Update as of Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Seeing Peculiar Things on a Peculiar Dispatch
Colton Crossing
Colton, CA
Part I (of I-IV)
After an unexpected, “out of the blue” dispatch to Redlands, K.P. spent just a few minutes in the Colton Crossing area, but what a few minutes they were, and some very peculiar things were seen.
An eastbound view from 4th Street: Permanent (assumedly) night floodlights on poles are now present.
A westbound view:
It is not clear if the floodlights pertain to the manual crossover by 4th Street, are for security purposes, or something else.
Continued in Part II
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 II (of I-IV)
Since there were NO “No Trespassing” signs or similar on site now, K.P. was able to get some photo angles previously unavailable for this thread.
The new OWLS diamonds were found to be in place and installed.
In the just above photo, the BNSF tracks are the ones marked by the track bolts just right of center. Note the large UP elevated rail gaps!
Continued in Part III
Seeing Peculiar Things on a Peculiar Visit
Part III (of I-IV)
The rising Colton Flyover and the now heavily ballasted but un-manicured Track 112 at Colton Crossing:
There are gaps in the laid Track.112.
Continued in Part IV
Part IV (of I-IV)
Just south of UP Track 112, and in sight of the BNSF Transcon (upper left), is a strange, what appears to be a fluid collecting area of unknown purpose.
It was now time to zip off … But, from new floodlights to a strange fluid collecting area, the forum has a few new, strange-like things to chew on.
The floodlights could be a security measure to protect trains that are stopped at the crossing for any length of time from cargo theft. The new elevated crossing creates a sight barrier that did not exist before.
The new earth work looks to be a retention pond. They are mandated anywhere that construction could cause significant water run off, e.g. new streets, subdivisions, parking lots. etc. The elevated crossing structure likely qualifies, as well.
John Timm
Like Out El Paso, TX Way
For those interested in this thread’s eastern part of the already two-tracked portion of the Sunset Route updates coverage area (like out El Paso, TX way), some very sketchy information has come to K.P. about the new Santa Teresa, NM facility that is very near to El Paso.
Previously shown June 2, 2013 photo taken at the Santa Teresa UP facility
The sketchy information pertains to CP’s, their signals, and the layout of certain necessary special purpose tracks, i.e., related to the fueling of trains at Santa Teresa.
An interpretive (“interpretive”) explanation as to what is there, or at least what likely is there, is presently being worked up for the forum. It will probably be rather short, very short, but that is what is in the works …
As a teaser, note the below photo of a five-track signal bridge that is towards the eastern end of BNSF’s big classification yard in Barstow, CA. The last two signal positions on the right are for mainline tracks.
April 26, 2009 photo
Remember that above five-track BNSF signal bridge, because, while K.P. does NOT have any photos at this time, there now appears to be similar (“similar”) long signal bridges (plural) in Santa Teresa on UP, and they don’t seem to be on the mainlines either, but off them!
An update on the Montclair situation. UP issued a General Order amending the station names.
Both ends are now referred to as "North Montclair" in the timetable. The dispatcher CAD screens say the same thing.
Those 5 signals at Barstow cover the fuel pad tracks. the other end has a two track cantilever on the north and a three track on the south. The three inner signals are departure signals off the fuel and inspection pads.
A10
New Facility CP’s and Signals
Santa Teresa, NM
Very, very sketchy information has been conveyed to K.P. from sources about CP’s related to the Santa Teresa facility in New Mexico, near El Paso, TX. Up until the very recent past the complex’s trackage had NO signal bridges. And, from what K.P. can gather, the MAINLINE trackage itself still does not have signal bridges.
However, there are at least TWO new signal bridges, and they appear to separate the mainline tracks from the fueling trackage, and involve FOUR CP’s.
