A Trip East to Yuma, AZ and Over 60 Miles Beyond
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Part “A”, Section 8 (of 1-8)
In the Araz (CA) Area West of Yuma, AZ
A pipeline goes through this rugged area too, as seen by the yellowish marker (mile marker “188”) on the left, which markers are used by aerial inspectors of the pipeline.
Just a little bit further east a crane is laying down.
Other equipment is trackside, and bridge parts.
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Continued in Part B, to be post-presented Friday, November 28, 2014 by 6:00 P.M. Pacific Time, and will continue with the Araz area, plus the western part of the two-track grading of the Colfred to Mohawk, AZ stretch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
KP,
I was down in Riverside to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends. Just south of Central Ave. I noted they are installing piers and bridge supports for what appears to be a second bridge over 91. This is on the Union Pacific Right of Way the one that leaves the Old Santa Fe Tracks back to it's own main line. The one that runs south out of the Metro Train Station down near the old Santa Fe and Union Pacific Passenger stations.
In Grand Terrace all the piers for the previous run arounds are gone. It shouldn't be long before they start rebuilding the freeway. Gosh, what a patch work mess. You can't hardly tell what lane you are in or where it went.
Happy Thanksgiving....what's left of it.
RickH.
RickH
BarstowRick.com Model Railroading How To's
Part “B” (of A-C), Section 1 (of 1-7)
The new bridge parts are by (“by”) the present bridge (upper center-right), which will likely remain.
The old bridge and new I-beams as the supports of the new, alongside bridge:
From that new bridge area, looking back westbound, and that laying down crane (right).
Continued in Section 2
Part “B”, Section 2 (of 1-7)
Looking east by that new bridge: The present target signaled CP SP725 ARAZ JCT is seen (mast on left, cantilever signal for Main 2 on right).
Looking back at the bridge parts, and a pile of ballast:
Continued in Section 3
Part “B”, Section 3 (of 1-7)
The Colfred-Mohawk Area
Because it was afternoon now, and the sun was lowering fast, Yuma, AZ was passed and the Mohawk area was gone straight to. From the Dome area of I-8, the tracks were followed eastward via U.S. Highway 80, that basically parallels I-8. Everything was still single-track eastward to the Colfred area, where things again got exciting.
At the west end of the Colfred siding is a new, fenced staging area.
The above CP is CP SP783 COLFRED (M.P. 783.1). Remember, the Araz area was around M.P. 724-725. So, Colfred is about sixty miles east of the Araz area.
Continued in Section 4
Part “B”, Section 4 (of 1-7)
Towards the EAST end of the Colfred siding is some buildings that have been there a number of years and apparently unused until the Colfred-Mohawk two-tracking contractor Skanska apparently short-term leased them.
Continued in Section 5
Part “B”, Section 5 (of 1-7)
There was an auto-rack train in the Colfred siding, and on a spur a concrete-tie group of cars.
Skanska is an informative outfit …
Towards the EAST end of the Colfred siding the head-end power of the siding parked auto-rack train was waiting for a westbound mainliner. Note the new grading on the lower left.
Continued in Section 6
Part “B”, Section 6 (of 1-7)
The new grading heads east past the east switch signals of the Colfred siding.
After a westbound passed, the eastbound (leftward) comes out of the siding and heads east.
Continued in Section 7
Part “B”, Section 7 (of 1-7)
That east switch of the Colfred siding (CP SP785 COLFRED):
As the eastbound goes away, the sporadic, up and down nature of the line in this area is seen.
Just above, look at all those microwave towers up on the background hills!
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Continued in Part C, to be post-presented Saturday, November 29, 2014 by 6:00 P.M. Pacific Time, and will continue with the the two-track grading of the Colfred to Mohawk, AZ stretch.
Part “C” (of A-C), Section 1 (of 1-9)
East of but real close to the present east switch of the Coldred siding are ballast and concrete ties.
