doghouse K. P. Harrier First … For the Computer Nerds among … … the Users of this Website That makes one wonder if the TRAINS website tech people stay up at night and dream up wicked schemes to screw users of their website, to make the site even more difficult to use. They must really hate me then. All of the pictures you post I get as a square with an X in it.
K. P. Harrier First … For the Computer Nerds among … … the Users of this Website That makes one wonder if the TRAINS website tech people stay up at night and dream up wicked schemes to screw users of their website, to make the site even more difficult to use.
First … For the Computer Nerds among …
… the Users of this Website
That makes one wonder if the TRAINS website tech people stay up at night and dream up wicked schemes to screw users of their website, to make the site even more difficult to use.
They must really hate me then. All of the pictures you post I get as a square with an X in it.
Johnny
The Track is both there and not there
Riverside Industrial Lead
Riverside, CA
As alluded to a few days ago, the Riverside Industrial Lead in northeastern Riverside, while severed on each ends in accord with the track elimination agreement concerning the Colton Flyover, the Lead here has lingered in place for months and months, as if it had been forgotten by UP.
However, on Tuesday, November 10, 2015, the Lead was followed, with the expectation of the same. However, some grade crossings were found to be in an elimination mode (“mode”). The Columbia Ave. grade crossing and crossing gates were gone, but not completely so.
Above, vehicles, after stopping at the “T” intersection by the track, proceeded on and got a bumpy ride where the track had been, as it needing more hot-top fill put in.
Looking the other way, outbound, the trade that had been in the grade crossing was stacked on top of track.
Again, an inbound view:
Another key grade crossing to the north had the same treatment, but others had not been touch yet.
This will conclude the single, brief post.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
Backtracking through Time and the Catch up Series
Part I (of I-III)
The Trekkie Mrs. ‘stole’ (with my permission) the old camera’s memory card. The photos taken (most when my regular camera was not with me) thus were unavailable until the rarely used cable for downloading was found. (Got the picture?) The following photos, most taken recently, thus are shown belatedly.
August 11, 2015: The Fullerton Ave. / LA&SL underpass construction site in the City of Industry, CA:
From here on, all photos were taken October 28, 2015. At Colton (CA), a westbound was taking the LA&SL route via Riverside. The severed west “wye” track of the Riverside Industrial Lead is in the forefront. A CSX unit AND the rather famous SD70ACe UP 8444 (steamer UP 844 used to be numbered 8444) were in the consist.
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-III)
The quite large stack of concrete tied ‘panel track’ –like track is still by 9th and “K” Streets, intended for an unknown use.
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-III)
At the Laurel Ave. underpass construction site on the BNSF (the second CP north of the Sunset Route and the last place UP trains can transition to a track leading to the Sunset Route). So far only three tracks have been restored to their original alignment, and the shoofly is gone.
In the last photo above, the parallel to the tracks STREET bridging fences are barely visible on the left, the track counterpart on the center-right.
At this late stage of the construction, it is unknown what a couple of laying down rebar cylinders would be used for.
BNSF doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to restore the six tracks to their original alignment. There are also a lot of things that could happen between here and BNSF CP 61 HIGHGROVE, with the UP Mt. Vernon Connector entering the BNSF Transcon south of the Colton Flyover and the Sunset Route. And, too, the big piles of BNSF ballast at their CP WEST RIVERSIDE in Riverside continue to inspire speculation.
This will end the series.
Doghouse:
You say you get the square with an X in it....do you get e-mail updates on Two Tracking Updates, or are you going to the TRAINS site? Being signed-up for e-mail alerts might give you a second option, if not already.
With the exception of K.P.'s reports, I prefer the magazine over the website-- fewer things to go wrong.
Good luck!
John
A Couple of Replies
M636C (11-6):
Interesting perspective you have about driving in different countries on different sides of the road.
About ‘single multiple aspect LED lamps,’ let me please convey a personal story. Forty years ago Southern Pacific (Sunset Route) and Santa Fe (on what is now the Transcon) in Southern California used target signals both for absolute and intermediate signals (in CTC territories), comparable to single element multiple color LED's in your country. Union Pacific, on the other hand, used target signals for absolute signals (such as at CP’s or Control Point), whereas three aspect color lights at intermediate signal locations. UP was sweet and simple, with a simple way for train crews to tell the difference between absolutes and intermediates.
