Out of the Blue: From California to Arizona and Back
Part IV, Section C (of A-H)
Maricopa to Bon, AZ
Note the circular pattern of the red diode color light at Porter Rd. Please make a mental note of the way it looks.
The lights when off reflect the bright surroundings.
Continued in Section D
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 IV, Section D (of A-H)
The west end of the Arizona Grain siding remains with a manual switch ...
... with one of those automatic absolute two-bulb signals (right).
The above location is at White & Parker Rd.
The east end of the Arizona Grain siding (at Hartman Rd.) use to have such an automatic absolute signal (left) and manual derail (purple "D" sign) ...
... but now has a power switch and CTC signals.
Continued in Section E
Part IV, Section E (of A-H)
At the east side of CP SP904 ARIZONA GRAIN ...
... the Main 1 mast (the far signal above) has "intermediate" number plates ...
... while Main 2's mast has no number plates and is an absolute signal.
CP SP904 ARIZONA GRAIN is at Hartman Rd.
It also looks somewhat strange (but of necessity) that a derail be placed right in front of (photo background) an absolute signal. For good reason UP now uses purple derail ("D") signals ...
Continued in Section F
Part IV, Section F (of A-H)
Now, at CP SP906 BON, the new double-crossover:
The below photo is full of detail, and somewhat deceptive. The above train (following another train) had stopped at the new CP SP906 BON account of a red signal. There are switch motors visible, a moveable frog, and a sign for such.
The above train WAS stopped. But, the headlight came on (probably because a red signal turned yellow), and it was time for K.P. to completely walk off the grade crossing even though the bells and flashers hadn't started yet. (K.P. refused to stop and stand on any grade crossing track with just crossbucks.) While on what K.P. considers a public sidewalk, even though the bells, flashers, and gates are off, every few seconds he watches his back ...)
The power, if K.P. is not mistaken, was a new unit from General Electric.
Continued in Section G
Part IV, Section G (of A-H)
Now, back to those diode lights ...
At CP SP906 BON, Main 2's eastside LOWER westbound head's red light has its diodes in a hexagon format ...
... whereas the top head has the red diodes in an outward circular pattern.
For comparison ... A different, wider pattern of diode lights at Ontario, CA in the M.P. 520 area.
Continued in Section H
Part IV, Section H (of A-H)
Now, back to visuals of the area ...
A view from Anderson Rd. looking east: The new track (left) still will have a ballast dumping or two before the new Main 1 is put in service.
A telephoto eastward view:
Presently, it looks like the old west switch of the old Bon siding is still in place, but the old signaling has been removed.
------
Part V: "Three Corrections and Trash," is scheduled to be posted Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Part V (of I-VI), Section A (of A-E)
Three Corrections and Trash
On an east to west basis, K.P. would like to make three corrections for the forum based on new facts and visual inspections.
Correction #1:
FIRST PHOTO:
Eastbound on Highway 238 and approaching Maricopa, AZ one passes the following never before shown March 12, 2011 photo's signals:
SECOND PHOTO:
Previously, it was thought that the signals in the background of the following never shown January 29, 2010 photo taken from Highway 347 in downtown Maricopa that looks west were those signals.
The spacing seemed a bit odd to K.P., but the photo evidence seemingly pointed to that conclusion.
THIRD PHOTO:
However, on this trip, a visual sighting of a set of signals BETWEEN the First Photo's location and Highway 347 proved the case otherwise.
So, between CP SP887 ENID and CP SP899 EAST MARICOPA there are FOUR signal sets, and FIVE block sets.
Continued in Section B
Part V, Section B (of A-E)
Correction #2:
FOURTH PHOTO:
Reference the new CP SP876 ESTRELLA (where two-tracks from the east ends), Main 1 was spoken of previously as continuing westward as an out of service track and ending at the old west switch of the old Estrella siding.
FIFTH PHOTO:
Aerials and new photo evidence show that is not the case. Rather, an in-service Main #1 continues westward with the south side Main 2 ending at the CP. The old siding ends eastward before the CP also.
Continued in Section C
Part V, Section C (of A-E)
Correction #3:
SIXTH PHOTO:
In California, new two-tracking ends westward at the new CP SP715 CACTUS. In the below reshown photo, note the background right signal has its heads turned aside, indicating this is where westward two-tracking stopped.
Because new color light signals were being installed in the Glamis area, around mileposts 697-698, naturally one could conclude all the signals between Cactus and Glamis were being converted to color lights. While the area between the two areas has not been physically checked, K.P. has reason to believe color light signals were NOT install BETWEEN those two areas.
