The Salton Sea Trip
Part “E” (of A-K)
The Bertram Area
Probably a thousand feet west of Ranch Rd. is a duplicate CP-like graded area. It is currently partially fenced and seems to be used as a staging area.
More on this in a few moments …
Briefly, a Bit to the East
For the record, K.P. traveled several miles east of Ranch Rd., to Hot Springs Rd. (Previously shown eastward photo.)
Rail laying has not progressed this far east yet, but presently is concentrated between Corvina Beach and Bertram.
Continued in Part F
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 “F” (of A-K)
New Intermediates West of Bertram
In the post announcing this series, the following photo was posted.
The area is in reality a wide open one.
The right mast (the future Main 2) has a lower west side left eastbound two-bulb head.
In assessing the unusual situation, K.P. has concluded the farther back mast (above) will be for intermediate signals, whereas the near side mast will be for absolute signals, accounting for the need for an extra bulb, a red.
Such would allow a Main 2 switching movement to pick up or set out maintenance-of-way cars in the staging area west of Ranch Rd., a few miles to the east, WITHOUT tying up the entire Main 2 between CP’s. Time will tell on that, though.
Continued in Part G
Part “G” (of A-K)
Railroading in a Contradictory Wet-Dry Area
Union Pacific straddles the northeast shores of the “wet” Salton Sea, a body of water about 200 feet below sea level. When it rains in the area, sometimes big gullies form, or those that are already there often are intensified. A southwest view by the dirt shoulder of the paved Highway 111:
But, looking the other way, northeastward towards the tracks, a contradictory dry reality is seen in a sometimes very hot area. Quite a place to be laying a second–track through!
Continued in Part H
Part “H” (of A-K)
The Corvina Beach Area’s Future CP
At M.P. 637 a CP of unknown name is going in. Since it basically is across from Salton Sea’s Corvina Beach, we’ll just say in the ‘Corvina Beach’ area, as with the previously posted December 12, 2011 photo below.
There is very little to report by Corvina Beach, as little appears to have transpired. However, laid ballast made it virtually impossible to see the new track (left of the present single-track line).
Continued in Part I
Part “I” (of A-K)
On June 23, 2012 this previously shown photo was taken.
On this August 24, 2012 outing that piece of equipment was still present in the same Corvina Beach area.
The railroad must have found this location a strategic one for this piece of equipment for whatever reason.
Continued in Part J
Part “J” (of A-K)
The Colton-Bryn Mawr Area
We now head over to Colton, where the Colton Flyover is under construction. A westward view shows dramatic progress, even to the point of the wood framing being removed at the ends of the concrete layers. Even the background yellow concrete-work cannot be totally seen anymore.
On the WEST side of the Santa Ana River, where a signal burial base was put in by CP SP540 MT VERNON, no further work seems to have been done.
The same applies to the EAST side of the Santa Ana River (CP SP541 ICE DECK), where target mast signals have been erected so the signal bridge can be taken down.
Hunts Lane was visited, and the vertical part (in a reshown photo) …
… of the future cantilever signal bridge on the west side CP SP542 LOMA LINDA remain absent the horizontal “cantilever” portion.
Continued in Part K
Part “K” (of A-K)
A point was made to visit the PRESENT absolute “Holding” signals at CP SP543 BRYN MAWR, where a signal bridge is also present that dates to this section’s being two-tracked circa 1976. Masts had been erected here too, but unlike at CP SP541 ICE DECK, these Bryn Mawr masts have color light heads on them.
It could be all this is temporary and merely duplicates what is presently there, including the lower SINGLE-bulb heads!
Single-bulb lower heads for absolute signals are being superseded with two-bulb heads, such as with this present target to color lights conversion presently taken place at Dike on the Palmdale Cutoff (reshown), at the southern foot of Cajon Pass
At Bryn Mawr, the lower heads being single-bulb units may be for expediency, OR the absolute holding signals are being converted to merely intermediates, and are losing their CP status. K.P. leans towards that possibility over the expediency theory. The idea of holding signals at CP SP543 BRYN MAWR stems from their value in putting on helpers for the western assault of Beaumont Hill for eastbound trains. Helpers are now archaic and very rarely used, as Distributed Power Units (DPU’s) are the norm in-lieu-of helpers.
Through this post series, it is hoped followers of this thread have gained an awareness of what is currently going on down by Salton Sea and the Colton Flyover construction to the Bryn Mawr area.
