Several …
K.P. will reply to several posters in a few days, but the following is hotter than normal …
Super Hunky (A Quick Follow-Up):
Totally unexpected circumstances arose yesterday, and K.P. soon found himself in Fontana, CA, not far from the Sunset Route!
Thus, the piping development at Vineyard Ave. in Ontario that you posted about was able to be checked out and photos taken. On site, matters were inconclusive, rather confusing, and sort of illogical; but hours later the conclusion was reached that what is happening there is two-tracking related and not future underpass related.
That conclusion would be reinforced with additional onsite photos, but that can wait. It will take a few days to make a presentation for posting, but I think you and others here at the forum might come to the same conclusion as K.P. did.
Since I was out that way, the Streeter Ave. underpass construction in Riverside that you also reported on was able to be photographed, as well as the CP situation railroad east of the new LA&SL railroad bridge over the 91 Freeway in Riverside. It was getting dark, but at least some photos now document the CP box scene there.
Take care,
K.P.
PS: Wow! Christmas is actually here!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
K. P. Harrier Schedule for “The Arizona Roundtrip” Postings Part I: Some Happenings in Tucson, AZ (8 Sections) By Thursday, December 26, 2013 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time Part II: Twin Peaks Rd. and Ina Rd., Tucson, AZ Area (9 Sections) By Saturday, December 28, 2013 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time Part III: APS Corp. to Red Rock to Wymola, AZ (7 Sections) By Monday, December 30, 2013 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time Part IV: Casa Grande, AZ (10 Sections) By Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time Part V: Mobile to Estrella, AZ / Niland, CA (6 Sections) By Friday, January 3, 2014 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time Part VI: Two-Tracking by Salton Sea, CA (9 Sections) By Sunday, January 5, 2014 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time “By” a certain time is used because the material could (“could”) be posted up to 11 hours early, but the forum should plan on no later than the time listed... ...K.P.
Schedule for “The Arizona Roundtrip” Postings
Part I: Some Happenings in Tucson, AZ (8 Sections)
By Thursday, December 26, 2013 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Part II: Twin Peaks Rd. and Ina Rd., Tucson, AZ Area (9 Sections)
By Saturday, December 28, 2013 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Part III: APS Corp. to Red Rock to Wymola, AZ (7 Sections)
By Monday, December 30, 2013 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Part IV: Casa Grande, AZ (10 Sections)
By Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Part V: Mobile to Estrella, AZ / Niland, CA (6 Sections)
By Friday, January 3, 2014 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
Part VI: Two-Tracking by Salton Sea, CA (9 Sections)
By Sunday, January 5, 2014 at 8:00 A.M. Pacific Time
“By” a certain time is used because the material could (“could”) be posted up to 11 hours early, but the forum should plan on no later than the time listed...
...K.P.
Thanks, KP, for a wonderful Christmas present for us Sunset Route Followers. Merry Christmas to all, especially to KP and family!
--billio
KP Holiday Travels took me up Cajon Pass over Tehachapi and up the Valley. Much signal work has taken place. Palmdale to Mojave all the SP round tri-color signals at each siding have been replaced with new tri colors and all associated cabinets ,etc have been replaced as well. The round intermediates were left in place. Mojave to Bakersfield, all the old searchlights are being replaced and it appeared that all the new signals are in place though mostly not in service yet. Going up the valley ,all the searchlights and code lines are gone and the new tri-colors are in service.
Also noticed that the dispatcher was holding half a dozen trains at the top of Tehachapi while fleeting half a dozen trains up from the bottom. This is a different operating pattern than what I have seen on the hill previously where trains were leap-frogging each other up and down the hill. I believe this is the method BNSF used in Abo canyon prior to double tracking.
Holiday Cheers..
Lloyd
From a person who lives in eastern Texas who does not have the opportunity to personally visit the Sunset route work I give you a whole hearted thank you for the great updates. KP you really go out of your way to keep us informed. Many thanks and I wish you a very merry Christmas and the best for the new year.
Dick Watkins
I've been following this post for quite some time, and must applaud KP's diligence to covering the entire Sunset Route! INCREDIBLE job I finally decided to post on here since there's some new information out here on the east end of the Sunset Route in El Paso, that I'm not sure many people know of yet. UP has cut in their new control points for the Santa Teresa Terminal (Strauss facility) these past 2 weeks. They are as follows (written west to east)::
S1268 Lanark (existing)
S1271 Santa Teresa Terminal (New)
S1273 West Strauss (New)
S1274 West Fuel (New)
S1276 East Fuel (New)
S1277 East Strauss (Former Strauss Crossovers now revamped for 3 tracks)
S1280 Tarmac (New)
S1285 Lizard (Existing)
Happy Holidays All!
