The following is admittedly all , but anyway . . .
[fixed the run-together link for you] http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2389087
Snipped from quote from that, about BNSF: "The transcon will seemingly not get much improvement this year."
My response: Well, if that poster meant the BNSF Southern Transcon - There's not much left to do ! Abo Canyon should finish this year (2011), which would leave only the high single-track Pecos River bridge at Fort Sumner, NM - N 34.47868 W 104.27163, and the single-track on the big fill crossing over the UP about 1-1/2 miles west of Vaughn, NM at - N 34.60331 W 105.23645, to be double-tracked.
Here's the link to and a quote from the BNSF press release that diningcar referenced above:
http://www.bnsf.com/media/news-releases/2011/february/2011-02-07a.html
BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) today announced a planned 2011 capital commitment program of $3.5 billion. The largest component of the capital plan is spending $2 billion on BNSF's core network and related assets. BNSF also plans to spend about $450 million to acquire 227 locomotives and approximately $350 million on freight car and other equipment acquisitions. The program also includes about $300 million for federally mandated positive train control (PTC) and $300 million for terminal, line and intermodal expansion and efficiency projects. BNSF's expansion and efficiency projects will be primarily focused on the mid-continent and coal routes to improve velocity and throughput capacity.
As the young people often say (or 'text') today - "OMG !" That's about triple the average annual BNSF Cap-Ex in recent years as I recall, so it looks like they're planning on really plowing some $ into the franchise - note that PTC is only about $300 million of that. Recall the saying of the late US Senator from Illinois, Everett L. Dirksen: "A billion here, a billion there - pretty soon you're talking about some real money !"
Or maybe (uber rich) Uncle Warren Buffet decided he wanted to upgrade his very large-scale train set this year . . .
- Paul North.
We now return you to the regularly appearing thread on this channel.
The RT&S article quoted is here. The TO post contains a lot of speculation which doesn't quite fit IMO.
The 53 new miles may or may not be completely in Arizona. UP currently doesn't need much new capacity to run a few trash trains, but they would be smart to put some DT just west of Glamis.
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! ***
Paul_D_North_Jr My response: Well, if that poster meant the BNSF Southern Transcon - There's not much left to do ! Abo Canyon should finish this year (2011), which would leave only the high single-track Pecos River bridge at Fort Sumner, NM - N 34.47868 W 104.27163, and the single-track on the big fill crossing over the UP about 1-1/2 miles west of Vaughn, NM at - N 34.60331 W 105.23645, to be double-tracked.
[quote user="billio"]
Paul_D_North_Jr: My response: Well, if that poster meant the BNSF Southern Transcon - There's not much left to do ! Abo Canyon should finish this year (2011), which would leave only the high single-track Pecos River bridge at Fort Sumner, NM - N 34.47868 W 104.27163, and the single-track on the big fill crossing over the UP about 1-1/2 miles west of Vaughn, NM at - N 34.60331 W 105.23645, to be double-tracked.
Do we know that the two items just mentioned are even on the BNSF plans to double track?? I suggest that the Sibley bridge is not and perhaps the 20-25 miles in KS also. To the east, after the focus point of Clovis, Amarillo and Avard are the next diversion-conversion points and beyond them traffic may not, at least in the foreseeable future, dictate more double track.
I suggest that the current year depreciation rules are a major factor in the railroads, and other capital intensive businesses, investing heavily in 2011.
Update as of Tuesday, February 8, 2011:
Colton (and a Paul D. North, Jr. Reply's Follow-Up)
On January 30, 2011, in the post time ending with :03, Paul D. North, Jr. replied to a K.P. post as follows: "Piping of that size - or more commonly, 4-inch - is often used as a conduit for signal wires to get them under/ across the tracks, and/ or under/ across roadways at grade crossings, etc."
On Tuesday afternoon of this week, the Colton Signal Dept. site was again visited, but with a special emphasis on photo-documenting the diameter size of the stacked pipes that Mr. North commented on.
The piping on the left (above) appeared to be about 6 inches in diameter, the piping on the right about 3 inches. Those estimates are simple eyeball estimates, and hardly exact measurements.