Update as of Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Colton Flyover
Colton, CA
The flyover’s side walls between La Cadena Dr. and Mt. Vernon Ave. are getting ever higher. What K.P. calls the center portion between La Cadena Dr. and the BNSF Transcon is now having the initial stages of side walling put in for that section. And, the piers west of Colton Crossing are having more and more with concrete filling them.
A limited amount of photos will be forthcoming in a day or two.
Some Replies …
MikeF90 (8-17):
I’ve seen a few of those I-5 Corridor trains in the High Desert, on the Palmdale Cutoff. And, man, they are long and fast! It seems they had loaded double-stack well cars on them too, but don’t quote on that. That is on my hot list now for getting a photo of such.
cacole (8-17) and Everyone Else Too:
Thanks for the Marsh Station Rd. area update.
You mentioned UP removed the rail from the bridge they now don’t use over I-10. Have they removed the rail over the entire abandoned line too, or just over the I-10 bridge?
I’ve been working behind the scenes regarding the second-track in and on either side of Benson, AZ, and have been personally surprised (perhaps more like can’t believe it!) at what has surfaced CTC crossovers-wise in aerials. Enter a tad bit of history that K.P. lived through years ago, and the forum may see that area differently! Watch for a post(s) on this in a few weeks.
mvs (8-25):
The future flyover at the northerly part of Fairway Drive is one to watch! That will be my first experience with a curved flyover.
Presumably, the effort is for a two-track flyover, which alignment would NOT match the single-track bridging at Nogales St. to the west!
Should be very interesting to see what develops.
Thanks for the informative news link on the subject.
MikeF90 (8-26):
Stunning post, especially the first photo thereof!
In the second photo, those I-beams must have taken a lot of time to pound into the ground. I have to wonder if those beams have a certain sound deadening effect for the neighborhood, especially for the residential area right alongside and northwest of the tracks.
Take care all,
K.P.
Part I (of I-IV)
A good lighting view of the new structures in the diamonds area of Colton Crossing:
In the above view, it may be only an illusion, but the rebar towers (photo center) seem to not align with the rest of the flyover construction. Also, the BNSF goes between the rebar towers and the left wooding.
As viewed from the southeast quadrant, the pier towers to the west:
Also from the southeast quadrant, the side walling has started to be laid between La Cadena Dr. and the BNSF Transcon. Up till now, side walling has only been worked on between La Cadena and Mt. Vernon Ave. on the far eastern end.
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-IV)
The south side walling just east of La Cadena Dr., the upper part has taken on a new, different pattern.
Up till now, this has been the only pattern. On the south side, looking north near 9th St., I-10 is in the background.
A heavy south side telephoto looking northeastward: It is unknown what the black rolls are for.
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-IV)
On the north side … A contractor “Skanska” piece of machinery with wheels hovering off the ground looks mysterious!
The black beaming on the lower right explains how the machinery was off the ground. A section of the flyover is hoisted up and positioned on the south, far side.
In the just above photo, there are those black items again.
Continued in Part IV
Part IV (of I-IV)
On the north side also was some type of towering scaffolding. For what reason and how it is used is unknown.
Since that piece of side walling was lowered on the south side, K.P. went to the south side. What do they do? Put a flyover piece on the north, far side!
Many Sunset Route trains use the LA&SL transition track in the southeast quadrant.
When the flyover is finished, and the line between Fontana and Pomona is finally two-tracked, K.P. suspects more of such transitioning trains will take the original Sunset Route instead.
This will conclude this limited series.
a
A Whole Different World of Two-Tracking
An Arizona Quirk
Followers of this thread will undoubted remember the following Benson, AZ photo, of a truss bridge that had another type bridge structure built alongside it.
But, the important part is what is viewed the other way, east of the river crossing, CP S1035 FENNER (M.P. 1035.0).
And, of course, there is CP S1023 MESCAL (M.P. 1023.3) east of the Cienega Creek natural crossover.
Peculiar to all three previously shown file photos above is true tri-light signals, where the green, yellow, and red bulbs have a circular, triangular pattern. Southern Pacific started using such in the Anschutz era in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
Back at that time SP pulled up a section of double-track (NOT two-tracks) over Donner Pass in the northern part of California, over the Sierra crossing. Some of that good rail was transported to and relayed in Arizona!
Thus, between Mescal (M.P. 1023.3) and Tully (M.P. 1050.3) the line has characteristics of the Anschutz era, universal crossovers SIX to SEVEN miles apart, and SLOW crossovers (20-25 M.P.H.).