SEVENTH PHOTO:
At Glamis, looking east towards CP SP699 GLAMIS:
Did you notice that in the above photo the Main's west side signal is between the Main and the siding, like in olden days, and the background east single signal is a left handed one?
EIGTH PHOTO:
Looking westward, the CP SP697 GLAMIS east side westbound signals have triple-aspect lower heads!
Part V, Section D (of A-E)
Correction #3 (Continued)
NINETH PHOTO:
From the dirt Ted Kipf Rd, a partial view of the east side of the WEST end of the Glamis siding, which was pictured in the last photo of Section C.
TENTH PHOTO:
Unfortunately, a surprise obstacle for K.P. presented itself on Ted Kipf Road ...
So, further immediate investigation was thwarted. What exactly UP has in mind track-wise here is unknown, especially in view of the next Section E that follows.
Part V, Section E (of A-E)
The Trash ...
At or near CP SP697 GLAMIS is the junction for separate trackage to the Mesquite landfill site to the north, first mentioned in this thread months ago by MikeF90.
Last year, K.P. observed no such thing, except buildings several miles to the north. However, on this trip, what appeared to be completed bridging was found, which is visually seen from Highway 78.
Also, a huge area with high floodlights for night work was noticed.
In addition, a few railcars were spotted seemingly without reporting marks, but crudely painted with the letters and wording: "H & H ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION INC."
So, whatever the status of the landfill effort and future trash trains, something has definitely sprung up in the middle of nowhere, out by Glamis!
----------
The New Signals at Colton Crossing (and a Quarter of a Century of a Signal Fluke) is scheduled for posting Thursday, July 28, 2011.
Part VI: (1) "The Main 2 Rerouted Reroute near Marsh Station Road in Arizona," (2) "The Araz Area of California," (3) Dateland, AZ, and (4) Gila Bend, AZ, is scheduled to be posted Friday, July 29, 2011.
K.P., these fascinating most recent photos raise as many questions as they answer.
- The number of intermediate signals between CP Enid and CP East Maricopa is surprising given the lack of online customers there. Perhaps this is related to PTC ....
- The new signals at east Glamis look strangely placed - could that be an optical illusion? One appears to be directly in front of an equipment cabinet.
- Looking toward west Glamis we haven't seen any sign of signaling or even turnouts for the new Mesquite landfill spur. Guess the connection must be further west than I expected.
Don't miss the (51MB large) Waste-By-Rail video about the whole project including some animation of the new Puente Hills transfer facility. It looks like the 8000 ton trains will be pulled by DD40AX 6936 .
- Mike
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! ***
The New Signals at Colton Crossing
Colton, CA
Part A
Last year new color light signals were erected, but not activated, at the Colton Crossing, where the Sunset Route crosses the Transcon in Southern California. In the last few weeks those new signals were finally activated. This series will show the forum what those signals finally look like standing erect and activated, which presentation will be followed by information about a quarter of a century old signal fluke that has somehow survived into the Colton Crossing color light age. And then, even something else will follow.
PHOTO #1:
Up on the Rancho Ave. overpass looking east towards Arizona on the Sunset Route, with the BNSF Transcon crossing in the middle background (Chicago is to the left).
In the above photo, the east end signals of CP SP538 RANCHO are on the lower foreground. The transition track on the lower left is in the northwest quadrant; the transition track in the background right is in the southeast quadrant. Please note: There is NO transition track on the lower right, the southwest quadrant. That will be important in the latter parts of this series.
PHOTO #2:
The old Colton Crossing signals are apparently stacked up at the Colton Signal Dept. facility. The new east side color lights are in the background.
PHOTO #3:
When UP took over the SP, all the opaque SP target signal lenses were changed out system wide to clear lenses. The fact that cloudy lenses are now at the Colton facility gives strong evidence the stack of signals were once under the jurisdiction of the BNSF, and are the ex-Colton Crossing signals.
PHOTO #4:
With the camera aimed over the stack of old signals, a closer view of the now activated color lights on the east side of the diamonds. Note that neither of the now activated mast signals has a lower head (important later).
Continued in Part B
Part B
PHOTO #5:
From the south, the new BNSF signals, with the old heads covered on the old signal bridge.
In the just above photo, the new signals have only single heads, but are in advance of CP signals, giving evidence that the next BNSF crossovers are of the 40 M.P.H. type and not the customary 50 M.P.H. type.