Probably the best way to convey matters is a hypothetical train run. And EASTBOUND mainline train is operating in reverse-bias mode, i.e., on Main 1. It crosses over to Main 2 at the 30 M.P.H. crossover at CP S1273 WEST STRAUSS (M.P. 1273.5). It then takes the 30 M.P.H. turnout route, and approaches a signal bridge. ON THAT SIGNAL BRIDGE the train is governed by the west side eastbound absolute signals of CP S1274 WEST FUEL (M.P. 1273.7). It eventually goes under that signal bridge on one of seven fueling tracks, Tracks 6 through 12 .A train going the other way, westbound, would be governed by an east side westbound absolute signal of CP S1273 WEST STRAUSS on the same signal bridge. Got that? So, the seven-track signal bridges are associated with TWO CP’s each!
Our eastbound train passes the WEST fueling facility and goes towards the EAST fuel racks, but stops with the rear DPU power positioned to receive fuel at the WEST end. Once the DPU or DPU's are fueled, the train moves east, and the head-end stops at the EAST fueling racks, and those engines are refueled.
After refueling, the train moves eastbound, and encounters a signal bridge with west side eastbound signals of CP S1277 EAST STRAUSS (M.P. 1276.6), gets a green and goes unto the mainline, and heads east to El Paso, TX. A westbound in reverse would encounter first the east side westbound signal of CP S1277 EAST STRAUSS, and then the signal bridge for CP S1276 EAST FUEL (M.P. 1276.5).
At this point in time, there does not appear to be any intermediate signals between CP’s on the 2.8 miles long fueling tracks. Theoretically, a light engine move approaching an OCCUPIED fuel track would get a flashing red at one of the two signal bridges discussed herein, fuel up while a full length train was fueling up at the other end.
K.P. assumes this is all correct, and fuel racks are at each end of the fueling tracks and NOT only one set midway, but it needs an onsite verification.
The newly reconfigured C038 Ontario was put into service today.
Now has the power turnout to the Montclair yard and power derails on the Sunkist Lead (which crosses the Los Angeles Subdivision at C038).
Replies (Finally)
TX SunsetLtd (12-24):
Greetings, and thanks for your input. Ever since your post reference Santa Teresa, NM and the new CP’s, I’ve been contacting sources and trying to unscramble what is going on out there. And, it has been a continuing thing, as apparently things were continually changing for even sources, so it was hard to pin down exactly what things looked like. Things seemed to have settled down, so I hope the recent posting on Santa Teresa is the way things are there.
ccltrains (12-24):
Thank you. Yes, probably TOO much time! I know because, well, the Mrs. is starting to say strange things … I’m sure you know how that goes …
Super Hunky (12-24):
Yes, color lights are very much invading Tehachapi and its slopes! I visited Tehachapi all day Monday, December 30, 2013 and color lights were coming or at everywhere, such as at Edison …
… and Sandcut …
… and the Loop.
cacole (12-26):
It sounds like the east side of Tucson, AZ will become a fascinating place. Maybe railroaders will nickname the area Balloonville!
billio (12-27):
Yes, I think a grade crossing free zone will delight train crews!
Actually, that grade crossing-free area will (“will”) run from between (“between”) the Bon View Ave. grade crossing in Ontario, CA (M.P. 520.89) after the Vineyard Ave. underpass is open and the Whittier Ave. grade crossing in Byrn Mawr (M.P. 544.50) west of Redlands, or 23.61 miles through rather densely populated and industrial areas.
cacole (12-28):
That LORAM rail grinder was just zipping along when it was photographed. The impression was at the time that it was transferring from one State to another State.
jeffhergert (12-30):
In the evening of Saturday, January 25, 2014 K.P. posted an inquiry in the Model Railroader General Discussion Forum about your inquiry. It should be interesting what replies therein are posted.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/226892.aspx
SP657E44 (12-30):
It is presumed that the bulkhead flat you mentioned was in this photo:
The two photos I took while traveling on the westbound I-10 Freeway onramp were grab shots to say the least. All I was focused on was the ties. But, yes, that railcar partially in the background was an odd one!
desertdog (12-30 / 12-30a / 1-1):
About the auto-racks in the Red Rock siding and DPU there … It may have been a holiday induced situation. It may have been cheaper for the railroad to just leave the DPU there for a week than to do otherwise. UP does quite well in its financial wizardry, and that occupied Red Rock siding may have been a part of that wizardry!
