The California-Arizona-California Report
Saturday-Sunday, August 15-16, 2015
Part “I” (of G-L, Overall A-AA)
The Mohawk Grade Two-Tracking
A closer eastbound look of the view going under the I-8 Freeway
Above, the left, Main 1 signal, has the lower head oddly turned aside! There is some track equipment on Main 1.
K.P. opted not to drive 20 miles roundtrip to Dateland (where a turnaround underpass is located) to find out what the new CP SP796 MOHAWK (M.P. 796.1) looked like just a few miles to the east of the I-8 Freeway passing over the tracks.
The spot here is a key location freeway-wise.
On the east side of the I-8 Freeway, those intermediates:
Continued in Part J
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 “J” (of G-L, Overall A-AA)
Those intermediates, ballast, and ties:
A better view of those track machines on Main 1:
A westbound train approaches from the east …
… and passes.
Continued in Part K
Part “K” (of G-L, Overall A-AA)
In the past, a dirt road paralleled the I-8 Freeway and the Sunset Route from Dateland to Mohawk, but disappointedly a permanent barricade prevented access to it in the Mohawk area. But, it strangely was open now, but obviously open for someone other than the public.
While two-tracks are officially in service between Colfred and Mohawk, it seems UP still has a long way to go to make that stretch free flowing and a wonder for dispatchers.
Continued in Part L
Part “L” (of G-L, Overall A-AA)
Reviewing the New Two-Tracking Stretch West of Yuma, AZ
This is the two mile section that was recently two-tracked, between Araz and Araz Jct. Views look westbound.
Looking eastbound:
Just above, around the curved in the background, was where Araz Jct. used to be, the end of two-tracks from the east.
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Continued with the Third Group, Parts M-R, to be posted Thursday, August 27, 2015 between 3:00 and 6:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time
KP, I like the signal numbering which definitely sets the track number off from the location number. It makes it easier for the traveling railfan to quickly identify which part of the number is the track number. Of course, if the traveler is familiar with the practice of the road he is on, he knows which is which.
Of course, anybody in road service should know his road's practice.
Johnny
Riverside Jct. : I see something that wasn't there last time i looked (northwest side).
A10
This posting was delayed by the TRAINS Magazine website being down and inoperative earlier this date.
Part “M” (of M-R, Overall A-AA)
The camera position has moved east a bit. This view looks westbound from Araz Road (north of the I-8 Freeway, Algodones Road south of the freeway). The overpass in the distance is Sidewinder Road. Just east of Sidewinder Road is the universal crosser plant of the relatively new CP SP724 ARAZ (M.P. 723.7).
Those intermediate signals again, looking eastbound.
Above, that roadway on the lower right is Araz Road. This is near Yuma, AZ, but technically in California. Araz Road is an absolutely atrocious street to travel. If you want one or more of your dental fillings to come out, by all means travel it! Personally, I took the freeway instead.
This is where CP SP726 ARAZ JCT (M.P. 725.8) used to be, the old, original Araz.
K.P. kicks himself for not finding the above camera location before, as the trackwork between single and two-tracks would have been nice to see previously. It was a big CP as simple as it was. There was a wye switch, likely in that section of two-tracks with the telephone pole through it. The Positive Train Control antenna of the recent past is on the right.
Continued in Part N
Part “N” (of M-R, Overall A-AA)
This is at Yuma Road, where the tracks are so high up a road can go under them.
Above, note the left side single lower heads on each mast. This is the last intermediate signals before the Colorado Rivera crossing at CP SP732 YUMA.
Two-tracking this area was ONLY a couple of miles, but the signal system was revamped at the same time all the way to Yuma.
This is a physically southeast facing view of the west side of CP SP732 YUMA, from the lower Quechan Road that parallels the tracks here.
With the new signals from CP SP724 ARAZ to CP SP732 YUMA, though K.P. lacks visual experience with the new signals, he believes a green signal may be a rarity (see the just above photo with a yellow over red display). Two states, two subdivisions, and two dispatchers are involved.
Continued in Part O
Part “O” (of M-R, Overall A-AA)
The Colorado River Crossing
One of the very first things K.P. noticed upon arriving at the Colorado River crossing was a train on Main 1 that had changed crews by CP SP736 PACIFIC (M.P. 735.6), but when it got to the Colorado River crossing it had to stop at a red signal!
