A California-Texas Investigative …
… Trip like Few Others
Part VI, Section G (of A-J)
The Western End of the Golden State Route, NM
At the east end of Carrizozo, a signal bridge is also present.
The east side westbound signal is an oddity.
While there does not appear to be any bridges here of note per se, K.P. has always found the location a memorable one.
At the mainline switch in the top photo, some years back an eastbound crew fell asleep for some time, and in the early morning hours at full speed in Run 8 collided with a westbound still going into the siding! Within just a minute or two after the earthquake-like loud crash and subsequent massive derailment the townspeople were on scene in the rescue efforts. The sleeping two crew members are still asleep in this day.
Continued in Section H
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 VI, Section F (of A-J)
Eventually, the true tri-lights ceased, and regular color lights headed further east. At the west end of the two Carrizozo sidings, color lights were present.
Continued in Section G
Part VI, Section E (of A-J)
At TC866 OTERO true tri-lights were present.
At an unknown further up the line location, a truss bridge went over a deep river area.
Continued in Section F
Part VI, Section D (of A-J)
Two-Tracking East from El Paso, TX
While in El Paso, TX, K.P. drove eastward on the freeway right next to the border with Mexico, which freeway turns north, goes over the Sunset Route, to a highway that goes northeast to Carrizozo, N.M. While going over the Sunset Route, right at the location where two-tracks become single-track eastward, NO two-tracking was seen at the place two-tracking was reported to be taking place.
In El Paso, TX a line branches off the Sunset Route that heads northeast to Kansas City. K.P. followed the line to Vaughn, NM, with the objective of comparing bridges with the Sunset Route bridges.
I believe it was forum contributor desertdog who thought there were no wooden bridges left from Tucson to El Paso on the Sunset Route. K.P. saw at least one where the new, second main’s bridge was of the concrete type, whereas the original old main had a wooden bridge remaining, side by side. Traveling I-10 didn’t afford a complete inspection, so there may or may not be other bridges of the wood type.
Most of the bridges on the western end of the Golden State Route are of the wooden variety. One such had the physically EAST side only thin wire type railing, if you will.
That was somewhere in the M.P. 867 area. Interestingly, that trackage also had true tri-light type signals.
Continued in Section E
Part VI, Section C (of A-J)
A WARNING!
The Border with Mexico
Anapra, NM
Matter of fact, the white vehicle departed and started pass me, but I stopped him to ask a question. He was a super cool guy, and he turned off his vehicle engine and got out, and we both talked and had a good time for many minutes.
I asked him if the dirt roadway just to the east between the UP tracks and the border was public property. He said that it was, and I could go there if I wanted. BUT, he cautioned me how dangerous the seemingly peaceful area was by the fence. I was skeptical, but another nearby Border Patrol unit just out that way decided to join the party, and HIS vehicle made me a believer!
All three of us had just a great time! Cool guys! But his advice was well taken. Maybe someday I’ll brave the alley-like road between the tracks and the border fence, but it will be in a rented army tank! One of those should be pretty safe against flying rocks …
He did say the FBI thought they were smart, and ignored some of the Border Patrol’s advice. What resulted? On the American side, two FBI agents were very badly beaten up and almost killed, and were hospitalized for some time.
If you visit the area to see the Sunset Route right next to the border, use good judgment!
Continued in Section D
Part VI, Section B (of A-J)
The Anapra grade crossing is just crossbucked, but intermediate block signals are just west of the grade crossing.
At the grade crossing the tracks already angle away from the border with Mexico, but Border Patrol people and their white green striped vehicles are ever present.
Continued in Section C
Part VI (of I-VI), Section A (of A-J)
Practically next to El Paso, TX is Anapra, NM, which community is right next to the border with Mexico, and so is the Union Pacific tracks.
As in the first photo herein, floodlights assist the Border Patrol at night.
Continued in Section B
"Could that gate be for the purpose of herding cows through when they need to be moved?" Posted by ws Corwinda on Thursday, April 21, 2016 7:57 PM
If you ever worked on a ranch or for some farms the answer would be, Yes!
Not sure what or how much cattle ranching goes on near the UP Santa Teresa yard but that could be the case.
RickH
BarstowRick.com Model Railroading How To's
K. P. Harrier A California-Texas Investigative … … Trip like Few Others Part IV, Section F (of A-G) The New Santa Teresa Facility Santa Teresa, NM Just above, a locked gate is by that cattle guard, which makes no sense to K.P.