With his seeing the above photo, perhaps Mr. North now will have more to convey to us ... (Thanks in advance, Paul.)
While we are by the Colton Crossing ... It can be reported that numerous BNSF Transcon trains were all traversing the diamonds at reduced speed, and there were BNSF workers everywhere. No Sunset Route trains crossed the diamonds, so it is unknown if the signal system at the diamonds was out of service or not. All the dark, new tri-light signals were still leaning over, so it wasn't like the new signals were on the verge of being cutover.
Riverside
The LA&SL Magnolia Ave. underpass construction site was also visited, and the metal top plating seemed to be all in place, with much scattered equipment randomly placed on it.
A view from north of the north side shoefly:
A close-up: The wire messing bridge structure, a red ladder, and the metal plating.
Fontana
The west end of the South Fontana siding shot from the south roadway approach to the Cherry Ave. overpass:
As is so often the case, the four-lane Cherry Ave. was a massive traffic jam, and K.P. spent about an hour 'slowly' driving back and forth, repeatedly 'attempting' to shoot a respectable photo from his car window for the forum. (Was that crazy or what?) The above photo was about the best that could be had under the circumstances of traffic generally stopped in the wrong places and moving where the best views could be had. The overpass goes over the Sunset Route and I-10 Freeway.
In the above view, a not-in-service yet mast tri-light is visible left of photo center. Previously, there had been an east side westbound normal right positioned target signal. It is only in very recent times that a left side target unit replaced it.
No counterpart mast tri-light signal has yet been erected for the siding, and an old target pot unit is visible on the far photo right. The Kaiser switching lead parallels the main from the west (photo left) and alignment shifts to connect to the siding. That alignment shifted track is visible as the upper track in the photo above. It is also visible at the below MapQuest aerial link:
http://mapq.st/gGLU1g
That present arrangement is not conducive to installing a mast tri-light to replace the pot signal. It is unknown if the trackwork will be rearranged or not.
One thing, though, it was noted that the South Fontana SIDING, past the above pictured trackage out of view eastward (right), HAS CONCRETE TIES! (Those concrete ties apparently have been there for a while and are visible on the right of the above link.) Will the siding become Main 1 of two mains in the future? If so, what will happen to the Kaiser switching lead? All the sidings from Pomona eastward to the Kaiser Yard (west of the South Fontana siding) are all on the south side of the present single-track main, so it can be expected Main 2 will be laid on the south side too. In the future, might an alignment shift take place at or near the west switch of the South Fontana siding? Or, such could take place farther east, closer to West Colton Yard. Previously, it was reported to the forum that a source said a double-crossover would be put in somewhere in this area, to be called CP KAISER.
(In the above link's map aerial view, West Colton Yard is about three miles to the east if any care to tinker-move the view. Check "Show Labels" on the top right to bring up the street names.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
[quote user="diningcar"]
billio Paul_D_North_Jr: My response: Well, if that poster meant the BNSF Southern Transcon - There's not much left to do ! Abo Canyon should finish this year (2011), which would leave only the high single-track Pecos River bridge at Fort Sumner, NM - N 34.47868 W 104.27163, and the single-track on the big fill crossing over the UP about 1-1/2 miles west of Vaughn, NM at - N 34.60331 W 105.23645, to be double-tracked. Small correction. In addition to the single track BNSF Southern Transcon segments cited above, there also remain about 20-25 miles in Kansas (east of Avard, OK, west of Ellinor, KS), plus the Sibley Bridge over the Missouri River (+/- 20 miles east of Kansas City), some 2 miles. Do we know that the two items just mentioned are even on the BNSF plans to double track?? I suggest that the Sibley bridge is not and perhaps the 20-25 miles in KS also. To the east, after the focus point of Clovis, Amarillo and Avard are the next diversion-conversion points and beyond them traffic may not, at least in the foreseeable future, dictate more double track. I suggest that the current year depreciation rules are a major factor in the railroads, and other capital intensive businesses, investing heavily in 2011.
billio Far as I can discern, the Sibley Bridge and the 25 miles in Kansas are not on BNSF's radar -- not at the moment, anyway. However, I believe that these projects will eventually end up there, especially if Transcon traffic returns to 2006-07 levels. Fully agree that depreciation rule changes have influenced railroads to undertake additional capital expansion projects, which is only fair considering that they are concurrently under the gun to fund an unproven, cash-draining loser like PTC. Cheers!