Above, the signal visible is Main 2’s east side westbound signal of the long CP.
A walk up on the single-lane roadway bridge (west side sidewalk) was had, and the train finally got a favorable signal and came. The tracks are much lower in the Colorado River crossing than the roadway.
Continued in Part P
Part “P” (of M-R, Overall A-AA)
From the Colorado River crossing, looking southish (eastbound), one sees the old crew relief point (lower middle), and the mains zigzagging up a hill.
(Make a mental note of all those light gray freight cars parked up that hill. Tomorrow's posting will mention them.)
According to official timetable material that sources showed K.P., the next signaling, at CP SP736 PACIFIC, is about 3 miles distance, which is rather unusual, because most signals are spaced two to two and a half miles apart.
The east side westbound signals of CP SP732 YUMA:
Just above, note the CP box in the background, a closer view is shown below:
Continued in Part Q
Part “Q” (of M-R, Overall A-AA)
From under the I-8 Freeway overpass, another westbound stops. Stop, stop, and stop! Everything seems to stop!
So, even though the crew change is now further east, and train are not stopping over the Colorado River Bridge itself, trains never the less are seemingly always stopping because of a conflicting train lined through the single-track truss bridge, OR because of a dispatcher too busy to pay attention ….
(Note those grayish cars in the background again.)
Finally, the above train starts westbound.
Continued in Part R
Part “R” (of M-R, Overall A-AA)
The westbound had a black Norfolk Southern (NS) unit in the consist.
Note that tan prison building in the background.
That prison building will be discussed in tomorrow's posting.
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Continued with the Fourth Group, Parts S-X, to be posted Friday, August 28, 2015 between 3:00 and 6:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Part “S” (of S-X, Overall A-AA)
The Old Colorado River Crossing Route
Yuma, AZ
We divert slightly. Remember that long line of light gray rail cars, as below?
The above view, looking eastbound, is from on the very old right-of-way, before the line was rerouted in 1923.
Looking westbound:
Closer westbound views and old structures:
In looking at aerials, the long gone right-of-way is built over by many buildings, especially westbound beyond the above last three views.
A link is provided for those interested in peering a bit in the past right-of-way-wise as compared to today. You have to use your imagination …
https://goo.gl/maps/0ctci
K.P. has to wonder how the Colorado River was crossed nearly a century ago. Too bad we can’t see it because of all the buildings on the old right-of-way leading to the river itself.
Continued in Part T
Part “T” (of S-X, Overall A-AA)
From a Rather Different Perspective …
… about the Colorado River Crossing
From the old prison grounds, a lot of public views:
Continued in Part U
Part “U” (of S-X, Overall A-AA)
From the south side of the prison grounds, looking at the east side of CP SP732 YUMA:
We leave the Yuma area, and head to base in the Cajon Pass area.
Continued in Part V
Part “V” (of S-X, Overall A-AA)
On the Way Back to Base
On the way back, a brief stop was made in Niland (CA) with the hopes that by some far chance a yellow over lunar could be seen there, but it wasn’t to be.
A specific stop in Beaumont was made, on Beaumont Hill. This area had a revision of the signals and crossovers maybe a decade ago. But, the objective was to look over the Beaumont signaling facility.
The old CP box from CP SP540 MT VERNON was there, the one that was replaced with the signal revisions for the Colton Flyover in Colton (CA) a few years ago.
Continued in Part W
Part “W” (of S-X, Overall A-AA)
The Beaumont Signal Dept. is right by the Sunset Route tracks.
A grade crossing box there especially caught K.P.’s attention, from the west slope of Cajon Pass, from Glen Helen Parkway (Devore Road), on the Palmdale Cutoff on the Mojave Subdivision, which subdivision on the south end Y’s into the Sunset Route.
Some old grade crossing boxes had scary stenciling for some illogical reason … or maybe there is logic to it.
Continued in Part X
Part “X” (of S-X, Overall A-AA)
There was a lot of signal wire in the well-organized signal department.
Some crossing gates were there too!
A bunch of signal hoods were nicely stacked up.
And switch rod parts and other items.
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Continued with the Fifth Group, Parts Y-AA, to be posted Saturday, August 29, 2015 between 3:00 and 6:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time
As the railroad ran up Madison street in Yuma there isn't anything on the R-O-W except a park on the CA side. SP 2521 is parked on it. The siphon that runs under the river runs all the way to the Mexican border through the middle of Yuma.