PHOTO #6:
From the southwest quadrant, those above newly activated signals (in Photo #5) with an eastbound (leftward) BNSF on the Transcon.
PHOTO #7:
Looking south (westbound) now from Valley Blvd. From left to right, are BNSF Main 3, Main 1, and the BNSF / UP transition track of the northwest quadrant.
Continued in Part C
Part C
PHOTO #8:
The west eastbound Sunset Route signal protecting the connection to the northwest quadrant:
PHOTO #9
From the southwest quadrant looking at the northwest quadrant's connection (far right) to Main 1 and the Sunset Route (See Photo #1's lower left):
In the above photo, note the TWO radio antennas (for two railroads) towards the left that has totally eliminated the need for line side wires and a massive amount of telephone poles.
PHOTO #10:
The western two signals protecting the crossing for eastbound (rightward) movements:
PHOTO #11:
From Valley Blvd. (that crosses the Transcon) looking southwestward at the northwest quadrant's transition track:
So, that is the basic new color light signaling arrangement at Colton Crossing. It merely duplicates the old target signal arrangement.
Continued in Part D
Part D
A Quarter of a Century of a Signal Fluke!
On December 23, 1983 Santa Fe and Southern Pacific jointly shook the railroad world by announcing a merger filing, with the intent of forming the Southern Pacific Santa Fe Railway (SPSF). They then jointly painted diesels and initiated new track work. The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) ultimately denied the merger on July 24, 1986, but the effort lingered on in appeal till June 30, 1987, when the final 'No Merger' judgment was rendered without recourse.
During that whole fiasco Colton Crossing received major modifications. While incomplete at merger denial time, what was erected is indelibly etched in K.P.'s consciousness, and a conveyance of a portion of that etching will follow, as bears on today's Colton Crossing new signaling
PHOTO #12:
In the below photo shot way back on May 22, 2009 in advance of an SP (UP) signal cutover a few weeks later, CP SP538 RANCHO is shown. (The new color light signals were NOT present at Colton Crossing itself back then.)
At the east end of that CP (above photo background), the right signal (for Main 2) is now focused upon. In 1986 that mast, or at least one like it, was put up for the SPSF merger, and was a back to back CP situation, as the mast had heads facing BOTH east and west. A transition track was being built at the time for the southwest quadrant of the Colton Crossing area, accounting for that second CP. The east side of that new, additional CP (Main 2 and the transition track then in the works) had TWO target heads on each mast for westbound trains. So, the intent was that a yellow over yellow could be displayed several hundred feet in advance of a red over green at what is now CP SP538 RANCHO.
(Westbound trains on Main 1 or the northwest quadrant transition track to Main 1 could ALSO get a yellow over yellow in advance of a diverging route at CP SP538 RANCHO.)
Not very long after the SPSF merger's final denial, the southwest quadrant's transition track effort was all taken out, switches, signals, and all. So, for westbound trains on Main 2, in advance of a red over green at what is now CP SP538 RANCHO, there was only the westbound, single-head pot signal on the east side of Colton Crossing that was only capable to displaying yellow instead of yellow over yellow! And, THAT is the fluke.
Enter the color light age, and all the target signals at Colton Crossing being changed to color light units, and all the wiring and electrical boxes being totally replaced, the activation of which was only a few weeks ago. With all that money being spent, one would think the fluke would be corrected, but it wasn't! So, for Main 1, in advance of a red over green at CP SP538 RANCHO, a westbound train gets a yellow over yellow; but for Main 2 a train only gets a yellow (NOT yellow over yellow) in advance of red over green at CP SP538 RANCHO. Oh, the eternal fluke, seemingly anyway!
---------
Related material follows ...
More about Colton, CA
CP SP538 RANCHO
It is unknown exactly what is transpiring, or why, but K.P. thought he would pass it along to the forum ...
A trench has been dug, the east and west ends of which are within (but not to the ends of) the limits of CP SP538 RANCHO, which CP was re-signaled just a year or two ago. The east westbound Main 2 signal mast (lower part of which) is barely visible on the upper middle of the below photo:
Westward views:
Continued ...
CP SP538 RANCHO (Continued)
From up on the Rancho Ave. overpass looking east alongside the residential alley.
An overview: Where it ends on the west side.
Now that all this has been passed along, the forum can debate the matter, or perhaps someone can step forward who knows what is happening ...
There was a rather strange similar 'digging' that took place on May 2, 2011 by Salton Sea, over a hundred miles to the east, that was posted about though that digging was not at a CP.
There may or may not be connection between the two diggings.