Although not as bad as in the past, head-ons still occur. It won't take too many years to recoup the investment in PTC in reduced losses.
HarveyK400Although not as bad as in the past, head-ons still occur. It won't take too many years to recoup the investment in PTC in reduced losses.
I don't know of any rational, objective study that documents such a conclusion. The FRA itself estimated the the potential safety benefits of PTC as $440 million over 20 years, using a 7 percent discount rate.
The benefit-cost ratio per the AAR is 1:11.
When you have a $15 billion + cost hole to dig out of, using the DOT's value of $6.1 million per life, PTC will have to save 2,459 lives (undiscounted) to break even.
RWM
[quote user="Railway Man"]
HarveyK400: Although not as bad as in the past, head-ons still occur. It won't take too many years to recoup the investment in PTC in reduced losses.
Thanks RWM!!
'Rational and objective' currently seem to be in very short supply in most discussions and studies although not so prevalant at this site.
As I witness modifications and upgrades to the signaling along the Union Pacific here in Arizona (and elsewhere), several explanations come to mind. The first is that the railroad is simply using the opportunity to upgrade a very old signal infrastructure that is incompatible with two-track, bi-directional traffic flow. The second explanation is that the railroad is resigned to PTC and figures that now is the time to begin implementation because eventually it will happen, like it or not. A third possibility feeds off the second: PTC is inevitable and at some point we (Union Pacific) can make the case to Congress to have the public fund it since it is a federal mandate and arguably in the public interest. Time will tell.
John Timm
I was visiting another site today and found a photo of a handicapped lift shelter being installed in Alexandria, Louisiana similar to the one in Maricopa, Arizona. This must be universal and, I assume, mandated. Here is the link:
http://shadow_warrior_usmc.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2400289
K. P. Harrier Update as of Tuesday, February 8, 2011: Colton (and a Paul D. North, Jr. Reply's Follow-Up) On January 30, 2011, in the post time ending with :03, Paul D. North, Jr. replied to a K.P. post as follows: "Piping of that size - or more commonly, 4-inch - is often used as a conduit for signal wires to get them under/ across the tracks, and/ or under/ across roadways at grade crossings, etc." On Tuesday afternoon of this week, the Colton Signal Dept. site was again visited, but with a special emphasis on photo-documenting the diameter size of the stacked pipes that Mr. North commented on. The piping on the left (above) appeared to be about 6 inches in diameter, the piping on the right about 3 inches. Those estimates are simple eyeball estimates, and hardly exact measurements. With his seeing the above photo, perhaps Mr. North now will have more to convey to us ... (Thanks in advance, Paul.) While we are by the Colton Crossing ... It can be reported that numerous BNSF Transcon trains were all traversing the diamonds at reduced speed, and there were BNSF workers everywhere. No Sunset Route trains crossed the diamonds, so it is unknown if the signal system at the diamonds was out of service or not. All the dark, new tri-light signals were still leaning over, so it wasn't like the new signals were on the verge of being cutover.
K.P.,The size of the conduit used usually depends on the amount or size of wire or conduits being pulled through and how long is the conduit run.I remember awhile back you had some photos of rolls of pipe that was either orange or some other color. These pipes are sometimes pulled through conduit when crossing streets or going under tracks. The larger the pipe, more of these "inner-duct" conduits can be pulled through.I would imagine that the amount of wires that would need to cross the tracks to support a mast with two signal heads facing each direction would warrant a larger conduit.
Thanks again for the updates!!I cannot believe that we are apporaching 100 pages!!
Robert
It looks like track renewal time between Yuma and Wellton - no mention of second MT gap filling in this area.
Historical note - just found an interesting book published in 1914 by the Southern Pacific company entitled 'Wayside notes on the Sunset Route'. It is now in the public domain, available here for viewing or downloading.