Yes, John, it does seem strange not to see a train stopped anymore in the old, now partially gone Kino siding. Over the years, it seemed that that siding was used more than others. Why, I don’t know. I am pretty sure the railroad didn’t have some agreement with Starbucks to bring coffee out to crews …
The track arrangement history discerned from reports such as yours is kind of nostalgic, to think what the right-of-way was like years ago. And the staff of railroaders that was needed back then is staggering compared to today’s lean train crewing.
billio (1-5):
You are welcome. Such trips are fun. I just wish I had access to a ‘beam me up, Scotty’ machines to skip the long, trackless drive on I-10 between Indio and Phoenix …
mvs (1-5):
My daughter in the Midwest liked that sunset photo by Salton Sea too!
About the Perris Valley Line that you mentioned, the last time I was dispatched out that way, along I-215 / Highway 395 a bunch of continuous welded rail lined the right-of-way. Good sign!
Clyde Acolita (1-6):
I think you are right, Clyde. It would be surprising if the Wister siding was taken out of service.
Things down by Wister are moving so slowly it is questionable if two-tracking workers will even get to Iris before a few years transpire!
narig01 (1-6):
While Trains 1 and 2, Amtrak’s Sunset Limited, is not the subject theme of this thread, how those trains do on the portion that is two-tracked and the portion remaining single-track is interest to hear once and a while. In most cases with two-tracks it would seem an Amtrak could run around a fleet of freights without much problem. The problem comes when Amtrak encounters a westbound fleet meeting an eastbound fleet. No amount of magic can help Amtrak in those cases. Maybe if this thread is ever renamed “Sunset Route Triple-Tracking Updates” there might be hope for Amtrak in circumventing the present impossible.
rdamon (1-7):
Cool Tower 55 link aerial!
Norm48327 (1-18):
It should be interesting to see if a wholesale replacement of low trafficked diamonds with OWLS starts to take place, and how soon it does.
SP657E44 (1-18):
Thanks for the OWLS installation info at DT Junction on the BNSF.
In SP days and before the Alameda Corridor trench, many, many double-stack SP trains would cross the Transcon at DT Junction. With OWLS now installed, that ex-SP now UP line has obviously been downgraded in importance and usage.
desertdog (1-24):
About those strange, new floodlights west of the revamped with OWLS Colton Crossing … I’m not sure why those floodlights are now present, but am leaning towards remote control issues.
In recent months, John, I’ve been expecting the right-of-way between the BNSF and Rancho Ave. to have fencing installed. That would keep locals off the tracks, generally. But locals have an incentive to cross the BNSF Connector and Track 112 by the BNSF Transcon. It is a quick way to the downtown area north of the Sunset Route. And, trespassers generally have a sense of the danger of trains, and would trespass with prudence. But, by extending the area eastward that remote control units can operate in, even with fencing, a new element has arisen that has not been present before. Remote control units may not have sufficient headlight warning, and could sneak up on unsuspecting trespassers. Hence, the floodlighting would make low-speed remote movement clearly visible to the unsuspecting. Whether that is the logic in those floodlights is not known, but that is my best guess.
As far as some type of flood control effort, the old Sunset Route ground level two mains that are now on the flyover have the BNSF Connector and Track 112 in their place. Because of the lower grading and new earth cutting and sloping, master planners may have foreseen a drainage program on the west to east downward sloping of the ground. That water collecting area may simply ensure the water would have a place to go if rain became excessive. And that happens once and a while. Again, that is only my guess.
Clyde Acolita (1-25 / 1-26):
CP name changes: Interesting, very interesting …
Even more interesting was the doing away with manual derails and the installation of POWER derails on the Sunkist Lead (old Ontario Branch). I wonder if OWLS there will come next … Those new power derails I’ve just got to see for myself, and photograph …
Take care all,
K.P.