SP657E44 Riverside Jct. : I see something that wasn't there last time i looked (northwest side). A10
Memo to SP657E44 (8-27 / 29):
Your August 27, 2015 post, as quoted above, is considered a teaser by myself, of what is not understood, nor where, except at “Riverside Jct.” There was years ago a timetable Riverside Jct. north of 1st Street in Riverside, where the LA&SL westward then cut away from the Santa Fe line, and the PE crossed there as well. But, that has not been a timetable location for years.
The last Altamont Press Railfan Timetable for California, now terribly out of date, does not list a Riverside Jct. as well. Sources in the past have conveyed UP considers there present junction with the BNSF to be called Riverside, though I think BNSF considers “Riverside” to be elsewhere. I’ve always understood the modern junction as BNSF’s West Riverside.
There is nothing on K.P. schedule for anywhere near that area until the second week of September. A visit to BNSF’s West Riverside was had last Saturday, August 22, 2015, however, at the Cridge Street grade crossing, and nothing overly unusual was seen. I suspect that area was what was meant by your post, but about what you saw, though, I am curious to no end …
You, SP357E44, may be interested in a short post I’ve finally gotten to compose, tentative entitled “Is It a Trend or Something Else? … And Ballast. Two CP’s in Riverside, CA.” It has a few photos taken Saturday, August 22, 2015 on the way back from an exhausting two days in Riverside County.
SP657E44 As the railroad ran up Madison street in Yuma there isn't anything on the R-O-W except a park on the CA side. SP 2521 is parked on it. The siphon that runs under the river runs all the way to the Mexican border through the middle of Yuma. A10
As far as your post Saturday the 29th, I find NO steamer parked in or out of a park on the California side opposite Yuma. However, I do on the Arizona side!
A Google aerial of it:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7275874,-114.6195127,101m/data=!3m1!1e3
Nevertheless, your awareness of how the old route went was appreciated. Thanks for sharing.
Best,
K.P.
Clarification: The park mentioned is on the CA side, grading of which removed the SP r-o-w. The steamer is on the r-o-w in AZ. Aerial photos show the bridge piers in 1940 along with a wye and branch at Winterhaven (to Laguna Dam ???).
Part “Y” (of Y-AA, Overall A-AA)
On the Way to and the Way Back from Arizona
Previously, a signal base was by the west switch of the Mortmar siding, at CP SP633 MORTAR (M.P. 632.9). Now, the base is actually in place through being buried..
Above, the east westbound signals are seen.
The west eastbound signal and the area:
The above two photos were taken during a very brief stop on the way to Arizona.K.P. on the way back from Arizona looked the area over in depth, however, but found no other burial bases on site.
It is unknown if such an installation is in advance of two-tracking, or just for signal upgrades on this presently single-track section. In line with recent signal upgrades in this area a year or so ago, in theory, this area might be two-tracked in a year or two. But, the major upheaval in the decline of Powder River Coal for environmental reasons might put a damper on further two-tracking of the Sunset Route.
A year or so ago K.P. was super surprised in aerial map following UP’s line into the Powder River Basin. It was no longer single-track, but two-tracks. But, with the drastic decline in coal shipments, will the second track be pulled up (at least portions of it), and maybe transported down to the Sunset Route, where the rail will have to adjust from the life of being frozen in the winter months to scorching heat of the southern Sunset Route through Arizona? There may be some hard thinking going on in a building on Douglas Street in Omaha, Nebraska.
Continued in Part Z
Part “Z” (of Y-AA, Overall A-AA)
A Broad Review of the Newer UP Signaling
Many UP Places, USA
In crossing the Colorado River, the UP signaling is for lower speed travel, and quite generic by signaling standards.
Reshown photo
Three lamp heads are over three lamp heads, with the lower heads used for the turnout route.
Due to the malfunction problems at this site, additional posts are added.
Continued in Part Z-2
Part “Z-2” (of Y-AA, Overall A-AA)
Diagram of Colorado River crossing:
.
West East
CP SP732 YUMA < --------- / > /---------------------------------------- / < /-------- >
Continued in Part Z-3
Part “Z-3” (of Y-AA, Overall A-AA)
On the Tehachapi grades, the whole Pass has new color light signals now. On the southern (eastern) end, in Mojave, a very contrasting signal arrangement is seen.