Kevin S.
“By” a certain time is used because the material could (“could”) be posted up to 11 hours early, but the forum should plan on no later than the time listed.
Replies:
BarstowRick (12-21):
This holiday season, by your making us all aware that you are a retired mortician may have put a certain spark of soberness and seriousness into the followers of this thread beyond any words to drive safely could! We may never know how valuable your post words proved to be! Great reply, BarstowRick! Great reply!
Super Hunky (12-22):
Thanks for the update on the Streeter Ave. underpass construction in Riverside, CA on the LA&SL (alternate Sunset Route), and the pipeline relocation along the SP in Ontario. The latter is a most significant development. That could be a precursor to two-tracking between Ontario and the Guasti area. I definitely need to photo-checkout both areas, but unfortunately, there currently is nothing on K.P.’s dispatch lineup for either area for at least a few weeks, possibly even three weeks.
Quite a few months ago ex-Guasti area target signals were photographed lying down on the east slope of Tehachapi Pass, around M.P. 377 on the Mojave Sub between West Colton Yard and Bakersfield. Reports are that new color light signals have been erected on both the east and west slopes of Tehachapi, but are not in service yet.
So, there are a lot of areas for K.P. to check out. Top of the list now, though, is that pipeline relocation you reported …
Take care all,
ccltrains Is the wigwag a California phenomen? I have never seen one anywhere else. There must be a history of their usage possibly some obscure law.
Is the wigwag a California phenomen? I have never seen one anywhere else. There must be a history of their usage possibly some obscure law.
Speaking of wig wags, it just happens I'm watching the History Channel program, "American Restoration." They are doing the restoration of two wig wags (the type that I used to see along the CNW main in Iowa years ago) for the museum in Ely, NV.
In addition to the two signals, they have the relay box with all the "guts" to make it work.
Jeff
KP I was in the area poking around a bit on Friday and noticed a couple of things of note. The Streeter under crossing construction is now well underway with the bridge supports and preliminary excavation complete. Also over at Vineyard Ave by the airport, crews are relocating long sections of 2' gas line on both the east and west sides of Vineyard. Perhaps work on a grade separation is starting soon at that location.
From this Retired Mortician, thanks for the safety wishes. You've seen my driving?
Stay safe, stay warm, and I wish you the best Christmas...ever.
RickH
BarstowRick.com Model Railroading How To's
Update as of Friday, December 20, 2013
The Nothing Report (Almost)
Colton, Riverside, and Ontario-Pomona, CA
Part “B” (of A-B)
A few blocks away the way the crow flies, at the Colton Signal Dept., nothing new was onsite, but rather the absence of something that was there previously. A few months ago these Colton photos were posted of a new, replacement box destined for the CP by (“by” and NOT at) the LA&SL junction with the BNSF at BNSF’s CP WEST RIVERSIDE.
Previously, the old CP box by West Riverside was post shown.
The new box that was in Colton must now be in the West Riverside area, likely in conjunction with the new replacement railroad bridge over the 91 Freeway. (Photo also previously shown)
Because of time constraints, K.P. did not check out that Riverside scene, but the new CP box previously at Colton must now be over in Riverside.
About the upcoming Arizona trip series postings, it looks like there will be six multi-sectioned parts, and is in the photo presentation preparation stage.
Part “A” (of A-B)
K.P. had activity in both San Bernardino and Fontana to take care of, which allowed for checking out the Colton to Pomona scene. Not a single UP worker was observed, and everything track-wise was the same as in the previous reports.
From South 4th Street and the Sunset Route in Colton, a few contractor related employees were working. A cute (“cute”) little shovel-digging machine was present, almost something like one would see under (or perhaps alongside) the Christmas tree for the kids.
Continued in Part B
Of Cool Arizona Forum Contributors, Operating Biases, and Signal Transplants
Because the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) website previously had indicated the key Prince Rd. overpass construction over the Sunset Route in Tucson, AZ would be finished in mid-January 2014, K.P. had anticipated visiting Arizona in late January or during February. Then ADOT’s website updated that and said sometime in spring, which may be June. That was too long of a wait considering the news value of the current winding down (“winding down “) of the Estrella to Tucson two-tracking, the final gap in that stretch only being less than four miles between the old Kino siding and Stockham within Tucson now having been put in service. So, K.P. in response actually visited Arizona December 15 and 16, 2013 and photo documented the two-tracking scene there.
