Blue Signs:
KP,
Those signs are showing up in Michigan too. One of my signal maintainer friends says each railroad police department will have a computerized database of them so they can quickly tell which crossing the caller is talking about. The shortlines around here have no identification on their corssings at present so if they must install the blue signs it may help.
Like you, I've always been asked in the past for the street name and given them subdivision information. Perhaps the general public is too dumbed down to do that.
Norm
Norm48327 Blue Signs: KP, Those signs are showing up in Michigan too. One of my signal maintainer friends says each railroad police department will have a computerized database of them so they can quickly tell which crossing the caller is talking about. The shortlines around here have no identification on their corssings at present so if they must install the blue signs it may help. Like you, I've always been asked in the past for the street name and given them subdivision information. Perhaps the general public is too dumbed down to do that.
Speaking of railroad crossings and the Sunset Route . . . : <http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/28733211/2015/04/06/i-8-closed-near-dateland-after-train-and-tanker-truck-crash>
(I'd insert a live link if my Mac would allow it).
John Timm
desertdog (4-6):
About that grade crossing incident near Dateland, AZ, I was able to get the link to post-work! Sometimes I’m successful at doing so, sometimes not. This time I was. The Star Wars “force” must have been with me …
http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/28733211/2015/04/06/i-8-closed-near-dateland-after-train-and-tanker-truck-crash
It had looked like I could get out to Dateland this weekend (east of the two-tracking in the Mohawk area), but I need a couple of accessories for my camera that is absolutely imperative I have, but Nikon was out of stock on one of those items, and a couple of “East Coast” retailers both are closed for a week because of the Easter holiday. I can’t win for losing, as they say. So, who knows now when I can get to Arizona!
Best,
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.
K. P. Harrier http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/28733211/2015/04/06/i-8-closed-near-dateland-after-train-and-tanker-truck-crash K.P.
The 3 Marines involved, especially the truck driver, will possibly be facing court martial proceedings for failure to be alert to the possibility of a train in the area.
The ground is relatively flat where the accident occurred, and the truck occupants should have been able to see the train from quite a distance.
The news report doesn't mention the possibility that the trailer was hung up on the track.
narig01I think all involved should be thankful no one was injured or killed. Someone was watching over all concerned. Rgds IGN
Update as of Wednesday, April 8, 2015
The Colton Signal Dept.
Colton, CA
On K.P.’s way to deep within Riverside County this date, the Colton Signal Dept. was checked out very briefly. Nothing seemed new from last visit, but the electrical boxes stood out as exceptionally pristine and almost glowed. It must have been the lighting that was just right. It looked like a CP box (right) and two smaller intermediate signal or grade crossing boxes.
The laying down signal parts in the northeast portion of the signal dept. was photographed too.
K.P. is not aware of any place where these electrical boxes could be used at per se, but it seems (“seems”) that the stretch between CP AL521 NORTH ONTARIO and CP AL525 GUASTI would be a good bet. If such is the case, UP may be waiting for the rail bridge at the Vineyard Ave. underpass construction site to be finished before laying a second main through that area.
Still having issues with posting. Working to resolve.
An Outing Full of Surprises!
On Saturday, April 11, 2015 a free day was had, and a few loose ends were tied down photographically on the Perris Valley Line, and then the Sunset Route from Etiwanda Ave. (the dividing line between Ontario to the west and Fontana to the east) to San Gabriel near Los Angeles was checked out, and a number of ‘stopped in one's tracks’ surprises were seen here and there on that section of the Sunset Route.
A report to the forum will be forthcoming in several days, but as a teaser …
K.P. found NO evidence whatsoever of any impending two-tracking on the stretch between CP AL533 SIERRA (Fontana) and CP AL521 NORTH ONTARIO (Ontario), and concluded that that section may be some time away from two-tracking. Looking west from the overpass next to Etiwanda Ave. in the general M.P. 527 area:
The seldom used by the public “overpass next to Etiwanda Ave.” technically is the Loop Ave. overpass, named such for obvious reasons.
Looking east, the paralleling Etiwanda Ave. overpass, with Kaiser Yard in the way far distance
At the San Gabriel Trench in San Gabriel a few important areas were photographed before it got too dark for such …
San Gabriel Blvd., looking north
… but it can be said that that area had its own mysteries. It was AS IF “spirits” from another realm were employed in the construction, spirits that could build walls within and underground! You may wonder too about this underground construction after seeing the photos …
The presentation about several surprises should be posted by (“by”) mid-week.