Update as of February 14, 2011:
The Lowdown on the "Diversion" Delays
Pomona, CA
According to the official website, the Diversion was scheduled to be completed at the end of 2009, but here it is in 2011 and that hasn't happened. A close contact of mine touched bases with the Alameda Corridor East (ACE) Construction Authority earlier today, and the following is basically the situation:
There seems to be a controversy between Union Pacific and a pipeline entity whose pipeline has followed the tracks on UP's right-of-way for years, particularly where it crosses underneath the tracks. Apparently the railroad sees this as a precedent setting legal case with long-range ramifications for other such-like situations that could arise throughout its system.
While there appears to have been some unexpected advancement in negotiations recently, the ACE people still figures it will be at least six more months before an agreement is reached. Then, four to six additional months would need to transpire to allow time for the public construction bid process to go to completion.
Thus, at this point, it looks like the Diversion effort will continue to be frustrated for maybe another year!
K.P. visited Pomona last Friday night, February 11, 2011, mainly in the downtown area, and below is a couple of photos that resulted.
A northeast view that shows the overhead pedestrian bridge and Garey Ave. descending for the underpass:
A northwest view: The Amtrak (top right) and Metrolink (bottom left) stops.
The actual Diversion seems to be separate from the downtown area. The future Main "B" should go through the concrete platform area in the second photo above. K.P. now does not expect that Main "B" to be laid anytime soon, probably not until at least the Milliken Ave. Flyover is finished (in the M.P. 525.4 area). In theory, the SP and LA&SL Mains eastward, and the transition track between them (at AL515 RESERVOIR and C033 WO TOWER), could continue as is indefinitely even with the Diversion finally operational.
The City of Industry and a Future Shoefly
Not too terribly long ago the following photo of the grade crossing at Puente Ave. was posted ...
It seems like someone mentioned this very briefly last year, but, K.P. perused the Alameda Corridor East (ACE) Construction Authority's website, and found an underpass is being planned at the above photo site. "Planned," as it is not even listed in current projects. But, it is not only the tracks that Puente Ave. will go underneath, but also Valley Blvd. that closely parallels the tracks (the road on the photo right above with all the auto headlights). The project concept area seems to be patterned after the Nogales St. underpass, the one oddly with only a single-track railroad bridge, but the Puente Ave. bridging will have two-tracks.
If and when such an underpass is built, ACE diagrams presently show a huge shoefly that will be right in the present traffic lanes of those headlights! That should make for an interesting situation and hardly free flowing auto traffic!
When the "Up and Over' in the above photo's background darkness has the second-track finally laid and intermediate signals hooked up and activated, the evening tracks shown above should be part of a nearly seven mile section of two-tracks. And, that trackage will be completely separate from and west of any two-tracking for the Diversion in Pomona.
K. P. Harrier ... snip ... There seems to be a controversy between Union Pacific and a pipeline entity whose pipeline has followed the tracks on UP's right-of-way for years, particularly where it crosses underneath the tracks. Apparently the railroad sees this as a precedent setting legal case with long-range ramifications for other such-like situations that could arise throughout its system.
K. P. Harrier ... snip ... The actual Diversion seems to be separate from the downtown area. The future Main "B" should go through the concrete platform area in the second photo above. K.P. now does not expect that Main "B" to be laid anytime soon, probably not until at least the Milliken Ave.
cacole (2-9):
That was a great news update report on the Marsh Station Rd. area in Arizona that you posted about last week.
john_edwards (2-9):
Your reasoning about 2012 and 2013 being 100-mile two-tracking years, John, strikes me as right-on!
Additionally, with the projected two-tracking of Tehachapi starting in 2012, and the Milliken Ave. 'Up and Over' being finished in that year (and maybe the second-track laid from Pomona to Fontana), 2012 should be a banner year for second-track laying!
I'm still wondering about those new signal masts by the Border Patrol at the east end of the Rogoza siding at CP SP656 ROGOZA with NO grading for tracks on either side.
Maybe in 2012 the railroad will give us an answer to that mystery and not have to say a word.
rdamon (2-10):
Is this the type of orange rolls you spoke about?
So, Robert, cable(s) is laid in such, but everything is put in a conduit pipe when the cable must go underneath roads or tracks?