Then, in the late 1970’s I followed UP’s Central Corridor tracks in Wyoming. The rather then-new CTC territory signals were ALL color lights! Train crews no longer had a rule of thumb between absolutes (with targets) and intermediates (as color lights)!
Your area, M636C, with all diode light single elements (capable of displaying multiple colors) reminded me of that visit to Wyoming, USA years ago! I assume your area has absolute and intermediate signals as well, and they likely are probably hard to distinguish between with all multi-color single element LED’s.
doghouse (11-12):
My technician skills with Windows OS’s are quite lacking, but with reference to your “X” instead of photos problem, searching for a solution to your problem was tinkered with. I wonder (just wonder) if this might be of assistance (on Windows 7 machines):
Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Administrative Tools\[Windows Firewall with Advanced Security … Inbound Rules … Actions …]
Best,
K.P.
I appreciate all of your efforts to assist me. It's definately on my end.
In a prior life (before retiring) I was going to the United Kingdom 6 times per year and renting cars often. Having the steering wheel on the right and having my wife say "right damnit" helped. My only problem came with the round abouts. I tended to to the American way of going clock wise rather than the British counter clockwise. Fortunately I never met any cars while playing America.
Have You Scratched Your Head Lately in Puzzlement?
If you haven’t of late, the upcoming Sunset Route thread post series probably will make you do that!
The SOUTH Milliken Ave. grade separation overpass over the LA&SL (alternate Sunset Route) in southeastern Ontario (CA) was visited, and it is moving along quite well, but things currently look very, very different from an official drawing linked in this thread in the not too distant past.
In Colton, the Mt. Vernon Connector (between the UP and BNSF, the southeast quadrant) has some very unorthodox developments taking place therewith now. And, the road closures in Colton (as agreed upon previously in conjunction with the now completed Colton Flyover), those road closures appear totally finished, where even pedestrians CANNOT get through now.
A short photo post series about all this will be presented in one to three days. The south Milliken Ave. site was photographed about noon Thursday, November 19, 2015, but the Colton material was done at night the same date.
You are starting to be like those TV news promo's that tout the evening news. "Ploliticians meet to discuss... (fill in the blank) News at eleven!" Keep it up.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=472858&nseq=1
K.P., might you know if UP ever repainted the replacement box car that they provided with the SD40-2 and the way car in exchange for the 4014?
The “Have You Scratched Your …
… Head Lately” Series
Part “A” (of A-H)
The South Milliken Ave. Overpass
Ontario, CA
On July 26, 2015 forum contributor mvs posted a reply that had a link to the official City of Ontario (CA) website that insinuated (or, at least that is how K.P. interpreted it) that Mission Blvd. would be elevated so it intersected with the elevated Milliken Ave., with the Union Pacific tracks at ground level.
http://www.ci.ontario.ca.us/index.aspx?page=34&recordid=250
K.P. on Thursday, November 19, 2015 was actually onsite, but the site did NOT look like the visual from official sources! But, yet onsite had some (“some”) semblances to what was seen at the official website. In composing this post series, the conclusion was reached (hopefully correctly) that the official visual’s RAMPS hid Mission Blvd., which road is behind the ramps, hence, not seen.
That visual sort of insinuates Mission Blvd itself would be elevated, but the following westward photo suggests otherwise, with NEW guardrails, fencing, and concrete-work. The LA&SL tracks are on the upper right.
Looking the other way, east, from a business’s parking lot, ramping under construction (with vertical rebar) is seen in the background.
However, above, comparing the left vertically slightly angled north structuring with the right completely vertical south, right structuring, there seems to be NO on and off ramps for eastbound traffic. We will just have to wait further construction for that illogical to hopefully make sense.
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (of A-H)
A northeast looking view of supposedly north side west ramp rebar-work, and the cement-work on each side of the LA&SL tracks.