KP It appears that the Wind Tower Plant is gone in your photo looking east from Etiwanda ave?
Yes, the Wind Turbine Tower plant is history. The facility was owned by Ameron International and was originally a structure assembly facility for Kaiser Steel. The would assembly steel structures in the building to insure everything fix as intended and then disassembled them for transport. Ameron International also owned a large manufacturing plant a few miles to the north where they built steel pipe and steel lined concrete pipe. A storage yard for their finished product was about 1/2 miles to the east. Ameron was purchased a couple years back by National Oilwell Varco (NOV). They almost immediately shutdown both facilities once existing orders were completed and moved the work to other manufacturing locations. The land for all three sites was then sold for "redevelopment". The finished product storage yard is now an almost finished apartment complex while the steel pipe plant is now a large commercial warehouse. The Wind Turbine Tower plant site has been almost completely leveled and graded flat, but I don't know what is planned for the site at this time.
Just further proof that it's not competitive to do heavy manufacturing in California...
Update as of Saturday, April 11, 2015
The Surprises Never Stopped
Part “A” (of A-I)
The Vineyard Ave. Underpass Construction
Ontario, CA
As noted in the teaser for this series, two-tracking did not look imminent by the Etiwanda Ave. overpass on the far eastern side of Ontario. It was desirable to check on the Vineyard Ave underpass, and the track-bridging thereat, and how many tracks wide it would be. Unfortunately, little could be seen, from either the south side or the north side. This is about it, the dark area above the shoofly track on the left.
It would have to be a real die-hard type to scale the fence in this area to crossing the track. On both sides of the railroad bridging under construction the obstacles to get through are overly great.
Trying to document the bridging’s construction has been a constant, failing challenge.
Next, we get into an area that stopped K.P. in his tracks!
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (of A-I)
The Montclair Staging Facility …
… from Mountain Ave.
K.P. was south side straddling the LA&SL and SP tracks in Ontario, and thought it would be a waste of time to go over the Mountain Ave. overpass, but did so anywy, just in case. But, stunning activity was found to be going on there! Looking east:
Rail was positioned (above and below, left) in preparation for the tie laying and attachment of the rail. Rail was also left un-positioned (right of center).
Looking west, rail was semi-positioned.
So, apparently, the Montclair facility is finally having work performed on it, and the staging of trains thereat should take on a greater role in the future.
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (of A-I)
Happenings Related the …
... Puente Hills Intermodal Facility (PHIMF)
City of Industry, CA
The next stop was the Workman Mill Rd. LA&SL grade crossing in the City of Industry. Immediate, the laying down signal bridge span was seen to have been erected.
In comparing a previously posted photo from January 14, 2015, the heads now seem to have been rearranged, just as K.P. had thought they would have to be!
Continued in Part D
Part “D” (of A-I)
The signal bridge from the west eastbound side:
From the side (Tracks are PHIMF, Mains 1 and 2):
Continued in Part E
Part “E” (of A-I)
A closer view of the Mains 2 and 1 (left to right) signal heads.
In the just above photo the mastless positions (“positions”) of the Main 2 heads (left) seem to be reversed. Likely that will eventually be changed, so that the heads, currently to each’s left, will be reattached to the traditional right of each other. Also, the Main 2 westbound signal only has a single, lower head. That does NOT harmonize with the track ahead, to the west. Thus, K.P. believes the lower head will to reinstalled on the top tier of the cross bridging, and a TWO light head be position for the lower tier. Since the Main 2 signals will be intermediates, instead of a three light lower westbound head, two lights will suffice, yellow and lunar, the latter lunar (for yellow over lunar) for a routing away from the LA&SL to the Los Nietos Subdivision at CP C011 BARTOLO (M.P. 11.4).
Interestingly, its counterpart on the far side of CP C014 WORKMAN is a TWO head mast signal! (Ironically, behind the green upward arrow)
A previously shown view of that above signal shows TWO full (3) lighted heads
So, the final chapter on the signals on the signal bridge may yet to be written!
Continued in Part F
Part “F” (of A-I)
The San Gabriel Trench Construction
San Gabriel, CA
From Del Mar Ave. (M.P. 490.70), a view looking eastbound:
Above, not much construction-wise looking that way (east) is seen.
However, looking west, note the whitish, fat cement walling right of center!
Above, note the dirt floor is not very far below the top of that cement walling!
Since the dirt flooring is up so high still, how did the cement walling below the dirt come about? Were ‘spirit’ workers from another realm that can go through walls and dirt, were they employed?
