The Arizona Roundtrip
Part V, Section “D” (of A-F)
Niland, CA
We finally arrive back in California, by Niland along Highway 111. NO new second-track had been laid in the community, so going east to Iris (where the current two-tracking will end), was ruled out. Heading west on High 111, a long concrete tie train was observed in the south siding at Niland.
The west switches of the Niland sidings are where a three headed target signal is at.
At English Rd., looking east at cleared land where a CP will apparently be put in: The tie train is on the south siding in the distance.
Continued in Section E
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 V, Section “E” (of A-F)
Looking east from English Rd. at the north siding, the alignment of the future Main 1
Looking westbound at the future Main 1 alignment:
A wide angle … looking east:
Looking west:
Continued Section F
Part V, Section “F” (of A-F)
English Rd. is still closed to through traffic.
The roadway (on the south side of the track) has yellow writing on it.
Looking east, the three headed signal suddenly displayed yellow.
But, that view above of a yellow signal is of the time warp type. It is yellow over dark over dark as in years ago and NOT the common contemporary yellow over red over red!
Two-tracking was disappointing in this area. But, we now move on further west, to a slow going two-tracking area.
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Continued in Part VI: “Two-Tracking by Salton Sea, CA” (9 Sections) to be posted by Sunday, January 5, 2014 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Part VI (of I-VI), Section “A” (of A-I)
Two-Tracking by Salton Sea, CA
We arrive next at the west switch of the Wister siding, at CP SP660 WISTER, the old, current Wister, with an eastbound (rightward) that the yellow signal was for in Part V, Section F.
The current CP box that is on borrowed time:
But, the current east westbound CP mainline target mast signal is being modified with a lower head.
In the current two-tracking, apparently (“apparently) when the new universal crossover CP SP658 WISTER is put in service, the old absolute target signal (as shown above) will remain in service, and be capable of displaying yellow over green for crossing over ahead.
Continued in Section B
Part VI, Section “B” (of A-I)
At the future, new CP SP658 WISTER:
The east side westbound signals:
The new CP box, earthmoving equipment, and the new west side eastbound signals.
A close-up of that equipment:
Continued in Section C
Part VI, Section “C” (of A-I)
Between signals at the new Wister, looking westbound:
With an eastward slant:
Continued Section D
Part VI, Section “D” (of A-I)
Westward again:
From the west side of the future CP SP658 WISTER, looking east:
Part VI, Section “E” (of A-I)
A final CP SP658 WISTER area eastward view by Highway 111:
The railroad freight mainline speed is 65 M.P.H., and the two-lane roadway speed is 65 M.P.H. in this wide open area. And that goes on for miles and miles and miles, with not a whole lot of vehicle traffic. Pacing a train through here for many miles is an unforgettable experience!
The photos in this series of the box for the future CP SP658 WISTER have its nameplate placards turned inward. To confirm that that is the intended name for the CP, or at least it was, a June 1, 2013 photo is reshown here, before the placards were turned inward.
In Section A of this Part VI the west box for the present Wister siding was shown, i.e., for CP SP660 WISTER. With the new CP SP658 WISTER, there will be TWO CP’s with the same name!
Continued in Section F
Part VI, Section “F” (of A-I)
A few years ago west of Yuma, AZ, the railroad ran into a similar situation with the old CP SP725 ARAZ …
… and the new CP SP724 ARAZ.
The railroad solved that two Arazs problem by renaming the old Araz to Araz Junction, so that now CP SP725 ARAZ is CP SP725 ARAZ JCT.
What the railroad with do about two Wisters is unknown, but possible renaming the siding to East Wister seems plausible. On the other hand, the siding most likely will be taken out of service and the absolute signals converted to intermediates. Or, it could be possible there will be a combination of the two concepts. But, that is just conjecturing on K.P.’s part.
Continued Section G
Part VI, Section “G” (of A-I)
We now arrive at the Frink Rd. grade crossing. Looking eastbound:
Looking westward with darkening skies.
The famous Border Patrol stop (upper left).
Continued in Section H
Part VI, Section “H” (of A-I)
Another westward view:
A final eastward view by Frink Rd.:
Midway between Frink Rd. and Hot Mineral Spa Rd. are a set of grade crossing-less intermediates.
Trainmen must have strange thoughts go through their heads when having to walk a train in the middle of the night in this kind of isolated area …
… when autos and trucks are then few and far between.
Continued in Section I
Part VI, Section “I” (of A-I)
At Hot Mineral Spa Rd., it was starting to get almost dark.
And, the second, heavily ballasted and unfinished main was getting real hard to see (and photograph).
But, the sight of a lit single-track signal on borrowed time against the darkening sky was a wonderful experience in itself.
This will end the Arizona trip posting series.
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This past week circumstances allowed K.P. to visit Tehachapi, the Los Angeles Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension, and the Workman Mill Rd. grade crossing on the LA&SL in the City of Industry area. The tracks on the last mentioned subject are currently the same, but the area (“area”) has been dramatically altered, and the mysterious I-beam walling seems kind of obvious now …
The above mentioned subjects will appear in their respective threads in due time, but the material related to the Puente Hills Intermodal Facility (PHIMF) trains and the Workman Mill Rd grading crossing should appear in this thread in two to three days.
Also, while out taking photos on the Foothill Extension, a bridge AND future bridges (plural) over a major roadway artery was extensively photographed, and K.P. is hoping to duplicate a few of those views in this thread to make a comparison on the future Vineyard Ave. grade separation that is starting in Ontario, CA that will have two-tracks elevate over an UNDERPASS.