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (of A-H)
The south structure for Milliken Ave.:
The south ramp to elevate Milliken Ave. is being built in a very confining area.
The speed limit for trains through this area is 65 M.P.H. To the east, maybe a half a mile, the LA&SL tracks curve to the right slightly. And there are several absolute signals. At this point in time it is unknown if the South Milliken Ave. overpass will impair the view of signals, or if they already are impaired by the curve and trees.
Continued in Part D
Part “D” (of A-H)
New Developments on the …
… Mt. Vernon Connector
Colton, CA
In close proximity to the Colton Signal Department (below), passed by in the evening of Thursday, November 19, 2015 …
… CONCRETE ties were found to be stacked up for tie replacement on an otherwise wooden tied Mt. Vernon Connector that runs parallel to the BNSF Transcon!
Continued in Part E
Part “E” (of A-H)
That Mt. Vernon Connector is a transitional track between the UP Sunset Route and the BNSF Transcon, which BNSF line goes under the Colton Flyover, as below (background).
So, in light of the new concrete ties positioned on an otherwise wooden tied connector (south half), AND, as previously illustrated in a very recent series, the abandoned section of track on the Riverside Industrial Lead in Colton, Grand Terrace, and Highgrove in accord with the Colton Flyover funding agreement, said track is now being pulled up …
… could all this mean some extra funding has come through and things are starting to hop?
Continued in Part F
Part “F” (of A-H)
“Hop”?
You may recall BEFORE the Colton Flyover was built, this previously shown photo was posted, a southward (westbound) view of the BNSF from the I-10 Freeway.
Above, in the distance from left to right, a blank track spot, the Mt. Vernon Connector, Main 2, and Main 1, with the Mt. Vernon Connecter angling off to the lower left to meet up with the Sunset Route a bit to the east.
Could the concrete ties spotted in Part D of this series be for aligning the Mt. Vernon Connect to that fourth, unused track position so that three BNSF tracks could go south (west) over the Santa Ana River and through a new Bartow Road bridge replacing the two-track overpass bridge thereat now? (Below views are also previously shown.)
Just south of the present 1936 built overpass, about a half mile, are those three new truss bridges, two of the three are in use, but the third one is functionally ready to be used.
So, that should give the forum something to chew on. K.P. plans on checking the area out further as timer permits in the weeks ahead and otherwise keep an eye on the situation.
Earlier this post date contact was made with forum contributor eolesen, who used to live in Arizona and contributed some cool photo-work by CP SP970 SABINO (M.P. 970.4) from by the Twin Peaks Road overpass westbound I-10 ramp in the Tucson, AZ area. (He lives in Illinois now.) A two-tracking switch was being installed at the CP back then. Note the reply received from him, two paragraphs quoted (with his permission) below :
“I'm half wondering if the extension of the PTC deadline just opened up funds for more productive (and shovel ready) projects.
“We just had a bunch of smaller projects pop up here on the Harvard Sub. Lots of tie and ballast work, a grade crossing replacement, and three station platform rehabs. That's more going on at once than I've ever seen in the three years (combined) I've ridden downtown.”
So, additional funding in Colton may (“may”) have been received for whatever reason. Without the facts, though, things remain un-definitive, but something caused the rash of activity in Colton, and to what extent is unknown too at this time.
Continued in Part G
Part “G” (of A-H)
The Closed BNSF “H” Street …
… Grade Crossing Colton, CA
Part of the agreement for the Colton Flyover was the closing of the grade crossings at both H and E Streets. They were closed some time ago, but finishing the job just lingered on and on, until now. Rod iron fences that make it nearly impossible to cross the tracks short of having a very large “A” frame ladder on hand, which would probably be more trouble than it is worth for trespassers.
A northish eastbound view from the east side. BNSF CP29 GONZALES is visible, for Mains 1 and 2. Main 3 goes under the cantilever structure, but is not involved in the CP.
Continued in Part H
Part “H” (of A-H)
… Grade Crossing
The well lit up lighting is from a business on the northeast side of the ex-grade crossing at "H" Street.