MikeF90 (2-12, 2-14):
Concerning the Yuma-Wellton track renewal project (also mentioned in today's trainsmag.com Newswire), one thing I've noticed, Mike, is that UP does NOT delay track maintenance. I was somewhat amazed in 2008 when UP was renewing the line by the Pomona Diversion even though the track was scheduled to be ripped out in a year or two.
I suppose that is a tried and true correct policy. Look what happened. The Diversion got delayed in a controversy! So, keeping that line in shape proved a good idea.
Reference those May 1989 twin Duffy Street disasters in San Bernardino on the Palmdale Cutoff that you linked material on ... The last I heard (a year or two ago) is that the head-end engineer involved in that disaster was still working the Palmdale Cutoff, and gets on the Sunset Route for a bit at West Colton Yard!
Recently, the following Dike, CA "Palmdale Cutoff" photo was posted.
That engineer's out of control train went through this area (photo left to right) at around 100 M.P.H.! That must have been quite a ride!
The two headed target signal was then a right-side signal. It was just in the last few years that it was relocated to the left side.
K.P. was by the above photo site last week, and the burial stand on the photo left for a new tri-light signal was still there untouched.
Take care, everyone,
K.P.
More about the Diversion Delay
The "close contact of mine" that "touched bases with the Alameda Corridor East (ACE) Construction Authority" by phone Monday also received a reply email from them Thursday. He forwarded an email copy to K.P., the pertinent part of which is reproduced below:
ACE's work on the construction of the project was completed in winter 2009. Unfortunately, the crossings cannot be taken out of service until Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) completes track installation for the train diversion route. The UPRR work has been delayed due to a dispute between UPRR and Kinder Morgan, a pipeline company, over the relocation and/or protection of underground pipelines. ACE and our area legislators have strongly encouraged the parties to resolve the dispute, and we have been advised that some progress has recently been made. Once resolved, the UPRR work can be completed within a matter of months, but we can't predict how soon the dispute will be resolved. I regret that we cannot offer a more specific timetable.
The above email is slightly different in a couple of respects to the previous verbal information conveyed to my "close contact." The differences may or may not be attributed to different perspectives and aspects emphasized. Whatever the problem is and why, K.P. wanted to pass along the above material to the forum. My "close contact" is pursuing an important clarification, and IF he is successful, promises to pass it along, which I will likewise do to the forum.
Colton Crossing
K.P. was by the Colton Crossing yesterday. He had expected possibly the new tri-light signals to be operational, in light of the fact that so many workers had converged on the BNSF line on his last visit. But, the old signals were still in operation yesterday.
Arizona Tidbit
In the February 16 REPLY to rdamon's February 10 post, a spool of orange cable covering was illustrated by White and Parker Rd. In the background of that photo was a two-bulb signal for exiting an industrial track. That industrial track is the western end of the industrial track that ends on the eastern end by Hartman Rd. that has been discussed very recently here at the forum. By viewing the below reposted photo of the east end in conjunction with the photo in the reply to rdamon in the post above, the forum can now visualize both ends of the industrial spur.
The east end will be by at a CP. The future arrangement at the west end is unknown at this time.
Because that industrial track goes through a shipper's building, it is unsuitable as a mainline siding.
Paul D. North Jr. (Personal Email):
All efforts to favorably reply to your 'via Kalmbach' email have failed.
Thus, Paul, please contact me directly at kpharrier@yahoo.com.
Best,
Update as of Monday, February 21, 2011:
Nighttime Dispatch
Part I (of I-II)
City of Industry, CA
Nothing was expected travel-wise until March. But, out of the blue, K.P. was night dispatched involving Disneyland, of all places! That did afford an opportunity to check out the City of Industry.
Still, no second track on the 'Up and Over' had been laid yet. All the scattered bundles of ties were still present over the structure.
For the first time K.P. observed the west eastbound mainline signal at CP AL498 BASSETT (at the western foot of the 'Up and Over') with something other than red over red. It was flashing yellow over red.
But something weird was coming from the west! The headlight wasn't real bright like locomotives usually have.
It proved to be a caboose, being followed by several freight cars, all being shoved by a few UPY 2700 series locomotives in the darkness!