K.P. has long said that when the eastward two-tracking is finished between Estrella and Tucson, that line would be converted from right biased to a left biased operation. Forum contributor eolesen from the Tucson area recently CONFIRMED that change in biases from personal observations.
So, at the western end of the El Paso, TX to Estrella, AZ two-tracking, westbound trains should (“should”) be crossing over from Main 2 to the future Main 1 (presently just identified as the Main) as they head west, as in the below CP SP876 ESTRELLA this trip photo.
However, it was observed on this trip that there did NOT seem to be biases at all in effect between Estrella and Tucson! Both tracks were being used haphazardly and crossovers used extensively. But, there is an explanation for the inconsistency! Remember the “winding down” statement above? The explanation seems to be extensive finishing off end-work, and such will be discussed and photo-shown at length in a planned trip report to the forum.
On return to California, K.P. managed to squeak in the last of documenting the two-tracking from Iris (sort of) to Salton Sea area before light failed and darkness set in.
Previously, in single-track days, between west of the Rogoza siding (M.P. 654.4) and the Mortmar siding (M.P. 634.6) UP had installed these one box two-mast color light intermediate signals. (Photos previously shown)
January 20, 2012 photo:
January 29, 2010 view:
Those different looking signals were not needed between the new CP SP637 SALTON and SP 648 BERTRAM after the two-tracking thereat because of different signal spacing. However, when K.P. went by the single-track Cleveland St. grade crossing area in darkness (Photo previously shown) …
… it was observed that a not activated yet signal had been erected where those above pictured UP men had been digging and burial base was at. So that particular area apparently is having different spacing intermediate color lights installed. But, what is surprising is those color light signals have a LOWER BOX AND TWO MASTS as the ones taken down discussed just above! Presumably, they are the same ones used previously between Bertram and Mortmar, and if so, they just were transplanted. Where they have been in the meantime until at least one was erected at Cleveland Rd. is unknown. Also, that may (“may”) be a precursor to two-tracking the gap between Thermal and Salton in the near future.
K.P. spent a lot of time in desertdog’s old Casa Grande, AZ tromping ground area documenting the long industrial track being put in next to the now two-track line through town. When completed, little industrial switching on either main will ever be necessary, thus, maximizing the value of UP’s two-tracking in that community.
In the past, a few forum contributors expressed interest in meeting this forumist. So, K.P. met and had a good time with eolesen and cacole at a McDonalds in the Tucson area. I was expecting a half hour meeting and then retire for the night. It lasted over two hours! And, I was starting to fall asleep, having been up since 3:00 A.M. traveling, photographing extensively, and visiting … all for 18 hours straight! But, thanks for the great time, guys!
Probably only a third of the typical amount of photos were taken in the two days, but everything on the agenda was crossed off, plus a few unexpected things too were seen and photographed. K.P. almost freak out in disbelief at a signal’s placement in the Stockham area of Tucson!
Sorting photos and making a presentation will probably take between one and two weeks. But, that is what now in the works …
Just a reminder to BarstowRick (12-17 post) and all, including K.P., we are entering a holiday season, and extra vigilance is necessary in driving. Drive safely (and defensively) everyone, and stay alive and among us this holiday season!
Best,
To you and yours a very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.
Thanks to K.P., Eolesen and others for keeping us advised as to the progress at the Colton Crossing and double tracking on the Sunset Route..
Look forward to hearing more from you in the future.
**TUCSON UPDATE**
A long overdue note, thanks to a series of business trips which took me out of town for most of the past four months. Now that things are settling back to normal, I was able to do a couple scouting trips along my stretch of the main...
General observations
All the trains I've seen in the past two weeks are now running "CNW style" in the new double track area west of Tucson. There had been rumors of left-hand running before the second track went live, and so far, it appears to now be the practice.
There has also been a serious tie replacement program in work between old Kino and Rillito. Gauging from the number and frequency of new/dead ties that were on the ground at the end of October, I'm guessing some10-15% of the ties were replaced, possibly more.
UP has also replaced or widened a half dozen bridges/box culverts in the area over the past three months, presumably to make room for the third track/maintenance road that's been discussed in conjunction with the flyover.
The maintenance siding north of Twin Peaks Road was looking more like a pulpwood siding in northern Michigan last week, with old ties stacked 15 ft high, and slowly being shipped out in gons and the occasional bulkhead flats...
CP Stockham
Construction progress on the Prince Road overpass has been reported on by others, but I drove past there yesterday, and could see a UP crew working several hundred yards east of the old crossovers and the overpass, and spotted the unmistakeable orange "moveable frog" warning poles, which now "mark the spot" for universals just about everywhere in this part of AZ.
