BNSF6400 (12-30):
Thanks for the technical meanings of POTO and HTTO. That adds life to otherwise confusing terms.
Where are No. 30 turnouts used on UP? It would seem such would have an application with high-speed commuter operations that use UP tracks. And, when UP No. 30 “turnouts” are spoken of, is that a traditional turnout or the equilateral “wye” type, as you mentioned the Surf Line once had in the Oceanside (CA) area?
About the San Gabriel Trench Postings
That material (consisting of 12 Parts) should be posted NO later than 8 A.M. (Pacific Time) January 1, 2015, but likely much earlier.
Take care all,
K.P.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
The San Gabriel Trench Construction
San Gabriel, CA
Part I (of I-XII)
This presentation will generally be on a west to east basis.
On Saturday, December 27, 2014, the San Gabriel Trench construction project was visited, and a few construction surprises were seen
At first, there was just more of the same, and no advances were seen. From Chapel Ave., looking eastbound:
Above, except for some dirt out of place on the lower right of the second photo, nothing appeared new. To set the stage, the above is the transition place where presently the Alhambra Trench elevated to San Gabriel. Looking west from Chapel Ave.:
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-XII)
Heading east, we pass the first grade crossing, Ramona Street, the grade crossing visible center height with the crossing gate on the right.
The above photo, which starts to show some construction activity, was shot from the Mission Road grade crossing area. Approaching from the west (background), that signal (upper left) facing away from the camera was flashing yellow. That mast signal facing the camera showed yellow. It is unknown if the dispatch changed the direction of travel on his dispatch screen so the other side displayed red, or if the circuitry is set for NO direction of travel.
Looking west from the now closed Mission Rd. grade crossing: The track visible is the shoofly.
Looking east:
As seen above a fence now separates the track shoofly from the trench construction.
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-XII)
Road closure signs seemed to indicate the Mission Rd. closure would be for only three months, which is record time to build bridging over a trench!
Continued in Part IV
Part IV (of I-XII)
At Del Mar Ave. the road was open, and good views of the construction could be had. Looking westbound:
Looking eastbound:
West again, the trench is been dug out several feet.
Continued in Part V
Part V (of I-XII)
Equipment on site:
K.P. found the trenching rather alarming, with NO bracing for it.
Continued in Part VI
Part VI (of I-XII)
The old track is still in the grade crossing. Looking westbound:
Eastbound:
The shoofly (top) and the original main (bottom):
The trench looking east from Del Mar Ave.:
Continued in Part VII
Part VII (of I-XII)
Looking east: That fenced walling again that separates the shoofly from the construction:
Above, at this point in time, the trench seems to be dug down three or four feel uniformly throughout the trench’s area. Note the one empty and one rebar loaded flat trailers!
Other eastward views:
Continued in Part VIII
Part VIII (of I-XII)
From the super busy San Gabriel Blvd. looking west: There is more in this picture than meets the eye!
What? A whole bunch (“whole bunch”) of rebar cylinders that goes back a ways!
Continued in Part IX
Part IX (of I-XII)
Even looking eastbound from San Gabriel Blvd. there are rebar items! The trench also seems to be dug down deeper here too.
Looking back west, the shoofly and the fence barricades:
Just above, note that only half of the roadway is being used, and the far side is blocked off. San Gabriel Blvd. is a super busy city street, and it took K.P. probably five minutes to finely have traffic clear so the photo could be taken without vehicles in the way!
Continued in Part X
Part X (of I-XII)
During that probably 45 second ‘miraculous’ lull in traffic, a few other eastward views were taken:
Continued in Part XI
Part XI (of I-XII)
An eastward view, but a telephoto:
The trench from the middle of the photo area takes on a mysterious aspect, where that flood control channel is, and it is unknown exactly how that whole area will be handed. The next street, Walnut Grove Ave., where the signals are at in the above view, reported will only be dug down about 4 feet.
That flood control channel has had construction taken place there too, mysteriously away from the tracks. K.P. now concludes that construction is not related to the San Gabriel Trench construction. While it is not clear exactly what it is for, the idea of a parking lot crossed K.P.’s mind.
Continued in Part XII
Part XII (of I-XII)
At Walnut Grove Ave., looking west, at the formerly straight track curving:
The trench-work is presently not dug down by that flood control channel area. San Gabriel Ave. crossing gates are seen in the background.
Looking east: It still is unclear how this track will be made to lower four feet at the Walnut Grove Ave. grade crossing (camera location), nor how the lowering track will be handled at the flood control channel (behind the camera).
