The Texas Trip
October 4-7, 2012
Part 56
The Block Swap Facility Construction
Santa Teresa, NM
Access to UP’s Santa Teresa facility site from I-10 is west via Highways 178 / 136. Looking eastbound from Industrial Drive the Highway 136 Bridge over UP’s mains is seen. South (towards the very nearby Mexico) is to the right.
In the above photo, the land-way just to the south of the tracks (right) is cleared, as if multiple tracks will be laid alongside the present two main tracks.
It is not clear how multiple tracks will affect that Industrial Drive grade crossing.
Continued in Part 57
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 57
Two photos looking west from Industrial Drive, a wide angle and a telephoto:
Prominent in actually seeing the facility grounds is the public Country Road A017 that straddles UP’s property for miles. Because of the new facility, some portions of A017 appear to have been relocated.
Somewhere in the vicinity of that last above photo’s curve are two high mast signals with only two-bulb heads. They are believed to be uncommon HIGH entrance signals unrelated to UP’s new Santa Teresa facility.
No further photos were taken from here on while heading west for a number of miles getting an overview of what was taking place. But, the camera again came out for the drive back eastward …
Continued in Part 58
Part 58
Towards (“towards,” not at) the west end was a dirt road grade crossing …
… and from it K.P. backtracked eastward to the main highway, 136, and a number of photos were taken on that way back. The crossbuck wooden post sign with the plated number of tracks attached obviously had not been updated yet, as the number of tracks and what is posted no longer match, and probably won’t until all the tracks through here are laid. Check out the color of that portable restroom on the above photo’s left.
Looking westward:
A telephoto westward view shows track laying in the rollercoaster graded right-of-way.
Continued in Part 59
Part 59
Looking west still, from this angle the facility here has a more pronounced rollercoasterish appearance.
As kind of implied in the above photo, more tracks will be laid towards the left, or southward.
The rollercoaster look also is the other way too, eastward.
But, that the graded strip of land widens greatly (right) as it goes further eastward.
Continued in Part 60
Part 60
The newly laid track is un-ballasted, but rises with ballast at the grade crossing where the last couple of posted photos where shot from.
The roadway goes off to the north. The crossbuck post with the stop sign attached casts its shadow on the lower right.
Above, there’s that pink portable restroom again! Workers sure can’t miss that!
Continued in Part 61
Part 61
The signals that were in the distance in the two last photos of Part 59:
Grading and other activity shots as we head eastward:
Continued in Part 62
Part 62
More photos:
Continued in Part 63
Part 63
We now come upon another rail laying train in the distance, near where the public road used to be, but has since been relocated (bottom). New Mexico outfits sure have an orientation towards colorful portable restrooms (right)!
Closer views of the track laying train:
Continued in Part 64
Part 64
A massive amount of dirt must have been moved for this landfill. The forefront drainage pipe and upper background signals give the view perspective.
An interestingly painted Ames tank:
Continued in Part 65
Part 65
A RED Ames pickup passes by … and is becoming TAN!
A collection of heavy equipment:
Continued in Part 66
Part 66
An Ames truck comes by.
A piece of heavy equipment came zooming along, kicking up dust, turns right in front of K.P., and stops!
“What are you doing?” the paranoid operator asks! Once he heard I was a railfan (with the lingo of a railfan), he seemed pacified, wished me a good day, and ‘sped’ off …
It has been this forum contributor’s experience that Ames and other outfits that contract with the railroad are incredibly paranoid. I guess we can’t blame them in today’s suit happy society. But, they invariably seem to warm up when they become convinced the railfan is not a threat to them or their company, but are on their side and rooting for them!
Continued in Part 67
Part 67
At this point, the relocated road (lower left) comes back to the tracks.
There is a present CP right by that curving road, CP S1277 STRAUSS
As can be seen especially in the last photo above, the El Paso, TX area a short distance away is not flat.
Continued in Part 68
Part 68
By the CP box there was a trailer with signal-like wire cable spools on it.
A short distance to the east was a rather empty fenced area … but active!
Then we come to where we entered the area, and we head east away from the block swap facility.
-----------
Continued in … GROUP NINE: Tuesday, November 6, 2012. As Close as One Can Get to Mexico (69-71); Two Great Bridges (72-74); and Fueling (El Paso, TX) (75-76)
Re: your red truck turning tan. I might be tan when I arrive at the area, but if I stood there too long I'd no doubt be very red! (Which would be better than matching that one outhouse!)Very much enjoying your posts!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Why didn't UP do a little digging and eliminate the roller coaster? The roller coaster effect causes slack and tension in a train at the same time. This is one of the problems that the SP had on their Modoc line which could be part of the reason it was abandoned. Another reason was the OSL that UP had from Utah to the north west was essentially a duplicate service.
ccltrains Why didn't UP do a little digging and eliminate the roller coaster?
Why didn't UP do a little digging and eliminate the roller coaster?
That line was put in by the Southern Pacific in the latter 1800's. UP just inherited it when they bought the SP.