Update as of Wednesday, January 29, 2014
A Quick Scan
Colton to Ontario, CA
Part I (of I-VI)
K.P. had personal business in San Bernardino, and afterwards made a quick checking out of the Colton to Ontario scene.
At the NEW Colton Crossing (NOT the Colton Flyover) the OWLS crossing was photographed southward from Valley Blvd.
The CP box from the old North Ontario SIDING is now in the fenced area of the Colton Signal Dept.
While that CP box is a bit older than the current CP boxes, apparently UP is ‘protecting it’ in case one of the like ‘older’ CP boxes gets wiped out in a derailment.
Much needs to be done still on the Colton Crossing cross-track (Track 112), which even isn’t connected yet with gaps in the rails still.
In the top photo above, the lower heads of the two mast signals are still turned aside. That is because the new color lights at BNSF’s CP CP29 GONAZALES are still not active, and temporary pot signals are being utilized.
Part II (of I-VI)
At first arriving in Ontario at the new CP AL521 NORTH ONTARIO (M.P. 520.9), a light westbound (leftward) engine move came by.
K.P. has been seeing a lot of suchlike moves of late. The move was on Main Track 1.
Main 2 (formerly, part of which was the North Ontario siding) had active track equipment on it.
On both pictures just above, the orange cone on the left is where the west side eastbound siding signal was.
Part III (of I-VI)
Forum contributor Clyde Acolita advised us that the revised CP C038 ONTARIO and the new CP boxes for it were now in service. That was “in service.”
But, that side track is not exactly in service, and has a rail section missing!
Those above three photos looked westbound from Sultana Ave. in Ontario.
In the top photo above, note that the crossing gate and flashers (right) are positioned for TWO-tracks! In reviewing photo files, it has been that way for quite a while. This contributor interprets that as an indication that sometime in the future the railroad is thinking of having “two-tracks” through here.
Part IV (of I-VI)
Looking east from that same Sultana Avenue …
Previously shown, on June 2, 2011, during a lengthy transition period, CP C038 ONTARIO was in the process of having the old target signals replaced with color lights.
Months later, on March 3, 2012, the new color light signal was fully operational.
On this visit, in conjunction with the new side track and extension of CP C038 to the west, that above mentioned color light signal was taken down.
Strangely, the above signal’s electrical connections box has a red “X” on it, as if the not very old mast signal was destined for the scrap yard.
Continued in Part V
Part V (of I-VI)
The east side westbound LA&SL signal for CP C038 ONTARIO is the same one, and unchanged.
To finish off the update coverage of CP C038 ONTARIO (at least for now), we go to the far west side of the interlocking, at the west side eastbound signals that are now in service.
Continued in Part VI
Part VI (of I-VI)
Back up on the SP side again, an eastward view from Campus Ave.:
The above new signal was high green for what looked like a heavy local heading to West Colton Yard.
A final eastward view, with the track equipment operators now gone for the afternoon and a safety cone on the track:
We end here, but K.P. spent a lot more time in Ontario than had been expected or even the photos in this series suggest, in the Campus Ave. / Sultana Ave. area, and that time took on a continual private eyeing nature, uncovering several things, surprises, and even a shocker (at least for K.P.)!
The forum may also be interested to know that K.P. has been putting together a Sunset Route post series tentatively called, “Might the BNSF Be a Regular on the Sunset Route?“ It is heavy on conjecture, but a possible (“possible”) laying of new BNSF track for a number of miles to the Sunset Route is the only explanation that makes sense for the phenomena that K.P. has recently photo-documented.
Stay tuned and watch for both upcoming series.
Might BNSF Be a Regular on the Sunset Route?
Miles of totally NEW right-of-way and track (i.e. it was NEVER before a railroad route) connecting to the Sunset Route, with BNSF trains actually on the western portion of that Sunset Route! Sounds totally ludicrous, does it not?