Also, the absolute automatic entrance type signals are full tri-lights. In the second photo below, note the semi-covered with weeds spur on the right.
Southern Pacific’s now owner, Union Pacific, on the other hand, generally has crossovers 10 miles apart and uses 40 and 50 M.P.H. crossovers. Obviously, the tri-light signals remain to this day, but it is unknown if the transported track from Donner Pass has already worn out and had to be replaced or not on this highly trafficked rail line.
It is strange UP has NOT upgraded everything to their standards, i.e., high speed crossovers instead of antiquated slow speed ones. K.P. suspects that is for tax purposes, especially in light of the accounting wizards that are now in charge of UP.
So, there is a section in Arizona that is a whole different two-tracking world compared to most of the two-tracking on the Sunset Route.
Speaking of Arizona …
Word has reached K.P. through his grapevine of connections’ connections that the two-tracking between Wymola and Red Rock, Arizona HAS been put in service!
At this point, K.P.’s visiting that area does not look good, but sufficient facts are available to tap previously posted photos and share with the forum what that area should look like and how things are operationally. A report to the forum should be ready in a few days, possibly Monday or Tuesday, September 3 or 4, 2012. [Whoops, if you saw August instead of September!]
On a side note, the Anschutz era tri-light signals may be the only kind of "heritage" signals left on the Sunset Route, with the searchlights quickly disappearing.
One more grade separation article, this time about the UP Los Angeles Subdivision. Money has been diverted from the underfunded Jurupa Road grade separation to the better-funded Clay Street project.
K. P. HarrierThus, between Mescal (M.P. 1023.3) and Tully (M.P. 1050.3) the line has characteristics of the Anschutz era, universal crossovers SIX to SEVEN miles apart, and SLOW crossovers (20-25 M.P.H.).
K. P. HarrierIt is strange UP has NOT upgraded everything to their standards, i.e., high speed crossovers instead of antiquated slow speed ones.
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 Second-Track Is Up and Running
Wymola to Red Rock, AZ
A Remote Analysis
Part “A” (of A-B)
Sources have supplied sufficient details to make a “remote analysis” for the forum without actually being there. All the photos in this analysis have been previously posted.
On the May 18 and 19, 2012 trip to Arizona, CP SP943 WYMOLA (M.P. 942.7), where two-tracking from the west ended, only had a single 40 M.P.H. switch in service, with plenty of turnout parts on site for an eventual universal crossovers CP.
That is easy enough to visualize.
Eastward towards Red Rock, while most of the second main had been laid and well-manicured, the NEW signal system was only partially in service.
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (of A-B)
Previously, at Park Link Rd., looking eastbound, it was seen that the second-track had been laid, but the present Red Rock siding would remain. The two-mains by CP SP950 RED ROCK thus likely have BOTH absolute (left) and intermediate (right) signals
At the east end of the old siding is CP SP952 RED ROCK, another universal crossovers was being installed. Previous photos indicate it would be on both sides of the old CP. Sources indicated it too utilizes 40 M.P.H. crossovers.
HOWEVER, AGAIN there is a mismatch of turnout speeds. The Red Rock SIDING uses the UP standard siding 30 M.P.H. turnouts, while the crossovers between mains utilize 40 M.P.H. switches. We recall a similar mismatch of switches situation was put in at CP SP938 EAST PICACHO, and the siding’s west eastbound signal thereat had THREE heads (left)!
It would seem one like the three-head signal should be at CP SP952 RED ROCK as well.
Until that area is field checked, at least the forum has the news that the new track is in service and they have a sketchy vision of how things may be there.
I will try to swing up to Red Rock today or tomorrow. We drove thru there Saturday, and all evidence of the work train was gone -- no ballast cars, tie flats, gons at all between Picacho and Naviska... Just a few sweepers and tampers on one of the sidings.
A Few Replies …
mvs (9-1):
It was surprising that the Clay St. grade crossing in the Pedley area on the LA&SL will have an underpass started in late 2013 or early 2014. That grade crossing certainly is a high vehicle use one.
As a child in the early 1960’s, that Clay St. didn’t even exist! How times have changed.
Clay St. is between the ends of two-tracks. One from the west at CP C050 LIMONITE (M.P. 49.9) …
… and the other, from the east, at CP C053 ARLINGTON (M.P. 52.6).
Just WEST of CP C053 ARLINGTON is the great landmark, the viaduct.