Part VI (of I-VI) of the "Out of the Blue" series is schedule for posting tomorrow morning, Friday, July 29, 2011.
You may have wondered where all those concrete crossties come from that are being used on the Gila Sub of the UP Sunset Route. If so, here is your answer. This nearly windowless, boxy blue structure that looks like something made for model railroads by Pikestuff, Inc., houses the Tucson tie casting facilities of L.B. Foster subsidiary CXT, Inc. It is located at the far southwest corner of the PFE Yard (about M.P. 987) at the intersection of Fairland Stra and McFee Avenue (“Stra” is the abbreviation for “stravenue.” Said term is specific to Tucson, and means “a street which runs diagonally between and intersects a street and an avenue.”):
The finished ties leave the plant from the north end and are neatly piled into two rows of tall stacks that stretch for about 1/2 mile up Fairland Stra towards 22nd Street.
This 50 ton capacity crane stacks them a couple of stories high, and is later used to load them onto the tie cars that are spotted out of sight just on the other side of the stacks:
John Timm
When we showed up Tuesday afternoon, the crane operator was busy loading another tie train for delivery. He seemed to enjoy the attention--it helps to have a female photographer with you:
As K.P. pointed out in his most recent Arizona postings, construction appears to be on hold east of Pichaco up to Stockham on the north edge of Tucson. There are, nonetheless, some signs that this may not be the case for long. In the neighborhood of MP 947, across from Picacho Peak itself (behind camera), there was new activity at the materiel yard. While these bridge sections have been sitting here for a long time...
...these carloads of concrete ties are a recent addition. Looking at them closely--and at a nearby stack of ties on the ground--they are not the standard configuration crosstie but rather appear to be intended for turnout fabrication:
There were also some very large culverts that I had not seen before. Could this have something to do with preparations for the Red Rock Yard that will eventually be built nearby? Pardon the pole that jumped in the way. It’s a remnant of the Espee code line and won’t be around much longer.
Newman Peak provides a beautiful backgound for these shots.
A little further west, at the west siding switch at Wymola (M.P. 944) we spotted this string of welded rail. There is CWR lying alongside the existing main all the way west from this point to the junction with the Phoenix Sub at Picacho.
In the background behind the tractor, note more ties destined for track construction in the immediate area of the Wymola siding. The oncoming train was one of five stackers we encountered between Tucson and Casa Grande:
And a closer look at the ties. One thing I noted was that most (but not all) of the ties we saw, whether at the factory or elsewhere, had markings on the end. Some had simply an “X.” Other had a number “2.” Still others had a series of consecutive numbers on the end of each tie as if they were to be laid in a particular order.
A ballast train was at work just under the SR 84 bridge at Picacho where Main #1 rail laying ends for now (M.P. 937). Attempts at any picture taking of this train or the general area were thwarted by a very narrow bridge on a blind curve coming off I-10. K.P. knows well of what I speak.
Skipping to the area around M.P. 928.8, the Toltec Siding is now out of service. New track extends west from the former end of the siding to Sunset Gin Road (M.P. 924.9). Another ballast train was spotted across from Robson Ranch, with the same foreign visitor in the lead that K.P. noted at Eloy in his posting on 7-16-11:
Other brief observations:
1) There is still no track, nor was there any sign of construction activity in the short gap up from Sunset Gin Rd. to I-10 and Cox Rd. where an alignment shift will take place under the highway bridge. The Cox Road crossing has been closed and was being rebuilt for the second track. That obstinate crossing signal box that stood in the way for so long has finally yielded to progress.
2) What a difference a week makes. Last week, K.P. noted that the Main #1 signal had yet to be erected at Hermosilla Street in Casa Gande (see Part II, Section B, posted 7-21-11). That signal now stands and the stretch of industrial track with wooden ties occupying the future Main 2 has been ripped out up to the beginning of the newly-laid track with its concrete ties.
3) I had suggested earlier that the new, replacement industrial track along Main Ave. could stretch as far back to the west as the Highway 84 overpass. However, on this trip I saw no evidence of new wooden ties stacked anywhere west of Florence Street. In any event, that stretch is occupied for now with signal masts, signal heads and about two dozen trailers and containers, so the final answer is not yet apparent. Given that the new yard west of Thornton Avenue has never been used to capacity, perhaps future grain trains will be spotted there before moving cuts of cars east onto the new industry track and into Arizona Grain.
4) A crew was ripping out the remainder of the industrial lead going west over SR 84 and replacing it with new concrete ties and welded rail.