The above reshown, recently posted photo of a BNSF Transcon eastbound train about to go under the Sunset Route’s Colton Flyover in Colton, CA is very misleading in the context of the first paragraph above, but very, very much related to it. In photographing and composing a post series (for the Transit forum) on the Los Angeles Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension that is currently being built between Arcadia and Azusa east of Los Angeles …
… K.P. came to some thought-provoking conclusions, and those conclusions involve a potential (“potential”) future unexpected two-tracking of a small portion the Sunset Route, which two-tracking of the Sunset Route is, of course, the overall theme of this thread.
Thus, a multifaceted series with photos on a possibility (“a possibility”) and evidences toward that possibility is now scheduled for Sunday morning, February 2, 2013 before 6:00 A.M., but may be posted hours beforehand.
Part “A” (of A-G)
In California, pre-1995 the Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF) had TWO routes between San Bernardino and Los Angeles. One route went through Fontana and Pasadena (famous for the annual New Year’s Day Rose Parade), and was called the Second District for years and years. The Third District went from San Bernardino to Los Angeles via Corona and Fullerton, and crossed the Sunset Route in Colton. In 1994 the disastrous Northridge Earthquake struck in the Los Angeles area and damaged an unusual, severely angle bridge over half of the I-210 Freeway in Arcadia, near Pasadena. The AT&SF line as a through-route was severed the following year.
Commuter interests purchased the entire Second District (then called the Pasadena Subdivision), and almost 20 years after the earthquake, the now famous landmark “Iconic Freeway Structure” …
… was built and readied for the Foothill Extension light rail computer line, which line tentatively is supposed to start operations all the way east to Azusa in 2015.
Because the Iconic Freeway Structure was built to carry light rail and not heavy freight, like coal trains, the BNSF Railway, successor to the AT&SF, agreed to abandon its bridging rights over the I-210 Freeway and the line west to Los Angeles, and presumably east too towards Azusa. Well and fine, that was the railroad’s prerogative to do so.
BNSF does have freight interests in the Azusa area. So how could those interests be served?
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (of A-G)
In San Diego, CA a similar situation exists.
San Diego Trolley / Light Rail line co-exists with freight trains.
K.P. has never seen both on the same tracks together, so presumably freight operations take place after hours and before the morning startup. There are industry tracks to switch, as in these ride photos.
As far as the old Santa Fe line that is being rebuilt to light rail commuter standards, however, unlike in San Diego, the remaining freight aspect is being relocated just to the south, as in Azusa. (See right middle height single-track on far left.)
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (of A-G)
But, a strange situation is occurring on the ex-AT&SF’s single-track line that is being relocated!
The old signaled line is being rebuilt on a new alignment WITH signals too! Signals for just a local a day, if even that!
And, the single-track bridge over Foothill Blvd. (Route 66) is having TWO other bridges built to accommodate three tracks overall, so that there will be two bridges for light rail commuter operations, and one for heavy freight (if we can call a BNSF local a day heavy freight).
The north side bridge startup:
South side:
Continued in Part D
Part “D” (of A-G)
That single-track bridge over Foothill Blvd. from a few blocks to the west, looking east:
A lot of construction is preparing the right-of-way for three-tracks.
A mile or so to the west, but EAST of the 605 Freeway, the BNSF freight line now just ends. ENDS!
But, in the photo’s background is THAT 605 Freeway … Hmmm.
Continued in Part E
Part “E” (of A-G)
Note the below freeway interchange and the ex-Santa Fe east-west right-of-way that passes in the aerial middle.
LINK: Where the 210 and 605 Freeways Cross
Consider this …
LINK: An Area Overview
Did you notice it? The north-south 605 Freeway is NOT landlocked per se, but kind of goes through a river-wash type area. An actual concrete lined San Gabriel River follows the 605 Freeway too!
Between 10 and 11 miles southwestward, the Sunset Route crosses the river-wash and that is where an unrelated Metrolink line flies over the Sunset Route.