Many Sunset Route trains traverse through here instead of the traditional, direct Sunset Route.
About the Clay St. grade crossing itself, there are TWO issues that come to mind that the forum viewers may find of interest.
Continued …
Continuation of mvs (9-1):
The FIRST issue is that if, in 1992-93, this section had been two-tracked, long eastbound trains stopping at the single-track Viaduct could conceivably sometimes block Clay Street and tie up traffic badly. That may have been partially why this section has never been two-tracked. With an underpass at Clay St. and the problem eliminated, perhaps this area will finally be two-tracked.
SECOND: As seen in the below previously show eastward photo, there is not much room to build a shoefly, especially if a two-track bridge is built for the underpass.
A westward view shows a similar area cramped.
A non-telephoto August 11, 2010 file photo seems to show, surprisingly, old crossing gates positioned in anticipation of a second track!
Perhaps one bridge at a time will be built, possibly the north or left one first. A roadway shoefly may also be implemented.
While the above is only speculation, I’m sure you’ll agree, mvs, that this project seems to have some logistical quirks worth watching.
MikeF90 (9-1):
Ah, Mike, you mentioned CP SP436 WASH …
… and by inference CP SP434 WASH (both of which are on the Palmdale Cutoff) …
… as an example of long siding spacing! The next siding to the west is Palmdale (formerly Palmdale No. 2) at 15-16 miles away, and to the east about 14 miles is the Phelan siding. THAT is how it is NOW, since circa 1980, when CTC came to the line. As originally built in 1966-67, the “dark” territory’s NEXT siding to the east (from Wash) was Hiland, at the top of Cajon Pass!
The stretch from Wash to Hiland was 25-26 miles! However, technically, K.P. is unsure of those specific distances, as some sidings were lengthened back around 1980, but exactly which ones are unknown, except for Canyon and Slover which K.P. actually saw lengthened.
(In light of the fact that for a trainman a day’s work was 100 miles back then, the 25-26 mile spacing between Wash and Hiland was something indeed! In the early days of the Palmdale Cutoff, gray and scarlet Southern Pacific GP-9 manned helpers (generally in pairs) could be seen over the High Desert rails and on the Cajon Pass grades!)
About the Sunset Route … I think you, Mike, are right-on with the ‘on condition’ replacement concept. That would certainly explain the persistence of slow speed universal crossovers for miles on each side of the Benson, AZ area. I’ve been privileged to actually see official timetable documentation of that line, and there is a marked difference in line characteristics between UP’s two-tracking and SP’s past two-tracking. Unfortunately, SP’s two-tracking may have been wondrous in its time, but now is a curse in comparison to UP’s two-tracking standards. And, unfortunately too, as you said, Mike, things will probably remain such until the ‘condition’ through time warrants replacement, which will undoubtedly mean rearranging CP locations to UP’s tried and true standards.
eolesen (9-3):
Sounds great! Many of us, I think, hope you can get over to Red Rock to check things out.
Best,
As promised, I was able to make a side trip out to Red Rock. The following picture says it all...
At SP952, the westbound signals were showing reds...
... as were the eastbounds... No three-headed monsters here, apparently...
There are also warning signs trackside for the moveable point frogs.
The searchlights still standing are now turned...
At SP953, facing east, the new signals are in place for the existing main, and turned for the yet-to-be cut over second track.
The double track continues all the way to SP 954... New Track 2 ends along the south side, and New Track 1 begins on the north side.
It's not clear how they're going to handle this when they're ready to activate the double track. My guess is they may cut the existing main, drag them north & south respectively, and tie the loose ends into New Track 1 and New Track 2, resulting in what I'd call a lazy-S... They could also tie both tracks in with MOW switches and remove them later. There's no plan for another crossover.
A little further east, new signals at SP955.4 are still turned:
... as they are at SP957, the west side of Naviska:
At SP960, facing west, a MOW switch feeds New Track 1, running west to SP954.
Around SP961, no sign of track work being started, but new signals are installed, presumably to replace the searchlights at 960 and 962 respectively. These are just short of the defect detector at SP961.7
From there, continuing east, there's no sign of anything else between Marana Road (SP961.7) continuing east into Tucson...
Thus endeth my side trip to Red Rock.... Apologies in advance for the quality of the photos... my good camera was misbehaving, and I had to rely on the Blackberry....
K.P.,
A couple of weeks ago you asked if the Union Pacific had removed all the rail from the former line that ran over and under I-10 between Marsh Station Road and Empirita Road west of Benson, Arizona.