Note a like walling on the far left of center.
K.P. most certainly doubts that spirits were employed, but he has no explanation in lieu of spirits! Does anybody here at the forum have an explanation?
Continued in Part G
Part “G” (of A-I)
At the Mission Road future bridging over the trench site, it looks like the northbound (leftward) bridge is well along, as well as the trench supports for the southbound bridging. Maybe the bridge seen will have northbound and southbound lanes as well (???). Note the vertical rebar. Anybody have an interpretation?
A walkway for pedestrians is present …
… and pretty easy to understand for those pedestrians.
Continued in Part H
Part “H” (of A-I)
A view of the south side pedestrian walkway leading to that spring gated pedestrian grade crossing. If you visit the site, watch your head!
After checking out the Ramona Street grade crossing (nothing of interest was there), we move over to the key, busy San Gabriel Blvd. grade crossing. The progress was not as advanced here.
Continued in Part I
Part “I” (of A-I)
Looking east from San Gabriel Blvd.:
Nighttime was approaching too fast!
After 12 hours of checking out and photo documenting a small segment of the Perris Valley Line, and doing likewise on the Sunset Route Ontario to San Gabriel, it was time to call it a day. It is hoped you found something of interest in this series, because K.P. sure did, and intriguingly so!
This will end the series.
Rebar: wall. Concrete "saddle" in front of.
A10
Do You Like Mysteries?
On Thursday, April 16, 2015 K.P. had to be in the Fontana, CA area. Little effort was needed to go a little future and check out the Ontario area, and the new Montclair facility. Loaded concrete tie cars were now in the new facility (SP side) as well as on the LA&SL side. While by Monte Vista Ave., where the SP and LA&SL closely parallel each other, a westbound LA&SL Intermodal was routed into the LA&SL Montclair siding. Shortly thereafter, K.P. was calling it quits for the day and had the camera tucked away, and the reason for the LA&SL Intermodal being in the siding was seen … A superhot LIGHT power move! Figure that one out! Mysterious!
Anyway, expect a findings photo-report to be posted in a few days. In the meantime, a few ‘mysterious’ photos related to the Vineyard Ave. underpass construction in Ontario are shown below. About a quarter of a mile west of the site, K.P. was able of park and hike in a short ways, and mysterious sub-ballast had been laid. How many tracks are actually going to be here?
Just above, the Vineyard Ave. underpass will be just on the other side of the intermediate signal in the background.
Only 31 photos were shot this date, but as limited as the selection to choose from it should convey the basic feel of what is currently transpiring at the Montclair staging facility.
On the back burner are a few replies when K.P. can get to them.
Update as of Thursday, April 16, 2015
The New Montclair Facility
Ontario-Montclair, CA
Part I (of I-IV)
This report will be on an east to west basis. We start at San Antonio Ave. in Ontario, looking west. Two additional motored switches have been put in for the Montclair facility. The Mountain Ave. overpass is in the background.
A tie train (tail end) is now in the facility.
Track equipment:
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-IV)
The tie train was under the Mountain Ave. underpass.
Two SD70M’s led the train.
A weird view: That tie train is in the photo center, with tie cars on the LA&SL side (top).
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-IV)
At the west end of the facility, by the cantilever signal bridge, motored switches have been put in for the new tracks.
A sign now clearly identifies who owns the property:
That pile of ballast above, behind the sign, is not related to the current yard revamping, but stems from a 2004 incident that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) responded to by ordering a derail be put there.
Continued in Part IV
Part IV (of I-IV)
A head-on of that train in the LA&SL Montclair siding.
That Intermodal train in the Montclair siding was just a few minutes from a light engine move zipping by on the LA&SL main. Then, that Intermodal gets a yellow signal and it returns to the mainline and heads to Los Angeles.
Above, too, that derail mentioned in Part III can be seen by the left signal.
Before K.P. got to Ontario-Montclair, he swung by the Colton Signal Dept. in Colton, and all 10 of the switch parts boxes were still there.
So, they will not be used in the Ontario-Montclair area. Note the mast signals in the background.
This will conclude the series. However, a Second Section follows.
Second Section
The Future Vineyard Ave. Underpass
When K.P. was hiking in to photograph things pertaining to the Vineyard Ave. underpass construction, a Sunset Route eastbound zipped by. The below photo shows the hiking in was TO the Sunset Route, and not along it.
K.P. tinkered with a recent photo, and highly blew it up, showing the immediate Vineyard Ave. area … for those that might be interested.
It was felt the forum might find the above photos of interest.
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