We are in that exciting construction phase now, where construction is obvious and substantive.
This will conclude the series.
Happy New Year!!!
The Union Pacific installed the first No. 30 (that I know of) at South Gibbon, NE in the summer of 1993. At that time, they were installing a short section of double track on the Marysville Sub east from its junction with the Overland Route at Gibbon Jct. After about 3-4 miles, the track had to go back to single track to cross over the Platte River. It was at this location, called South Gibbon by UP, where the No. 30 was installed. I have a poor quality photo of it under construction but I haven't figured out how to post photos here yet.
This was no equailateral turnout, but a true "traditional" turnouts that was VERY LONG. It required three switch machines to throw (two for the points and one for the moveable point frog) and had concrete ties. After double tracking the Platte River bridge, this particular No. 30 was removed. There is still one at Gibbon Jct. that I am aware of, but I am sure others exist out there. The reason UP used them, is it allowed coal trains coming to/going from the Powder River Basin, operating at 60 MPH maximum speed, to go thru the turnout of the switch without slowing down.
There is a 60mph, three machine (2-points,1-frog) turnout at Missouri Valley, IA.
Jeff
K.P.:
It is VERY exciting to see these photos of the trench's early grading! What a cool way to start a new year's worth of reports from you!
Regarding that grading (between San Gabriel Blvd. and Walnut Grove Ave., near the flood control channel), is this a separate cut or the start of the primary trench itself?
That is, are the engineers merely planning to reduce the grade over the "summit" of the hill here, with this cut then leading to the start of the main trench further east? OR is this part of the project to be the beginning of that west end "ramp" ("approach"?) in and out of the main trench?
This may have been speculated on in several earlier posts, so please forgive both my uncertaintly and my getting technical. But, with the height of the rail being lowered closer to the the elevation of the flood channel (Rubio Wash), it would seem that this cut would be a separate part of project. Unless some other treatment of the channel were planned here-- such as a wider channel crossing with increased capacity-- it would seem that there would be a risk of trench flooding during freak flash-flooding events. Flood waters would have a steeper, more-direct route to the San Gabriel River (yes?).
Again, it is exciting to see your latest photos and commentary!! I sencerely enjoy this tread and apprecate your efforts. I wish you and my fellow forum contributors a wonderful, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
--John
Riverside avenue:
No drone yet ... The deck was clearly visible from where I was standing.
I doubt it'll be two tracks due to the wall extending north but the edge of the excavation is so close to the north side of the bridge that until the shoefly is removed and the excavation continues it's not clear. The single-track cut would indicate single track bridge but there is obviously enough room for a second track on the north side (where the shoefly is). Give 'em two weeks or so to get back to digging.
A10
Trench:
Cement walls require no bracing.
Malcolm is a drilling contractor, the blue rig drills the holes for the rebar columns shown further down.
John Simpkins-CampThat is, are the engineers merely planning to reduce the grade over the "summit" of the hill here, with this cut then leading to the start of the main trench further east? OR is this part of the project to be the beginning of that west end "ramp" ("approach"?) in and out of the main trench?
As seen by KPH's pics, the south edge of the 'shoofly' will be supported by I beams and CIDH (concrete in drilled hole) piers where those rebar cages will be stuffed. The four road 'bridges' are supposed to be complete before the trench is fully excavated so perhaps the existing grading is to aid the shoofly wall construction. The shoofly will remain after construction, probably as a bike / walking trail leased to the city.
It's not clear yet how the Rubio wash crossing will be changed. It may have to be made wider and deeper to accomodate those future flash floods (along with a sump and pump).
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! ***
Bill Russell
There's 22 feet of vertical difference between track level and the bottom of Rubio wash - the wash itself having 8 foot walls. It'll be interesting to see what they do with that 16 feet.
I spent New Years Week with Friends Camping out at Glamis Dunes. During a trip to town to refill some Propane Tanks(It was Very Cold Out There), I drove down the dirt road along the tracks for a couple of miles north of hwy 78. While turning my truck around I was able to see that the second main has been laid from Mesquite as far north as the eye could see. The track and signals are complete except for some tamping and grading of the ballast. It would appear that the roughly ten mile segment should be ready to activate in the next month or so. To the south of Hwy 78 no new grading is taking place at least for the first ten miles.
So, has the existing Mesquite to Glamis siding been tied into the new second main yet or is it in some sort of transition, awaiting activation of the new track? I'm assuming that the existing siding would be upgraded if it needed it and eventually be an extension of the new main. Yes?
Ulcerville USA!