The rail, ties, and ballast have been removed from the old, low bridge near what used to be the Marsh Station Road I-10 exit on the west end of the project site, so the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) can have the old bridge removed, but the rest of the line is intact. ADOT has made no announcement of when they plan to remove the old bridge.
The UP has reinstalled a switch at the east end of the rerouted track near the Empirita Road exit and is using the old line to store a long string of excess grain hoppers.
With the prolonged drought in the midwest that has destroyed this year's corn and soybean crops, all of the major railroads probably have many hundreds of surplus grain hoppers to put into storage until next spring's winter wheat harvest.
Arizona Two-Tracking and Retained Sidings
Part I (of I-II)
Assessing a Red Rock “Monster”
On Tuesday, September 4, 2012, forumist eoleson posted some incredible photos of the two-tracking in the Red Rock and Naviska areas. K.P. had speculated that the now two-tracked CP SP952 RED ROCK with a 30 M.P.H. north siding switch would have an east end siding mast signal like the north siding one at CP SP938 EAST PICACHO, i.e. with three heads. But, the Red Rock one was not a three headed “monster,” but only had a TWO FULL headed one!
eolesen .... [About the west eastbound signals] No three-headed monsters here, apparently...
.... [About the west eastbound signals] No three-headed monsters here, apparently...
The way K.P. sees matters, either CP SP938 EAST PICACHO (far left signal in below first of two photos) …
… or CP SP952 RED ROCK was wrongly done. In K.P.’s opinion, the Red Rock one is the one that is incorrect because it makes NO distinction signal-wise between 30 and 40 M.P.H. turnouts on the west side eastbound signals! K.P. wonders how long it will take for the railroad to realize that and then if it will take corrective action.
Part II (of I-II)
Pondering a Double-Crossover East of Naviska
It is now known that the south side Naviska siding will remain in service after the area is two-tracked, just as the north side Red Rock siding will.
In an eoleson’s September 4, 2012 posted photo …
eolesen ... as they are at SP957, the west side of Naviska:
… the yet to be activated forefront left two-head signal’s lower head has three bulbs (CP SP957 [WEST] NAVISKA). As an absolute signal, the future red and yellow (siding entrance) bulbs are obvious. That leaves the lower head’s third bulb for a green. Thus, both the background left and foreground left masts have lower green west facing eastbound bulbs, which are duplicated at CP SP959 [EAST] NAVISKA to the east, for an advance indication for a crossover lineup at the future, as yet unknown named 50 M.P.H. (NOT 40 M.P.H.) double-crossover CP in the east. The new west masts for that CP are in the below previously shown K.P. photo.
So, the crossovers around Picacho, Wymola, and Red Rock, all have 40 M.P.H. crossovers in-lieu-of the more common 50 M.P.H. crossovers. Presumably, the future CP SP970 SABINO to the east …
… will have 50 M.P.H. crossovers too, but it could have 40 M.P.H. crossovers because of the line’s getting closer to Tucson. Time will tell.
Monster Attack in Arizona!
It is unknown exactly what happened nor why, but the north side Red Rock siding (in the M.P. 950-952 area) has reportedly suddenly gotten shorter by about 600 feet!
Perhaps a monster got on the loose! – You know, the one eoleson a few days ago said was NOT there!
Update as of Friday, September 7, 2012
Part “A” (of A-J)
At the Colton Flyover, the 9th and “L” Streets area in South Colton was checked out, and it was found that a gravel route alongside the Riverside Industrial Lead’s west wye had been put in.
It appeared that east of La Cadena Dr. the flyover’s concrete-work had no further obvious progress.
At the Colton Crossing itself, the center pier-work finally had some concrete poured. Shot taken from “L” and 5th Streets:
Part “B” (of A-J)
The diamonds area itself has the west support piers construction well along.
You may recall the short concrete pillars (from the below previously shown April 28, 2012 photo) near the northwest quadrant:
Now that area has wood wall framing erected. The far right pier is one of the two that are SOUTH of the Sunset Route.
Those two-south of the Sunset Route piers are on each side of the below view (the ones with the narrow rebar tops):
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (of A-J)
Now, from atop of the Rancho Ave. overpass on the west end of Colton, looking east:
A heavy telephoto of the east end’s getting higher walling and concrete between the side walls.
Just by the photo’s center, are the early stages of concrete pouring for the floor and walls between La Cedena Dr, and the BNSF Transcon.
Continued in Part D
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