Just guessing, but it also looks like the east end of Stockham may now be at SP980, and yes, that means the siding is accessible from both tracks. On the west side of Stockham, no changes. The siding is only accessible from the north track, but with left-hand running, that shouldn't be an issue if an eastbound train gets put in the hole.
CP Kino
Sadly, Kino is no more, presumably effective with the activation of the second main back in October. The west end had disappeared earlier in the summer when the alignment shift took place near SP974.5, but the switch at the east end at SP976 remained functional while work was progressing on the gap at SP979.4 to CP975.8 -- this switch was particularly interesting to me, as it was located partway into a super-elevated curve, and had a slightly uphill climb to get out of the siding. From a dead standstill, eastbound trains would have to do some serious spooling up on their prime movers to re-enter the main.
I drove thru there earlier in the week, and discovered that east switch is now removed without a trace, resulting in a 10 mile unbroken stretch of track between Sabino @ SP970 and the new universals at the east end of Stockham.
CP Sabino
Not really related to the UP, but the dead-end of what used to be a grade crossing at Linda Vista Road is a favorite watching site for me and my kids, and is where I watched Sabino first come to life with the dropping off of the equipment hut almost two years ago.
The land at this location has now been sold to a real estate developer, who has announced plans to turn it into an outlet mall... That will take away the remote nature of our site, but may improve access in a way, as the area is now unpaved. But my real fear is that they'll put up a wall along the edge of the ROW, spoiling the view altogether.
Sadly, it also means the end of being able to four-wheel between Cortaro Road and Twin Peaks along the power company's easement, which is questionably legal depending on who you talk to.
Then again, real estate is a nasty business, and the mall might not ever get built. Only time will tell.
That's about all for now... Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and a Happy New Year to all!
From Part II: "an eastbound train suddenly appeared"--Deus ex machina?
From Part III: "Now that the switch is more developed in its assembly, the switch actually does NOT line up." Shame on it.
Johnny
Second Section
On Wednesday, December 11, 2013, K.P. actually talked to some UP steam people at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA, who were there preparing Big Boy UP 4014 for movement to West Colton Yard in Colton
The night of November 16, 2013 a lot of activity and movements were in the Departure Yard, as in the just above never shown before night photo. The shop area by Riverside Ave. is on the far background upper left. That area will be where steamer 4014 will probably have much Southern California work done at.
A more detailed account of the visit to the site of 4014 is in the “UPDATES: Big Boy 4-8-8-4 UP 4014 (w/ Photos)” thread somewhere in the below link’s result. Scroll-look for Part A of the December 12 postings …
LINK: http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/p/225121/2511598.aspx#2511598
Update as of Wednesday, December 11, 2013
A Statuses Report
Colton, Ontario-Pomona, CA
Part V (of I-V)
Nothing was found to have changed by Mountain Ave. in Ontario.
The only thing new was the LA&SL switch under construction by Sultana Ave. which switch was found to be more put together.
A crew was about to open the new CP box’s door when K.P. first arrived on scene.
Other than the just above multi-part photos, nothing obvious was new in the entire Colton / Ontario-Pomona area.
This will end the series. However, a Second Section follows related to steamer Big Boy 4-8-8-4 UP 4014.
Part IV (of I-V)
We now go over to the Ontario-Pomona area. Four RESHOWN photos:
From Bon View Ave. in Ontario, looking west:
Eastward from San Antonio Ave. in Pomona:
And, an eastward view of the present west side eastbound SP signals at CP AL514 HAMILTON with a two-bulb lower head on the on left mast and the upper right head on the right mast.
On this visit, nothing had changed. The above unconnected tracks are still unconnected, and NO replacement heads with additional bulbs have been installed at CP AL514 HAMILTON.
Continued in Part V
Part III (of I-V)
From 4th Street, a short local passes on the Colton Flyover. Note the switch on the lower left.
In previous views, the incomplete manual crossover tracks did not appear (“appear”) to line up, but K.P. thought that might be only an angle illusion. Now that the switch is more developed in its assembly, the switch actually does NOT line up.
It will have to be repositioned slightly, and sections of rail cut.
Track 112 still has not been ballasted. The orange, temporary fencing pops out at one on site.
Continued in Part IV
Part II (of I-V)
From the southeast quadrant looking west to the southwest quadrant, a number of white and yellow hatted workers were scattered here and there. Three are visible in this view.
Track 112 was found to still not cross the BNSF Transcon.