LINK: The Sunset Route and the 605 Freeway
An old May 16, 2010 post photo, looking westbound:
By the El Monte Metrolink Flyover:
A track would fit to the north of the above flyover (right, NOT under the flyover), and that track could come down that freeway-wash area from the Duarte-Irwindale area (that the AT&SF line went through) all the while straddling the 605 Freeway with plenty of room.
Such a new BNSF line would only need to be single-track, as that was what the old Santa Fe Second District was.
Continued in Part F
Part “F” (of A-G)
The single-track Sunset Route between El Monte and Los Angeles could be two-tracked, seeing it would (scenario-wise) be host to some BNSF trains coming off of or going onto the Second District route that would straddle the 605 Freeway / San Gabriel River.
A westward photo: The Alhambra Trench (background) and the under construction future San Gabriel Trench (foreground) is / will be two-tracks wide, so it is two-tracks capable.
Diverging for a moment, such a “Second District” BNSF northern route would take away the national security problem at the Colton Flyover because an alternative route would be available for BNSF that is not directly connected to that flyover, but a few miles to the north.
In downtown Los Angeles, a BNSF-UP Sunset Route would need a flyover so the freights could get through unhindered, and so could commuter trains.
LINK: Mission Tower / LATC Area
Another flyover by where the Alameda Corridor cuts-in may be prudent too, but that is another matter…
But, everything might be federally funded in the name of national security, from a line that partially parallels the alignment of the 605 Freeway, two-tracking El Monte to Los Angeles on the Sunset Route, and flyovers in downtown Los Angeles. Local governments thrill at such federal dollars entering their area’s economy, and what joy they would have in this case!
Continued in Part G
Part “G” (of A-G)
IF (“if”) such a BNSF line (new and present) extended from El Monte to Pomona, roughly it would be about 25 miles. Loosely speaking, the now partially gone AT&SF 6165-foot Irwindale siding could be completely rebuilt on a new alignment SOUTH of the Foothill Extension two-track line! Presently, the Google Maps shows the bridge over the 210 Freeway as having a THREE-track width!
AERIAL: Railroad Bridge over the I-210 Freeway
An overview of the area …
AERIAL: I-210 and the ex-AT&SF
Some photos that appeared in the Foothill Extension thread …
A telephoto of that bridge (upper background left) over the 210 Freeway with railings:
A wider view from that same location (Irwindale Ave.) that the above photo was shot from:
A close-up of the signal as on the above photo’s lower right:
A westward view from Irwindale Ave.:
A little ways beyond that curve (westward) in the background of the above photo, the BNSF line now ends, and conjecturally, from there to El Monte on a new track that follows the 605 Freeway and San Gabriel River / flood control wash the line could connect to the Sunset Route, as already mentioned.
Amtrak Trains 3 and 4 could, in theory, again traverse the Second District rails, at least part of the route.
Anyway, this is all theory (“theory”), but it sure would make things more secure (like with national security) and enhance the free flow of the BNSF and UP lines if it was to come about. The fact that BNSF / Metrolink is NOT downgrading the old “Second District” to dark territory (a logical action) on the western end makes one wonder if such a theory is in the minds of some planners somewhere …
-----------
A Second Section follows.
Second Section
BETWEEN the old Santa Fe route discussed above and the Sunset Route to the south is an old Southern Pacific branch now owned by Metrolink and their San Bernardino-Los Angeles commuter trains zoom through the area on it. UP obviously inherited freight rights on it when it merged with the Southern Pacific. On Sunday, January 26, 2014, in the wee hours of the morning, UP “picked up” steamer 4-8-8-4 UP 4014 for restoration, and transported it to West Colton Yard in Colton, CA..
A classy unit was involved. UP’s SP Heritage unit UP 1996 went in on specially laid panel track to get the steamer as crowds of onlookers watched at the site and TRAINS broadcast the phenomena live. The below are photos from the TRAINS Internet feed.
The picking up and pulling the steamer out:
The steamer even had number boards, marker lights, and headlight lit!