Part IV, Section F (of A-G)
The New Santa Teresa Facility
Santa Teresa, NM
Just above, a locked gate is by that cattle guard, which makes no sense to K.P.
Could that gate be for the purpose of herding cows through when they need to be moved?
So, Why Was This Forum Contributor in San Timoteo Canyon?
He journeyed there to photograph a known problem area for “The Growth of Thwartology in Railroad Photography” topic, involving access by the tracks for cameramen, and this photo was taken for that topic.
The problem was worse than he had thought. Because of ‘No Parking’ signs a determined photographer may have to walk a mile or two just to get a photo. Maybe we all should carry a bicycle in the trunk for such cases!
It was also found that something more troubling than access hindrance was present, namely, drainage problems.
If the track area looks this bad with giant gullies along the right-of-way from just light rain in severe drought conditions, what would real heavy, prolonged rains do? The two tracking of the Sunset Route may prove to be of little help if the track gets washed out for days. It would seem we could expect that to happen in this area.
In 1969, as mention previously somewhere in this topic, massive rains occurred and normally dry rivers were almost overflowing. This Sunset Route line through San Timoteo Canyon was more than partially two tracks back then, while trains were getting through the line was being used as a single track railroad, with trains negotiating crossovers back and forth here and there. It was a mess! And, the ground along this then old, more flat, only a two lanes San Timoteo Canyon Road was more stable. What will El Nino do to the Sunset Route in the future?
Working on the Railroad (Surprise)
Ordway-Hinda, CA
A trip through San Timoteo Canyon on the western half of Beaumont Hill was made Wednesday in behalf of a different topic, but what was unexpectedly found seemed pertinent to this topic. A concrete tie replacement program was taking place, with old concrete ties being replaced with new ones! Loosely, it was on both sides of the M.P. 552 area of the Yuma Subdivision of the Sunset Route. The first two photos were taken near Live Oak Canyon Road, while the last one near Armatage Lane.
In a few of the photos lime green utility trucks are seen, and not the customary UP white vehicles. In that light, it is possible warrantee replacement ties are being put in, or maybe UP is now farming out tie replacements. But, it does seem unusual that concrete ties are being replaced. They aren’t that old already, are they?
Track machines seemed to effortlessly move the concrete ties into place, leaving a trail of no ties on the sides of the ballast behind.
It is said concrete ties last 50 years. These probably didn’t last that long, and may have been installed by Southern Pacific sometime earlier.
A related post follows.
Memo to diningcar (4-20):
I’ll take trains any day over Hawaii!
Hey, diningcar, when I was in northern Arizona this past trip, I again went by the old abandoned Santa Fe line that became unnecessary with your surveying of the Crookton Cutoff.
I followed for a ways that abandoned line, and it was something to see! It was like two different worlds, from ground level and from up the hill looking back down! Where one track used to go over the other the place stood out like a sore thumb when seen from above!
I should be able to start working on that post series soon for “The Old, Abandoned AT&SF Transcon in Arizona (w/ Photos)” thread. Tentatively, the series will be titled, “Rising to Heaven (Ambulances and All).”
Take care,
K.P.
Part V, Section J (of A-J)
A westbound auto-rack passes.
We now say goodbye to the Santa Teresa new UP facility, and head nearby.
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Part VI, 10 Sections (A-J), Saturday, April 23, 2016 by 9:00 AM. Pacific Daylight Time, but could be poste up till 12 hours early: (1) A WARNING! The Border with Mexico, Anapra, NM; (2) No Two-Tracking East from El Paso, TX; (3) the Western End of the Golden State Route, NM; and (4) the Conversion to Color Light Signals on the LA&SL’s Cima Sub, CA
A Memo to diningcar follows this post.
Part V, Section I (of A-J)
We get back to the tracks, on the southeast side of the Santa Teresa facility, by CP S1280 TARMAC, a name obviously gotten from the very nearby airport.
Above, do you remember that short right mast (on a signal bridge) with a single signal head that was shown at the outset of this whole series? That should help orientate everyone to where this is at.
The east westbound signals of CP S1280 TARMAC:
The south side road we traveled on in previous visits in the last few years is now blocked off adjacent CP S1280 TARMAC’s west end.
Continued in Section J
Part V, Section H (of A-J)
We now get out to the regular roadways (southeast side), and come across a windmill facility.
K.P. is not sure how such windmills get by the tracks to travel by train. Also, they are presently at a different location (south side) than when he saw them on aerials just a few years ago (north side of the tracks).