As K.P. was approaching the Colton Signal Dept. area when first arriving, an eastbound train suddenly appeared and passed on the Mt. Vernon Connector track, but it was surprisingly short. A few minutes later, an eastward view was taken from 4th Street: Note the right signal’s lit heads are now facing west (towards the camera).
Continued in Part III
Part I (of I-V)
Colton was visited and quickly passed through with little found to report. The most glaring change … Forum readers may remember these November 30, 2013 photos with the middle signal mast’s heads turn aside, towards the camera, and red diode lights lit.
That middle mast’s heads now face west for eastbound yard-like movements on the future Track 112.
The old diamonds area seems even more cluttered, and panel track pops out visually at observers.
Continued in Part II
About Alhambra Sub Pomona-Ontario, CA
Sources advise that the current two-tracking Pomona-Ontario will have the following mileposts and control points, with the left margined ones the new, the indented ones the old (to be deleted):
CP AL515 RESERVOIR (M.P. 515.1) (Two-Tracks) (Revised only)
CP AL517 North Montclair (M.P. 516.9) (West Switch)
CP AL517 WEST MONTCLAIR (M.P. 517.6) (Single Crossover)
CP AL518 North Montclair (M.P. 518.2) (East Switch)
CP AL519 EAST MONTCLAIR (M.P. 519.4) (Single Crossover)
CP AL520 North Ontario (M.P. 519.7) (West Switch)
CP AL521 North Ontario (M.P. 520.9) (East Switch)
CP AL521 NORTH ONTARIO (M.P. 521.1) (Eventual Universal Crossover)
The station names of the first three ABOVE left bordered NEW CP’s were previously known, the fourth (two photos below) was not. (All photos this post previously shown)
But, if the usually reliable sources are right, the mystery fourth CP east of Bon View Ave. in Ontario will be NORTH ONTARIO, the same as the old siding was named two tenths of a mile to the west.
So, now we all know (hopefully, anyway).
Memo to cacole:
Please contact me ASAP, if you would, via email at kpharrier@gmail.com.
Thanks.
By Marsh Station Rd. off I-10 in Arizona, 2012.
To Others:
For any that needs to contact K.P., the old Yahoo email address is still in effect, but I prefer the new address as above be used.
Update News and Reply Combo
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Back on November 21, 2013 forum contributor SP657E44 mentioned form imprints, including possibly an E-1 passenger unit, on the I-215 Freeway walls being put up. K.P. found what SP657E44 had spoken about several days ago, but the clock was not cooperative. On the above December 3 date, photos were taken of the southeast walling just freeway northbound of where the old UP Riverside Industrial Lead Bridge used to be.
K.P. also spotted a duplicate on the northwest wall too. He also saw what appeared to be a head-on view of a GE ES44 or similar model a few hundred feet away.
To what extent such concrete walling displays will be used is not clear at this time, nor how hard or easy it will be to photograph them. The above photo scene was in the shade, but a well-lit one on the other side of the freeway was rather impossible to currently photograph.
Forum contributor billio in his November 23, 2013 post mentioned the Prince Rd. overpass construction in Tucson, AZ, and how the construction had been extended beyond the expected date of January 2014 to the spring. Thus, K.P. is looking into revising his visiting of Arizona thinking.
Also on December 3, the LA&SL 91 Freeway railroad bridge construction was visited, and the new bridge is still being worked on by construction forces.
The south side apartments on Panorama Drive are visible in the background (above photo).
That above bridge, most will probably remember, is on the alternate Sunset Route, and many trains to for from Arizona are routed over that alternate route.
They were common in the Midwest. The style depicted was used by the Soo Line.
John Timm
There used to be one at a remote crossing near Durand, MI, but it was replaced years ago and currently resides in a local city park.
Norm
Update as of Saturday, November 30, 2013
Was Back Briefly
Colton, CA
Part “F” (of A-F)
Going Photo Hog-Wild Over a Wigwag
More views:
Exactly why the 9th Street street running hasn’t been eliminated yet and the wigwag history is not known. Are the powers that be having trouble with environmentalist over laying new track that would replace the street running? K.P. hasn’t heard anything, but the street running track should have gone bye-bye by now …
This will conclude the series.
Part “E” (of A-F)
K.P. wasn’t going to take pictures this date of the wigwag on 9th Street at M Street, but its uncertain stream-of-time future caused him to take photos all around it.
Continued in Part F
Part “D” (of A-F)
From K Street just east of the La Cadena Dr. underpass, looking west: The east westbound Track 112 signal (right) controlled by BNSF.
A close-up of the east side westbound BNSF signal lit red:
Continued in Part E
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