.P. is betting against someone just happening to be by a Phoenix Line signal when a train happens by …
Continued in Part XXIX
Part XXIX (of XXVI-XXXIV, Overall I-XXXIV)
Further west, Salome Highway is crossed, at M.P. 866.70.
Salome Highway is an interesting grade crossing in that the roadway is on a long, swooping curve that the track angles across.
Looking east:
Continued in Part XXX
Part XXX (of XXVI-XXXIV, Overall I-XXXIV)
Looking west:
While the new signal has a new electrical box, the grade crossing flashes box is old (left forefront).
The line here too is jointed rail.
Continued in Part XXXI
Part XXXI (of XXVI-XXXIV, Overall I-XXXIV)
We now come to the Automatic Block Signal-less grade crossing of 355th Ave., basically in a flat landscape where buildings are few.
Looking west, a new Automatic Block Signal is seen
Eastward:
Continued in Part XXXII
Part XXXII (of XXVI-XXXIV, Overall I-XXXIV)
That signal seen in the distance in Part XXX:
Above, on the left, a switch stand is seen across from the electrical box.
Further west, another signal is spotted, and again, a switchstand is seen.
So, apparently, the above mentioned signals protect an industrial siding area.
Further west still, looking east, a spur is seen.
By that above switch is a private grade crossing, and an eastward telephoto looks way back where we just were, those signals at each end of an industrial siding.
An IMPORTANT visual siting is on that just above photo! If you look real good that distanct siding’s near signal it is lit red! Why it is red is unknown as there did not seem to be any open switches that customarily turn signals red, but there may be an explanation as to why it is lit. See next post.
Continued in Part XXXIII
Part XXXIII (of XXVI-XXXIV, Overall I-XXXIV)
The switch by a private grade crossing, with an industrial complex in the background:
But, that switch was closed too.
West of that switch the track is seemingly uncared for, with growth rising up. Note the jointed rail.
Following the road further west, we come to multilingual No Trespassing signage and a gate. How do UP workers get past that signage is unknown.
Without a road, does UP have a fleet of belted army tanks stationed in Phoenix so UP workers can follow their railroad tracks in a rugged terrain environment?
Continued in Part XXXIV
Part XXXIV (of XXVI-XXXIV, Overall I-XXXIV)
But, the most significant thing is the ABS signal seen, it also being lit red!
The LIT signals may have limited connected wiring, and are present just so the track circuits to the east will do their job. Those signals as has been seen in this Phoenix Line section of this posting series are normally off and unlit, but functional.
There seems to be more and more businesses locating in the Buckeye, AZ area, which is good for UP, but the additional business probably does not justify wholesale improvements to the line. Thus, jointed rail remains and probably will continue to do so. The new signals are present because UP would need government permission to remove them, like BNSF’s line in Irwindale, CA, new signals are present, the route once used by such trains as the Santa Fe Chief and Super Chief, a line that was rebuilt in conjunction with the right-of-way getting a light rail line.
The Overall Posting Series
In review, there is nothing transpiring on the actual Sunset Route in California and Arizona two-tracking-wise, not even a conversion of target signals to the color light types is happening. Now the forum knows what Amtrak is encountering in Maricopa for a future new station stop, and traffic backing up when Amtrak No. 2 visits Maricopa is not bad in light of the early hour. What happens in the evening when No. 1 blocks Highway 347 might be worst, but K.P. has not seen that happen. And, the new color light signals on the Phoenix Line may be more of a modernization of signals and circuits so things will continue to work more than a sign any Amtrak will return to a Phoenix routing.
Something has to happen on the Sunset Route in light of the Positive Train Control deadline mandated by law, either two-tracking the remaining portions of the El Paso to Los Angeles line or just converting the signals to the color light type and two-track later. It is unclear to K.P. if the Phoenix Line comes under the jurisdiction of the Positive Train Control law or is exempt because of low traffic volumes.
This will end the series. However, a Second Section will be posted Monday, October 17 by 9:00 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time.
KP- is the industrial complex the Palo Verde generating station? The pic following the plant shows disrepair of the track. The SPV map shows the Phoenix line in service to the Palo Verde plant then coded as "abandoned" from there to Roll near the Sunset line. Are there any plans to rehab the Phoenix line? Is Amtrak considering reestlabishing service to Phoenix (if someone else would upgrade the track)? Would be nice but would add an hour or more to their schedule.
KP few items.
1. The red signal may be a signal for end of operative track. Probably a special track warrant to pass signal ? Was signal before the red a three head. If three UP probably is considering that there may be future traffic further west. Did UP remove all signals west of the red ?
2. Notice that UP has removed all pole lines both power and signal. That would indicate at least an upgrade to a non pole line signal system. It may be UP was able to relocate from other location(s) a replaced operative ABS non pole line system. The newer signal bungalos would seem to support that assumption. Did bungaloes appear transplants ?
3. The isolation track joints at the crossings seem to indicate UP is using fixed distance operation of crossing signals with the island segment over the auto road ? Not the current acoustic systems ? Did you notice any isolation rail joiners away fron the crossings ?
4. Did you notice how UP bonded the jointed rail could not tell from your pictures ?
5. At one crossing rail thru crossing appears to be smaller than adjecent rail ?
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