For the last couple of hours it has unsuccessfully been attempted to post some replies. This site seems to have gone back into a ‘We Hate Railroaders and Railfans’ mode and won’t let me post the material. Things are stacked up everywhere in the office this morning and I can’t continue to waste time. Hopefully, I can unscramble this before next New Year’s …
Weary again,
Pete-M3 So, has the existing Mesquite to Glamis siding been tied into the new second main yet or is it in some sort of transition, awaiting activation of the new track? I'm assuming that the existing siding would be upgraded if it needed it and eventually be an extension of the new main. Yes?
K.P. Replies
BNSF6400 (1-1):
Your input was quite educational, and more or less confirms UP’s disinterest in equilateral switches.
A prominent part of your post was about Gibbon, Nebraska. My first encounter with that junction was in the early 1980’s, and the evolution of the junction to the present state has been somewhat bewildering. But, your post started an investigation among some of my contacts, and now things are relatively clear.
CP B175 GIBBON JCT has only 40 M.P.H. turnout route No. 20 crossovers and turnouts.
CP B176 GIBBON, only a half a mile to the west, is the location where the 60 M.P.H. three motor turnouts you mentioned are located.
I don’t recall ever seeing any train use the crossovers at CP B176 GIBBON, the ones with a 60 M.P.H. speed limit. They obviously are used, but I haven’t seen them used. The 40 M.P.H. crossovers at CP B175 GIBBON JCT, on the other hand, have been seen used quite often.
Since 40 M.P.H. crossovers dominate everywhere else …
… like at CP B182 HWY 10 (M.P. 181.8), why are 60 M.P.H. ones used at CP B176 GIBBON and nowhere else?
A friend came up with a possible reason. He said the line is basically a very long, mild downhill slant west to EAST. That is true also on the branching off line from Gibbon Jct. southeastward on the line to Kansas that so many coal trains take. The big EXCEPTION is not too far southeastward on that line to Kansas, where there is a short uphill climb for eastbound trains. Thus, IF a coal train or any other train got involved in an evetual high-speed runaway, the high-speed crossovers at CP B176 GIBBON could be utilized to get the runaway rather safely routed to that uphill segment on the line to Kansas, where it probably would stop, in a dip. Sounds plausible to me! Otherwise, the friend and I see no reason for 60 M.P.H. crossovers at CP B176 GIBBON while everything else is 40 M.P.H. for over 100 miles to the west.
jeffhergert (1-1):
Thanks for the input of where one of those 60 M.P.H. No. 30 turnouts is located, Missouri Jct., IA.
Aerials show that the straight route is for the ex-CNW line to Fremont, NE, the shortcut that bypasses Omaha, NE. (For others … The curved, turnout route is towards the traditional UP route via Omaha.)
In theory, over in Fremont, NE, that ex-CNW line should be changed to the straight route as well.
Hey, Jeff, have they ever resumed two-tracking that shortcut between Missouri Jct., IA and Fremont, NE?
John Simpkins-Camp (1-1):
Greetings, John!
The best that I can determine is that the PRESENT high point is in the Mission Road vicinity (M.P. 490.31). Going west from there the grade lowers a bit into the Alhambra Trench, and going east to the line lower going east all the way to the El Monte area. So, the San Gabriel trench will just cut a slight peak off, so that the trench ends up basically as a lower, flat profile. (See also the reply to SP657E44 juat below.)
SP657E44 (1-4):
Your conveyance of technical heights relative to Rubio Wash in San Gabriel (CA) and the Sunset Route was most clarifying. The 16 feet is quite a bit that the lowering (“lowering”) trench track could be lowered in. The wash itself up till now has been mentally deceptive, giving erroneous impressions, at least in my mind. That 8 feet (that you pointed out) of concrete lined wash is WAY BELOW ground level, as the below reshown photo about a couple of blocks away from the unseen tracks (behind the cross building) shows.
Super Hunky (1-4):
Your eyewitness visual of the two-tracking reaching the Glamis siding, at CP SP697 MESQUITE (the junction to the line for PHIMF’s future trash trains’ end landfill site), and seeing the new signals (and second main) going back (west) for miles was most enlightening for our awareness.
The fact that you saw NO grading railroad east (physically southeast) of CP SP697 MESQUITE suggests, at least to me, that the gap in two-tracks between there and CP SP715 CACTUS (M.P. 714.9) won’t be filled anytime soon. When the Iris to Mesquite stretch is in service, maybe (“maybe”) two-track grading will be started in the Gila Bend, AZ area, on the hill (“hill”) between there and Estrella, the present end of two-tracks from El Paso, TX. Interestingly, the present two-track effort in the Mohawk, AZ area is on a hill.