Class move to say the least!
Just a few miles to the east is where the ex-AT&SF / BNSF line discussed in the Parts before this “Second Section” cuts in and UP no longer has trackage rights.
Whether UP 4014 when restored and steam-operating again will ever return to the Pomona Fairplex is unknown (there are reports that it will), but it has commuter tracks to get there on. And, it will have a whole UP System to prowl around on, including the Sunset Route and its ever free flowing two-tracks between El Paso and Los Angeles.
For those interested, K.P. passed by West Colton Yard Wednesday, January 29, 2014, and UP 4014 was by Slover Ave. next to walling or fencing, but visually it was blocked and hard to see. Nevertheless, one could tell it was the steamer, as the ugly gray beast could be seen though the bushes. (Likely the now ugly steamer will be paint nice and shiny.) It was parked one or two blocks east of Spruce Street.
AERIAL LINK: Area of Where UP 4014 was parked in West Colton Yard
--------
A follow-up posting to “A Quick Scan” from a day or two ago is pending, and will deal with issues in Ontario, including the old Ontario Branch.
The new signals on the new second district track are probably part of the contract. The district was signaled and the remaining portion still worked. So the rebuilt one would in turn get a working signal system.
Private Eyeing and the Almost Magical
Ontario, CA
Sit Down for this One!
There has been some speculation that the relatively new LA&SL diamond at CP C038 ONTARIO would be changed out to an OWLS arrangement, as has been done at Colton Crossing.
In reviewing file photos, a never before posted close-up of THE diamond at CP C038 ONTARIO was found, dated June 2, 2011, and the diamond ALREADY is an OWLS!
That crossing is slightly angled, and when a Metrolink eastbound zipped by that 2011 date there was a lot of crossing noise.
Exactly why the diamond was so misleadingly noisy that date when the Metrolink went by is not clear, but it must have had to do with the LA&SL mainline track joints on each side of the OWLS diamond, because OWLS in themselves do not make any noise when mainline traversed!
The branch gaps route, as I recall, is NOT any noisier than a typical crossing. On August 31, 2011, about three months after the above photos were shot, a branch-type movement went over the OWLS at CP C038 ONTARIO and it didn’t make noise any different than the usual, regular diamonds.
As seen in the last photo just above, the gentleman riding the tail end seems very nonchalant about going over the OWLS diamond, and was NOT holding on for dear life! So, the ride quality over them must be little different than from traditional diamonds.
K.P. would like to thank Super Hunky, Norm48327, and rdamon for their initial posts back in late August 2013 that made everyone aware of OWLS. Unfortunately, the Ontario diamond made mainline noise back in the past that fooled K.P. into thinking it was a traditional diamond. But, at least we all know the truth now.
[Ed.: All the photos in this series from here on were taken Wednesday, January 29, 2014]
Very recently it was posted that the “Sunkist Lead” that crosses the LA&SL at CP C038 ONTARIO had “power derails” installed. That baffled a few of K.P.’s sources, because the best that he and they can gather is that there is NO “Sunkist Lead” or “power derails” on it! There is, however, a “business track” called “Sunkist” at M.P. 520.5, which presumably is the remaining part of the old Ontario Branch.
That curved track above crosses the LA&SL to the south, around the curve in the below photo’s background. The CP box for CP C038 ONTARIO and LA&SL cross-track are slightly visible on the left.
Looking southwest, the curving track crosses Main St., and apparently years ago there was a lot more active trackage for this area than there is today.
The situation for the branch, lead, business track, or whatever it is, is deteriorating greatly.
Some cross streets now have no warning signs whatsoever!
South of the LA&SL, looking north:
The branch-like track still utilizes manual, hand throw derails.
While photographing this area, the signal suddenly activated, and went from dark to displaying red. No train was on the branch track.
Ah, the magical! Apparently, the new color lights have their circuitry set up if any train is in the diamond block or if a train is lined through it in any direction, all the signals in all directions light up.
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