So, there are a lot of post things in the works … and an ever increasing backlog of replies waiting to be answered or addressed if K.P. can ever get to them …
KP, this series, geographically spanning the Sunset Route from Tucson to Wister (or thereabouts), has been a delightful Christmas present for us. Thanks so much for taking the time to travel, document and post for our edification and enjoyment. Happy New Year and best wishes. -- billio
K. P. Harrier
What a spectacular picture to end 2013/start 2014 with! K.P., thank you for your continued photo essays. Looking forward to some Perris Valley progress in 2014!
Thanks for the photos KP.
The new Wister control point at CP SP658 will be named Wister Crossovers in the timetable. Not the first time the signs in the field disagree with the timetable data and/or dispatcher screens. Doesn't really matter though because for operational purposes the control point number is what's important.
The lower head installed on the westbound SP660 signal is for the approach to SP658. The old Wister siding will likely remain in service until the second main track to Niland is completed.
Saw this article about the Tower 55 separation in Dallas. Figured it was related.
Saw this interesting map as well ...
RE the Bigboy:
I faintly remember reading that UP tried to convert a Bigboy to oil fired and it was not successful. Other than convince of not handling coal why are they converting 4014 to oil fired? What are they doing now that they did not try 60+ years ago?
Update as of Friday, January 3, 2014
The Workman Mill Rd. Grade Crossing
City of Industry, CA
Headway Run No. 1 (of 1-5)
On the original Los Angeles & Salt Lake Line between those two named geographic areas, at M.P. 13.92 (eastward out of Los Angeles) that many Sunset Route trains traverse by is the Workman Mill Road grade crossing.
On October 29, 2013 that grade crossing was blocked by altering construction.
The tracks and crossing gates thereat are still the same as they have been. But, the roadway and surroundings are a very different world now!
AERIAL LINK: The Previous Workman Mill Rd Grade Crossing and Neighborhood
That forward house on the upper right of the above aerial is now gone, and a large downward, slanting driveway area is present.
Continued in Headway No. 2
Headway Run No. 2 (of 1-5)
The fencing currently has ugly, heavy duty plywood between the tan vertical I-beams.
A few westward views of the parked cars on the downward slant driveway:
Continued in Headway No. 3
Headway Run No. 3 (of 1-5)
Just to the west across the street is a newly paved parking lot (for a long present industrial company) …
… where an abandoned, severed spur once was.
AERIAL LINK: Now Gone Branching Off Industrial Track
That above abandoned spur shot was from December 23, 2010. Also from that date, a reshown eastward photo of the old, now replaced high tension wire towers.
Now, those power line towers have long been replaced by power line poles (upper left), if we can call them poles.
Continued in Headway No. 4
Headway Run No. 4 (of 1-5)
An eastward view … the ground is graded between the new I-beam fencing and Main 1.
On the top view above, the plywood between the vertical I-beams is clearly seen.
A lot of work is still transpiring under and on both sides of the 60 Freeway overpass.
Continued in Headway No. 5
Headway Run No. 5 (of 1-5)
That eastward I-beam walling is anchored only with bolts.
Such anchoring hardly does well in the event of a jackknifing derailment, so the I-beam walling may (“may’) simply be for sound deadening to ease the local resident’s noise tribulation. And, considering that two trash trains are currently projected to be disassembled and reassembled each day, the walling would seem to be a welcome gesture.
Interestingly, the non-residential industry area across the street west of Workman Mill Rd. only has chain link fencing and no sound deadening protection.
This will conclude this series. However … Related material (such as the discerned track arrangement and signaling at the future CP C014 WORKMAN) will be worked up as time permits, which time is in incredibly short supply right now for K.P. Too many railroad things are happening, UNBELIEVABLY so!
You might want to look a bit east this weekend, reportedly BNSF will be replacing the diamonds at both DT junction and Colton.
A10
Colton diamonds work: 10pm saturday night.
SP657E44You might want to look a bit east this weekend, reportedly BNSF will be replacing the diamonds at both DT junction and Colton. A10
The picture of the map just begs the question: How much of the Sunset Route has been double tracked? Although, K.P. has been good enough to keep us advised along with others in the regions of discussion can anyone summarize things here with a clear picture of what has been double tracked? Or better I should ask... what hasn't been double tracked?
Also, as a follow up question with regard to the Colton Flyover. Does or is anyone out there catching this on film or digitally? Odd that after going to the expense of putting in the flyover we are still going to have a single track crossing the BNSF mainline. What's up with that?
Regarding the question about the UP Big Boy. UP did try an experiment with a Big Boy, outfitting it to burn oil. The project didn't fail, necessarily. Diesels were about to take over on most railroads and the Challengers, Big Boys, were slated for retirement and what was thought to be extinction. I wonder if they have an endangered species list for these monsters of the rails?
That should stir up the hornet's nest
RickH
BarstowRick.com Model Railroading How To's
BarstowRickThe picture of the map just begs the question: How much of the Sunset Route has been double tracked?
BarstowRickOdd that after going to the expense of putting in the flyover we are still going to have a single track crossing the BNSF mainline. What's up with that?
Stay warm up there!
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! ***
Mike,
Thanks for the response. The maps worked out nicely.
Now I have a better understanding as what gives with the crossover.
Tough to stay warm when the night temperature get's down into the 20's. Lot's of quilts and blankets.
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