Remember, this is basically the WEST end of the new grading. A universal crossover may (“may”) be being put in here. When two-tracks are in service to the east, up to Mohawk, will the Colfred siding then be taken out of service?
Seeing that the contractor Skanska now has, in a rather unusual move, possession of those buildings as illustrated in Part B Section 4, will Skanska in the near future start grading WEST of the Colfred siding towards Yuma another 10 miles to the west? Or, maybe head EAST from the east switch of the Mohawk siding, or both in sequence?
Part “C”, Section 2 (of 1-9)
To the east is a new bridge, with the vertical I-beams as support and concrete bridging.
The far side present Main (future Main 2) has timber supports for the old bridging.
The east side of the new bridging and much riprap (rocks):
Part “C”, Section 3 (of 1-9)
A pathway goes up to track level just east of that new bridge.
Part “C”, Section 4 (of 1-9)
Further east, in the M.P. 787 area, looking westboumd, from wide angle to heavy telephoto:
A westward slant still, the grading looks complete:
Part “C”, Section 5 (of 1-9)
Looking east:
Above, the new left grading already looks badly water eroded. Arizona must get terrible rain, unlike California that is presently going through a severe drought.
Note the above background mast intermediate signals.
A high up mobile Skanska water tank is present, with the following grading and those signals in the background.
Part “C”, Section 6 (of 1-9)
Nearing a summit of sorts, culvert-work is still underway.
Part “C”, Section 7 (of 1-9)
Now we come to the west switch of the Mohawk siding.
A westbound (rightward) passes by
Close to the CP, looking westbound:
The old CP box might be on borrowed time. Track laying will seal its fate.
Continued in Section 8
Part “C”, Section 8 (of 1-9)
An eastward view by CP SP792 MOHAWK, the west switch of the Mohawk siding:
A heavy eastbound telephoto from the above CP’s area … It looks like some type of new grading is in the background, but K.P. is not sure of its purpose. Note the marker stake in the lower greenery.
The east CP signals (out of view) are on each side of the freeway bridges and some (“some”) construction comes this far east. Or, maybe west ... (See comment by cacole below.)
At this point a little reflection is in order: Word of this Colfred-Mohawk two-tracking in Arizona took most of us by surprise. This two-tracking is about 14 mile east of the old two-track section ending at Wellton (i.e. Wellton is towards the WEST of Colfred). Stanwix-Sentinel is already a two-tracked section (and has been such for years), and is roughly 24 miles further to the east. From Sentinel to Estrella (the end of two-tracks westward from Tucson and El Paso) is about 45 miles further. Hmmm. Theoretically (“theoretically”), the NEXT area of two-tracking might be in the Gila Bend area and west for about 10 miles. Whether that comes about is purely conjectural, the same as west of Colfred (possibly by Skanska) is conjectural.
Forum contributor cacole sent K.P. yesterday an absolutely stunning email! Mr. Cole actually traveled west on Interstate 8 Thanksgiving Day and passed the Dateland, Mohawk, and Colfred areas. He advises that he saw on a west to east basis “Union Pacific construction activity that seemed to be double-track related between Interstate 8 mile marker 44, an exit called Tacna [in the Colfred area], eastward to about mile marker 56 west of the Dateland exit. The track was too far away from the highway to see any UP mile markers, but there were a lot of construction vehicles, backhoes, cranes, etc. along that stretch. There were train loads of concrete ties at both ends, sitting on sidings. A tie-laying train was on the west end siding.”
Wow! Was that ever a gem of a siting report by cacole!
K.P. sought to look into this further, and made contact with a source familiar with the track profile of the subdivision. According to him there is an upward grade from around Colfred rising up to Mohawk. From the other side, from the Dateland-Stoval (siding) area there is an upward climb to Mohawk also. So, Mohawk is a summit of sorts, with trains being slowed on each side till the summit at Mohawk is reached. Once the summit is reached, engineers have to be diligent in controlling their trains’ downhill speed. So, to two-track that entire section would make sense and make that area more free flowing and safer!