A final overview looking westward on “H” Street in Colton:
So many things are happening right now in the vicinity, from Milliken Ave. in southeastern Ontario to the Colton-Highgrove area. And, at this point, on most of the things happening, all we can do as outsiders is scratch our heads and wonder exactly what is going on.
Could the ramps for Mission Road traffic to reach Milliken Avenue be located between the eastbound and westbound lanes, thus inside center median? The City of Ontario rendering shows two-way traffic on each ramp and westbound vehicles below the bridge in the foreground of the ramps. However, the rendering is lacking in many ways. The old roads are shown under the new bridge, the intersection in the lower right where the side road meets Milliken has traffic arrows and a left turn heading towards a road that doesn't exist. Will have to see the final product or at least for the construction to advance further to know for sure.
BNSF6400 (11-22): Flip-Flop Flip!
The present (“present”) situation at the Milliken Ave. / LA&SL construction site, having been there personally, has caused me to flip-flop in my thinking. Your reply post, BNSF6400, has CAUSED me to flip again! I think I have an end result mental picture that makes sense now, including a sequence of construction. Let me know if you agree with the below.
Here is the conjectured ‘flip’ that makes sense (hopefully):
This reposted photo …
… shows a narrow, SINGLE lane eastbound ACCESS road for the south side businesses. The drawing’s ramp that you, and us after your post, is the multi-lane Mission Blvd. itself. Since it (the ramps) presently are not there yet, the site is visually confusing. The artist’s conception shows no access road on the north side of Mission Rd., which is logical because there are no business on the small strip between Mission Blvd. and the UP tracks!
Eventually, an angled vertical wall likely will be put in next to that one lane access road, with the SOUTH angled vertical wall the opposite to the north one. So the angling on each side will eventually likely be filled with dirt as a kind of base for the multilane roadway.
Obviously, that official artist’s conception is in error now, as SOME stilt-like vertical supports will be replaced by dirt, and the angling walls are in the way of a clear area where piers would have been, as in the erroneous artist’s conception
Artist’s conception illustrations are notoriously inaccurate. Take the two-tracking on Tehachapi Pass on the southern end of Central California. This is what artists showed interested parties:
K.P.’s photo of a photo in an Environmental Impact Report on the matter
Now, look how angled the construction cut sides actually are, even the hill over the tunnel portal itself being lower!
Maybe the artist’s conception at the Milliken Ave. site was drawn before funding was finalized.
Anyway, for those that may be interested, that photo at the City of Ontario’s public website was copied, downloaded, and put on my photobucket.com account, which photo is posted herein:
Currently, that photo on the official website is at …
http://www.ci.ontario.ca.us/modules/showimage.aspx?imageid=2097
… if any desire to copy and paste it to their computer. Such sites are usually public domain sites, but if any desire to share it with others, it certainly would be appropriate to credit the City of Ontario, CA.
Copying it to one’s computer allows one, if their computer is set up for it (like mine with Windows 7), to make the photo bigger for inspection of small details.
Happy second guessing how the overpass will be,
Tunnel 10: Could be that like that fateful day at Alray when the last train through radioed that debris was falling on their cab - when the weight is taken off the tunnel lining it may have cracked and began shifting. At Alray the sides were pushing inward pushing the arch of the roof upward. I may be wrong but I think Tunnel 10 is history.
A10
In several photos that KP posted on the Tehachapi thread taken from a similar angle, one can see the construction zone fencing far to the left of Tunnel 10. If they have gone through that much trouble to excavate almost down to the tunnel lining, it is not unreasonable to surmise that a complete removal of Tunnel 10 may be in the offing.
A Few Replies
ccltrains (11-18):
ccltrains In a prior life (before retiring) I was going to the United Kingdom 6 times per year and renting cars often. Having the steering wheel on the right and having my wife say "right damnit" helped. My only problem came with the round abouts. I tended to [go] the American way of going clock wise rather than the British counter clockwise. Fortunately I never met any cars while playing America.
In a prior life (before retiring) I was going to the United Kingdom 6 times per year and renting cars often. Having the steering wheel on the right and having my wife say "right damnit" helped. My only problem came with the round abouts. I tended to [go] the American way of going clock wise rather than the British counter clockwise. Fortunately I never met any cars while playing America.