For the turnout route Main 1, southbound a red over is used (right signal below).
In advance of that red over a yellow over yellow is used.
Continued in Part Z-4
Part “Z-4” (of Y-AA, Overall A-AA)
It has been a long time since K.P. was able to do a visual on the below CP SP381 SOUTH MOJAVE, but the below is the recollection. Corrections are welcome in the name of accuracy.
South (East) North (West)
CP SP381 SOUTH MOJAVE
--------- / / Main 1 ------------------------ / / / / Main 2---------------------------------------- / / / / -------------- / BNSF /----
‘
(The above unofficial diagraming may be reversed today compared to UP’s official track schematics [north-south], but years ago it was as above [east-west].)
But, in that Yuma area, at the intermediate west of the Colorado River crossing, on Main 2, a high green can be displayed if the WEST CP 732 YUMA turnout is in reverse, but a yellow over yellow if the EAST turnout is also reversed!
Continued in Part AA
Part “AA” (of Y-AA, Overall A-AA)
Of course, then there is that freakish situation in Gibbon, NE, on the Central Corridor, where the line from Kansas City junctions in. Westbound coal trains that junction into the Central Corridor tend to come from Kansas on Main 1, crossover Main 2 to Main 1 on the Central Corridor, all via the 40 M.P.H. No. 20 switches. Train after train does that. However, that junction has a signal that is a red over type, but it also has a top yellow! Have you ever heard of that?
Previously shown
Continued in Part AA-2
Theoretically, reference the photos in the Part before this one, the signal can display yellow over flashing green to crossover just a half mile ahead, through a 60 M.P.H. crossover. K.P. has never seen those 60 M.P.H. crossovers at Gibbon used. Likely they are a special runaway contingency arrangement, and seldom used.
CP B174 GIBBON CP B175 GIBBON JCT
---------------------------------------- \ \ / \ \ /---------------------------------------- \ \ \ \------------------------- \ \ \ \ \
The differing signal displays and their circumstances give us food for thought. Also, we all now know the current status of the two-tracking near Yuma, one short stretch to the west and a lengthy one a number of miles to the east. This will conclude the series.
Is It a Trend or Something Else? … And Ballast
Two Back-to-Back CP’s in Riverside, CA
This involves LA&SL CP C056 SCRRA JCT (M.P. 56.4), on the alternate Sunset Route, and BNSF CP WEST RIVERSIDE (BNSF M.P. 10.6), two back to back CP’s with NO space between them.
Recently, the LA&SL signals at CP C056 SCRRA JCT were all converted to constantly lit ones instead of the approach lit type. Metrolink (SCRRA) uses the below signal.
Recent two-tracking signal installations in Arizona, like at CP SP785 COLFRED, have the diode lights constantly lit.
The question has to be asked, since constantly lit color lights are showing up more and more now, is it cheaper for UP to leave such lamps on in lieu of more expensive approach lit circuitry?
Concerning BNSF’s CP WEST RIVERSIDE that currently has those large piles of ballast trackside …
(The above photo looks tilted to the right. It’s the poles that are tilted. The masts are all perfectly vertical the way they are supposed to. The red signal visible on the right is LA&SL’s mainline west side eastbound signal. The first photo was of the SCRRA signal of the same CP.)
Such a large pile of ballast was on the LA&SL (at CP C038 ONTARIO) and it came to be used not too long ago without a revision of the track arrangement.
Thus, when West Riverside eventually is reworked, will the trackwork thereat be revised? Or, will it be left intact and unchanged? Somehow K.P. thinks the new 91 Freeway railroad bridge that is nearing completion might have something to do with this …
Interestingly, in the photo above, that left, background pile of ballast is SOUTH of Cridge St. (the visual grade crossing). Why would such a pile be placed where there are presently NO BNSF switches? Something to ponder!
K. P. HarrierThe question has to be asked, since constantly lit color lights are showing up more and more now, is it cheaper for UP to leave such lamps on in lieu of more expensive approach lit circuitry?
LED lamps draw a lot less current than filament-type bulbs, and the multiple LEDs in each "lamp" mean that burn out is much less likely. Approach lighting was originally developed for battery-well powered signalling and as a method of preserving filament life. The conditions favoring its use no longer apply.
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