The source also pointed out that there is a similar uphill grade between Gila Bend and Estrella, Estrella being the current end of two-tracks from the east, from Tucson and El Paso. Is that uphill grade a candidate for two-tracking soon?
Whatever, back at Mohawk, the sun was going down quickly, and K.P. had a long drive back west to California. But, there is something else to check, back at Yuma!
Continued in Section 9
Part “C”, Section 9 (of 1-9)
The New Crew Change Location
Yuma, AZ
In Yuma, AZ a new crew change spot and building is being put in. K.P. was interested if it was in use yet. He hadn’t heard anything, so presumed everything would be dark at the site and photography would be out of the question.
It was NOT in use yet per se, but was ALL LIT UP!
It must be getting close to being activated as a crew change spot.
So, there we have it. Now we all know what is going on two-tracking-wise near and on Arizona’s western side …
This will end the series.
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Tomorrow, Sunday, November 30, 2014, Kevin Gray’s Texas, Santa Teresa, NM, Arizona and California material will be posted in 14 posts before 6 P.M. Pacific Time.
A few hours ago K.P. was put on the lineup for an urgent, unexpected Sunday dispatch (November 30, 2014) deep into San Diego County (CA), that will conflict with “The Gray Zone” posting; hence, the posting is being moved up to early Saturday night Pacific Time, i.e., now …
The Gray Zone -- Texas-New Mexico-Arizona-California
w/ Text and Photos by Kevin Gray
Part 800 (of 800-813)
K.P. comment: In recent times Kevin Gray again traveled from Texas to California on personal matters, and was able to check out and photograph a number of Sunset Route activities. This series presents some of his findings and gives us a broader view of happenings on the Sunset Route. The presentation generally will be on an east to west basis. Brief interjected comments by K.P. will be as this paragraph, with italicized text. Now, to Kevin Gray …
A historical marker in Sierra Blanca, TX is about the connecting of the T&P to the SP.
Continued in Part 801
Part 801 (of 800-813)
Got to Santa Teresa on Tuesday afternoon (9/9). The dirt county road from the east end (at Industrial Dr.) had some small lakes in it from the previous round of hurricane leftovers, so I drove down to the official access "highway" (it has mile markers up to Mile 6) and got back to the county road by the gate at the east end of the intermodal area. I drove along the intermodal yard (south side) until I found a nice, dry (unfenced) dirt pile across from West Fuel and started taking photos from there eastward:
K.P. comment: In the third photo above, note the seven mast signals on the left.
Continued in Part 802
Part 802 (of 800-813)
Continuing a rightward pan from West Fuel across the west end of the intermodal area:
Continued in Part 803
Part 803 (of 800-813)
Now starting photography eastward and coming down from the dirt pile:
An eastbound stack arrives at West Fuel.
Continued in Part 804
Part 804 (of 800-813)
Closer shots of the west end of the intermodal area and moving east …
Continued in Part 805
Part 805 (of 800-813)
Ditto (Closer shots of the west end of the intermodal area and moving east …)
Continued in Part 806
Part 806 (of 800-813)
From the middle towards the east end of the intermodal area, including what I think is a load radiation detection shed (second and third photos) ….
Continued in Part 807
Part 807 (of 800-813)
…. and other structures like the truck tractor diesel pumps (second photo):
Continued in Part 808
806 is most likey a ingate portal with cameras in it.
Part 808 (of 800-813)
At the east end of the Santa Teresa intermodal area; another container/truck load detection shed and the entrance sign with the requisite portable restroom.
Continued in Part 809
Part 809 (of 800-813)
After heading back east for 5 miles on the yard access road, I turned north on Industrial Drive past the wind turbine depot (on the west side):
Continued in Part 810
Part 810 (of 800-813)
After departing Santa Teresa, I stayed overnight in Lordsburg.
Stopped at the Cienega Creek Bridge for a few minutes; soon heard horns to the east -- more wind turbine parts!
Continued in Part 811
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