To All about BNSF’s Highgrove, CA Area on the Alternate Sunset Route
Both on Monday, December 29, 2014 and Saturday, January 3, 2015 K.P. was in the Inland Empire, and visited Highgrove, the latter date to tie down a few loose ends photography-wise. A short posting series will be in development soon, and posted within a few days.
Nearby, the Perris Valley Line has had grading take place in the mountainous Box Springs area, and a brief report on that too is expected in the ‘Perris Valley Line Updates’ thread. That line may (“may”) affect BNSF’s tracks in the Highgrove vicinity and the routing of alternate Sunset Route trains. Currently, a new, humungous pile of ballast just south of the Center Street grade crossing on the BNSF Transcon in Highgrove must be there for some reason …
Best,
At Missouri Valley the straight route goes to Council Bluffs/Omaha, the diverging route towards Fremont. Westward trains on the straight route are going Blair (subdivision) MT#2 to Omaha MT#2. The diverging route is Blair MT#2 to Blair MT#2.
Operating considerations and practices (from the service unit level) have made it almost impossible for any train to use it at it's top 60mph max speed.
Operating and maintenance considerations may be why you don't see them more often. Most trains for a variety of reasons are limited to the 50 mph range. Even those that have max speeds up tp 70mph often can't do much over 50 due to fuel conservation rules. That may be why they currently seem to love the 50 mph turnouts for most new control points. Most trains are running that speed. The few that actually have to slow down probably can easily recover their higher speed.
As for the Blair Sub, nothing on the horizon that I know of. They did realign a curve last year on top of Arlington hill. Straightened and moved about a 1/2 mile of track onto roadbed constructed a few years ago for the double tracking project.
jeffhergert (1-6):
First, the embarrassing part: Misstating Missouri Valley Jct. as Missouri Jct. I should know better. But, I will blame it on the frustrations of trying to get the TRAINS Magazine forums to work. (Funny … or maybe it is sad!)
Now … Ah, I see that the Missouri Valley thing is like here in California, right near Yuma, AZ, with the name Araz on the Sunset Route. There is presently a CP 724 ARAZ and a CP 726 ARAZ JCT. Clever! Two-tracking will eliminate that. The grading was in process in November 2014.
The No. 30 right handed turnout you clarified, Jeff, indeed is at Missouri Valley as opposed to Missouri Valley Jct., where I originally though it was at.
A quick, cursory look at topographic maps seems to indicate there is another long railroad incline to the east (increasingly higher ground), though mild, where a westward runway could gain much speed. I wonder if the rather rare 60 M.P.H. turnout at Missouri Valley (NOT Jct.) is for that contingency?
Take care,
This series was delayed by an unexpected many hours long dispatch and another, but expected dispatch the next day.
Highgrove, CA Happenings on …
… the Alternate Sunset Route
Part “A” (of A-D)
This December 27, 2014 photo of a switch on a gondola appeared in the “Perris Valley Line Updates” thread recently:
It is a right hand switch, the type needed for the Metrolink Perris Valley Line to connect to Main 3 on the BNSF. Another view of that switch in two pieces shot on January 3, 2015 near the time of sunset:
That industrial siding track, as seen above, swings out and back to connect to the old BNSF San Jac Branch (Jac for Jacinto). On the December 29, 2014 visit to Highgrove, the San Jac train just happened to come by.
When those GP60M’s were new in the very late 1980’s, they powered AT&SF’s fastest and hottest trains on the Transcon, and wore the dazzeling red and silver warbonnet paint scheme Now, they are regulated to branch lines and many wear BNSF’s orange. But, the point of showing the above photo is to convey that switch’s location AND the proximity of a nearby huge pile of ballast right by Center Street in Highgrove.
The Transcon in this area is three-tracks, Mains 1, 2, and 3, numbered from north to south.
Now, a ballast comparison …
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (of A-D)
On September 23, 2010 K.P. visited Kearney, NE, on UP’s Central Corridor, also with three main tracks.
On that visit the key grade crossing in town was having the key grade crossing tracks replaced. But, just above, note the SMALL amount of ballast on the left.
When we look at the Highgrove huge ballast pile in comparison to the one in Kearney, NE, one has to wonder what the Highgrove one will be used for!
A slightly off-west view of the east-west Center Street main grade crossing in town, with the huge pole of ballast on the left, and on the background right panel track stacked in the BNSF Maintenance-of-Way facility.
A closer view of those panel tracks.
Continued in Part C
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