Continued in Section I
There are trains in Hawai'i and a lot of railroad history.
A10
Part V, Section G (of A-J)
We see a steady stream of arrivals and departures
On all the above views, note the road that the trucks travel. Apparently, it is a new creation, with a concrete laid roadway. It follows a different pathway than what K.P. traveled a few years ago, a path one no longer can travel directly over to the eastern facility tracks as previously.
Part V, Section F (of A-J)
And leaving too!
And kept showing up …
We are now by those trucks we saw from afar
The container drop-off and pick-up area is well marked.
Part V, Section E (of A-J)
Trucks kept showing up … and moving through.
Part V, Section D (of A-J)
Some type of facility is on the south side’s eastern end:
Now, look at all those containers stacked up by the southeastern end.
Those waiting trucks again as we get closer:
Part V, Section C (of A-J)
Toward the east end, just look at all those trailers and containers!
Up ahead, a truck arrives (left), and drivers with containers are just parked!
Part V, Section B (of A-J)
More …
Part V (I-VI), Section A (of A-J)
Now we go around that curve and go by the long floodlighted Intermodal area.
K. P. Harrier A California-Texas Investigative … … Trip like Few Others Part IV, Section F (of A-G) The New Santa Teresa Facility Santa Teresa, NM Across from that west fueling area is a cattle guard for the dirt public roadway. Just above, a locked gate is by that cattle guard, which makes no sense to K.P. However, on that gate is a telecommunications sign, if that means anything to anyone. Is the gate route used for transporting something electronic that is so sensitive it can’t be jarred by a cattle guard? But, it makes for a good location marker … Continued in Section G
Across from that west fueling area is a cattle guard for the dirt public roadway.
Just above, a locked gate is by that cattle guard, which makes no sense to K.P. However, on that gate is a telecommunications sign, if that means anything to anyone.
Is the gate route used for transporting something electronic that is so sensitive it can’t be jarred by a cattle guard? But, it makes for a good location marker …
The implicit answer to the sign is: "Don't dig around here without contacting AT&T first." Cutting through a fiber optic cable creates a lot of havoc. Hard to fix and causes a lot of downtime = lost revenue and customer angst.
John Timm
Why go to Hawaii when there are trains and their tracks to see, I'm with you KP.
Checking on the Diversion
Pomona, CA
K.P. had to pick up the Mrs. yesterday (Tuesday, April 19, 2016) at Ontario International Airport in Ontario, CA so he swung by the Hamilton Blvd. grade crossing in Pomona briefly to check on the status of the Diversion pipeline relocation.
The digging by the yellow piping and valve by Hamilton Blvd. seemed complete, as the dirt was all level again and in place.
He did notice, however, where the pipeline is to go under the Alhambra Sub track in the distance a whole bunch (“whole bunch”) of orange vested workers were present, all together as if they were having some type of instructional meeting. The telephoto lens was gotten, but by time I was in position again the workers seemed to have been beamed up to the starship Enterprise and were all nowhere in sight!
An eastbound high-railer was also waiting at the west eastbound signal at the present CP AL514 HAMILTON (above photo, left). Also, note the red flag right of the forefront signal.
The Mrs. called and said she had landed (from the Midwest), so it was time to leave and go get her. Following the tracks to the airport, K.P. found the San Antonio Ave. (Pomona) grade crossing closed and barricaded off. UP was trading out all the grade crossing panels for new ones, which trackage consisted of two-tracks for the Alhambra Sub, one for the Los Angeles Sub, and a fourth transition track diagonal between the subdivisions.
A tidbit for those interested … As this post was being composed, the Mrs. left for another flight, this time to Hawaii. While I’ve been to Hawaii a few times with her, K.P. tends to spend his vacation allotments to follow the tracks … the Sunset Route, the Central Corridor in Nebraska, etc., etc., etc.
ITSX 7198 is former BN 7198.
Part IV, Section G (of A-G)
Some other cattle guard area views:
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Part V, 10 Sections (A-J): Thursday, April 21, 2016 by 9:00 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time: (1) the New Santa Teresa, NM Facility (South Central Intermodal); (2) Windmills; and (3) the New Santa Teresa, NM Facility (Southeast)
Part IV, Section E (of A-G)
A shack of some sort is by that row of seven mast signals.
Above, on the lower left, note the funneling cement-work, assumedly for water drainage.
Another view with that both directions signal bridge in view:
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