5) Time constraints kept me from checking progress at Thornton Rd. or the mast height of the absolute automatic signal at the connection of the Abbott Labs siding with the new Main #1 west of there. We will leave that for another day.
cacole K.P.: Even though it's some distance from the west end of the proposed new Red Rock Yard, do you think it possible that the new signals for a crossover at Toltec are in preparation for the future yard? It seems only logical that they would install any required crossovers now instead of having to go back later and modify the trackwork when yard construction commences.
K.P.:
Even though it's some distance from the west end of the proposed new Red Rock Yard, do you think it possible that the new signals for a crossover at Toltec are in preparation for the future yard?
It seems only logical that they would install any required crossovers now instead of having to go back later and modify the trackwork when yard construction commences.
Cacole:
The Red Rock Yard is reportedly going to be built at M.P. 950. Mike F90 shows it to be “just west of Park Link Drive.”
On the other hand, the universal crossover near the former Toltec siding would be located somewhere in the vicinity of M.P. 926. Given that up to now the other universal crossovers have been built closer together, the 24-25 mile distance between the two points in question seems to be excessive.
The other factor in the equation is the Phoenix Sub which joins the Gila Sub at M.P. 936.7. That area would be a natural location for a crossover to allow eastbound trains off the Phoenix Sub to enter Main #2 which will be on the south side at this point. If built as a universal crossover, which is likely, it would also serve the purpose of allowing eastbound trains on the Gila Sub movement from Main #2 to Main #1 which will put trains on the main closest to the yard if they have work there.
desertdog .... snip .... The other factor in the equation is the Phoenix Sub which joins the Gila Sub at M.P. 936.7. That area would be a natural location for a crossover to allow eastbound trains off the Phoenix Sub to enter Main #2 which will be on the south side at this point. If built as a universal crossover, which is likely, it would also serve the purpose of allowing eastbound trains on the Gila Sub movement from Main #2 to Main #1 which will put trains on the main closest to the yard if they have work there.
Based on aerial map grading marks the preferred spacings of new crossovers seems to be about 10 miles, and new ones on either side of Picacho Jct (MP 936 and 938) and the proposed yard (MP 947 and 952) fit into that scheme nicely. After plotting the latest signal 'points' on my Gila sub map (link below) I was fascinated but not completely surprised to see how regular the pattern is. I've also been having fun using the Google Map line and shape drawing tools .
Part VI (I-VI), Section A (of A-H)
The Main 2 Rerouted Reroute by Marsh Station Road in Arizona
Forumist cacole previously had alerted us to a route grading error in the Marsh Station Rd. area, and that contractors had corrected this. On K.P.'s trip to Arizona, a special effort was made to visually see and document what cacole had mentioned ...
A previous view, with the grading not aligning with the bridge.
Just slightly east of above and how the alignment was.
However, now it does align! The new grading's right (top) alignment border goes through the present rail line's ballast.
White wood fencing prevents anyone from falling off the grading edge at the bridge.
Part VI, Section B (of A-H)
As cacole had mentioned, the old Marsh Station Rd. Bridge over I-10 had been torn down and basically only the ends and abutments remain. In the below photo, between the visible south side's old support and the foreground dirt, I-10 passes out of view below ground level.
Without the old road's bridge over I-10, while westbound on the freeway one sees clearly now how the freeway dips downward to go under the present Main 2 alignment. With Main 2 rerouted in the future, generations to come may wonder why the freeway 'mysteriously' dips there.
Part VI, Section C (of A-H)
While the new Marsh Station Rd. on its new alignment (left and overpass) is wonderful to see and a pleasure to drive on, one can see a negative that cacole also mentioned, that the new graded railroad slopes (upper right) ...
... were now deteriorating very badly.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE
In the last of the above photos, toward the top of the photo, the top of an 18-wheeler can be seen, showing just how close I-10 is here to the reroute.
Part VI, Section D (of A-H)
In 2008 BNSF in Cajon Pass of California had new grading done for adding a third Main. But, that grading deteriorated mildly, but contractors fixed it (and used mulch or other green soil spraying after redoing embankments), and no further problems have been seen by K.P. A July 21, 2011 Cajon Pass view:
Another view: UP Palmdale Cutoff (Main and siding) is the top trackage, BNSF Mains 1 and 2 underneath that, and on the bottom BNSF Main 3.
The Arizona Marsh Station Rd. area grading looks worse than whatever K.P. observed in Cajon Pass a few years ago. Contractors should be able to work miracles like what was done in Cajon Pass.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.