With the current election in full swing we hear a lot about inheriting things. Yes SP built the line about 130 years ago with primitive tools (by today's standards). When UP laid the second track they could have shaved the hump a little, however, I am not privy to UP's design philosophy. Hopefully this will be a future improvement such as Harriman did when UP first bought the SP.
Update as of Thursday, November 1, 2012
Big Things Happening!
Part “A” (of A-F, Overall A-M)
The Colton Flyover
Colton, CA
In the last few weeks, east of Rancho Ave., on the north side, I-beams were vertically put in the ground for an unclear purpose, as in the below previously shown October 21, 2012 photo:
On this update visit, the following sight was seen:
Metal plates had been put between the I-beams and much ground had been graded away.
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (of A-F, Overall A-M)
Two heavy graders were partially taking the north embankment down. This one was scooping up dirt at an angle. In the first photo below, notice how the dirt is in the way of the flyover’s north walling (top center).
Slowly but surely the mound in the way was being carted away.
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (of A-F, Overall A-M)
Surveyors were working onsite with a GPS unit and moving from place to place, with the graders working right around them.
The graders went to the west side of Rancho Ave. and turned around there …
… dumping their loads at a big hill of dirt (center to lower right) that had developed almost as high as the overpass.
Continued in Part D
Part “D” (of A-F, Overall A-M)
Then they would head back east to chew away more of the embankment again.
Then, less heavy equipment gets into the act … while the big guy (upper right) waits a turn.
They almost needed a ‘Dispatcher in Omaha’ (or San Bernardino just down the way) to control grading movements … but they seemed to be doing just fine without one.
Continued in Part E
Part “E” (of A-F, Overall A-M)
Now a surveyor is walking next to that walling.
A heavy telephoto of the south flyover walling (upper right) between Rancho Ave. and the BNSF: Boards secure the walling presently until concrete is poured where the vehicles are at.
Now a surveyor is right up by I-10 itself … next to the grading action there.
Continued in Part F
Part “F” (of A-F, Overall A-M)
Then K.P. saw an event he hasn’t seen for a while … a southbound train off the Palmdale Cutoff on the EAST Leg of the Wye becoming an eastbound on the Sunset Route
And, then the train stopped and just sat there, and sat, and sat …
On the just above photo’s lower left, the new east crossover (between Mains 1 and 2) looks well-manicured now and ready for use. It will, however, have to wait for new signaling as part of a new, big CP that will replace CP SP538 RANCHO on the east side of the Rancho Ave. overpass.
Other things were on the agenda … so off K.P. went to Ontario …
Continued in Parts G through M to be posted Wednesday, November 7, 2012 by 2 A.M.
Thanks for the updates K.P..Great work, Very much apriciate it.
Part 69
As Close as One Can Get to Mexico!
Anapra, NM
From Anapra Rd. (498), a telephoto looking westbound:
A westbound wide angle view reveals intermediate signals right by Anapra Rd.
From Cienega Creek in Arizona to El Paso in Texas the line is right running biased, i.e., westbounds travel Main 1 (the northern track, the right track in the above photos), whereas eastbound trains generally utilize Main 2. In the quite a few trains K.P. saw while traveling between the above two points, ALL followed the bias stated. IF this area was left biased, the above signals would be troublesome for train crews, as an eastbound train on the right track (coming toward the camera) would block the signal on the left (for a westbound), BECAUSE there is a curve right behind the camera …
Continued in Part 70
Part 70
Now, eastbound … and that curve!
On the other side (background) of the fence is Mexico! UP’s Sunset Route runs right alongside it for a community block or two, then turns away.
LINK: Aerial of Anapra, NM right by the Border with Mexico
Continued in Part 71
Part 71
The Anapra Rd. grade crossing, looking south towards Mexico:
While it is not real obvious in the below photo, at the site the housing in Mexico have a markedly different way about them, a more impoverished look. No wonder so many from Mexico try to illegally come over to America!
When K.P. was there, as he left the area he first drove south a bit and turned around (in the area of the above photo) so as to go back over the grade crossing and head to El Paso. As he turned his vehicle around, he looked east along the border fence and narrow road, and there was a green striped Border Patrol vehicle watching for illegals trying to come north! That is one thing one sees everywhere by the border: White vehicles with an angled broad green stripe!
Continued in Part 72
Part 72
Two Great Bridges
El Paso, TX
Main 2 (top, south) and Main 1 (lower, north) come into El Paso, TX on two impressive bridges.
The bridges are between TWO states: New Mexico (center pier) and Texas (right pier). A river is between the two states, and at this location New Mexico is on the far side.
Looking north at dusk:
Continued in Part 73
Part 73
An eastbound:
A BNSF local goes under the Main 2 bridge, and does some switching work.
Continued in Part 74
Part 74
The next morning … from the north looking southward down the BNSF:
The south bridge (Main 2, background) continued to host eastbound train as with the evening before. A highway parallels the BNSF (center and right).
The huge Main 1 (North) bridge with a local transit coach about to go under it:
Size perspective (the bridge and bus in above photo) makes one unsure of what they are seeing!
If you look good at the last photo above, on the lower left, the above train is still going over the Main 2 bridge.
Continued in Part 75
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.