It is somehow perceived you are still suffering really extreme jet lag from your ‘prior life’ before retirement. Here in the United State I’ve always driven counterclockwise in those personally hated roundabouts … Have I been wrong all these years? (Hehehe.)
In the below views taken at Yuma, AZ on October 11, 2015, especially the lower highly blown-up one, a counterclockwise roundabout is seen in the distance, where the background right sidewalk curves.
The old pre-1923 alignment of the Sunset Route went though here.
Electroliner 1935 (11-20):
The ‘promos’ likely are from my own excitement from the outing and what was uncovered; especially since I know that the extensive work that lies ahead to prepare the posts will take several days to do.
Related … Things might be very slow post-wise from me for the next few weeks, as nothing is on the dispatch lineup (famous last words), AND a group of us are going to focus on learning the ins and outs of the RAW aspect of digital photography. How that will affect posting photos is unknown at this point in time, but expect a lull in posts from K.P.
kgbw49 (11-20):
Visiting the Pomona (CA) fairgrounds has not been done since steamer UP 4014 left for West Colton Yard and thereafter its trip to Cheyenne, WY for rebuilding. Your inquiry, though, is a fascinating one. The next time I’m out that way I’ll check for you. The Fairplex has a parking lot road right by the display complex, so it should be relatedly easy to get the situation there for you.
Take care all,
Update as of Friday, November 27, 2015
San Gabriel Trench’s West End
Alhambra, CA
Part I (of I-II)
The forum may recall this Saturday, October 3, 2015 eastbound view from Chapel Ave. in Alhambra, where the Alhambra Trench goes into the construction of the San Gabriel Trench (background).
Unseen above, behind the large horizontal pipe is the Alhambra Wash. The dividing line between Alhambra and San Gabriel is, to the north (left), that wash. The border follows the track eastward to Ramona St., where the dividing line heads south (right) again.
Just west of that wash an I-beam based retaining wall has been built on the south side of the shoofly, with heavy plates and horizontal wood parts between the I-beams.
Part II (of I-II)
It looks as if the flood control waterway (Alhambra Wash) itself will have to be modified as it appears too high, with the eventual track being lowered.
A last westbound view; note the rebar columns laying down on the lower left.
--------
K.P. was on his way to the Santa Monica (CA) area, with stops by the Crenshaw-LAX light rail line under construction. Wow, what a fast development there! He also visited the Expo Line in Santa Monica. Short reports on those threads also will be posted in a day or two in the Transit forum. No dispatches along the Sunset Route are anticipated in the next several weeks.
"Transportation advocates are hoping to convince Amtrak to restore rail service on the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Florida that has been dormant since Hurricane Katrina 10 years ago.
Trains on Amtrak's Sunset Limited route, which used to run between Los Angeles and Orlando, have ended in New Orleans since the 2005 storm, which wiped out tracks along the Gulf of Mexico.
A provision in a multiyear transportation bill that was approved in July by the Senate would provide funding for a study of the feasibility of restoring the service, which used to make stops in Alabama and the panhandle of Florida before it headed south to Orlando. "
Update as of December 1, 2015
The Diversion’s Petroleum Pipeline Relocation
Pomona, CA
During a dispatch to deep within Riverside County (CA), on the way K.P. was able to ‘sneak over’ to Pomona, and check on the controversy area of the Diversion pipeline relocation now underway that has held up finishing the project for years.
An eastward looking telephoto at SP’s CP AL513 POMONA to set the scene:
West of there and following the LA&SL route, plenty of equipment, dirt, and activity was seen.
In the last photo above, a mast signal of LA&SL’s CP C030 ROSELAWN is seen on the right. The Diversion follows west the LA&SL.
In theory, the other end of the Diversion, the west end, should have all the switches there positioned soon, new track laid, and the Diversion put in service after the work illustrated in the above photos is completed.
Reportedly, the Ontario to Sierra Ave. in Fontana stretch will start to be two-tracked beginning around the first of the year. Maybe (“maybe”) the Diversion trackwork will be done at that time too.
A ‘Second Section’ follows (and some)
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