The old Bassett siding is still in service as a siding until the second-track in laid on the 'Up and Over' and it becomes Main 2.
Orange Ave. is still closed (near the center of the 'Up and Over'), and access from Valley Blvd. is still blocked with barricade walling.
But, something has happened to the crossing gates! The center, left flashes and gate has been eliminated, and a normal right unit was erected. To jog your memory note the following recently showed photo of the arrangement previously:
Why the crossing gate relocation occurred is unknown.
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-II)
Ontario, CA
The Ontario, CA area was also checked out. The previous head-on view of the new intermediate single-mast signals at Vineyard Ave by Ontario International Airport had always looked odd to K.P. in photos, so a return was made for a better look.
The lower heads for this signal do not have the normal Star Wars Emperor-like head shade coverings Compare the single-bulb bottom head shade coverings on the signals at Indio on the three year old photo below.
In the first photo in this Part II, the lower right, west eastbound head is turned aside because the next signal to the east (towards the photo left) is still of the semi-incompatible old target signal system.
In the first photo also, there IS a top left lead. The photo was barely able to capture the dark head blackness in the nighttime darkness.
The grade crossing at Milliken Ave. was check out also in hopes that the future flyover shoefly might by some chance have been started to be laid, but nothing has occurred there yet.
K. P. Harrier Update as of Monday, February 21, 2011: Nighttime Dispatch Part I (of I-II) City of Industry, CA [snip] Orange Ave. is still closed (near the center of the 'Up and Over'), and access from Valley Blvd. is still blocked with barricade walling. But, something has happened to the crossing gates! The center, left flashes and gate has been eliminated, and a normal right unit was erected. [snip] Why the crossing gate relocation occurred is unknown.
[snip] Orange Ave. is still closed (near the center of the 'Up and Over'), and access from Valley Blvd. is still blocked with barricade walling.
But, something has happened to the crossing gates! The center, left flashes and gate has been eliminated, and a normal right unit was erected. [snip] Why the crossing gate relocation occurred is unknown.
Not to be too disagreeable here, but if you look carefully at the above photo - which can be tough because of the night-time conditions - you'll see that not only have the middle/ median flashers and gate been essentially relocated to the right side, but there's still a set of flashers and a gate on the left side, and yet another set of flashers a little further left on the left side (which from the perspective effect, I interpret as being on the side of the track closest to the camera). So it seems that the previous oddball arrangement has been made more normal, with a supplementary flasher added on the near left side. Why, I don't know either - maybe somebody misread his book of "Standard Plans" ? Wonder who's in charge of those aspects of the design plans here ?
Does This Solve the Humane Way Mystery Signal Head in Pomona, CA?
Monday's dispatch to Disneyland was a surprise, but K.P. was then specifically scheduled to return Wednesday night ... And great visions came to K.P. by the magic kingdom!
There is presently NO LA&SL live, in service, mysterious signal heads in Pomona. However, the Diversion's FUTURE west eastbound signal bridge at Humane Way has an "A" Main (LA&SL) lower three-bulb head (first photo's left) instead of the common single-bulb head (right) typically used for a yellow over yellow display, indicating the route ahead is in a lined crossover mode.
Two questionable possibilities were previously presented months and months ago. But, a new, third possibility is believed to be more viable.
Note the present track layout ...
So, a high-speed, 60 M.P.H. LA&SL freight train on the single-track Main at certain times of the day currently can be momentarily routed via Main 1 to avoid patrons (sometimes with children) waiting on the commuter station platform. Note how narrow the platform is in the below photo's center background ...
But, with four-tracks in the Diversion, the crew of an eastbound on Main "A" at Humane Way that would get a yellow over yellow has no real idea of the routing at the future CP AL514 HAMILTON: It could be to Main "B," "C," or "D." And, they would have no way of determining the distance (and speed) to the next signal after the crossover(s)!
But, if that train got a Main "A" yellow over green at Humane Way, they would know they are staying on the LA&SL but avoiding the commuter passenger stop, and would be returning to Main "A" at CP C033 WO TOWER.
The lower left head at Humane Way has three-bulbs, so what is the third bulb for? New intermediates don't have a lower red, so likely it would be lunar, for yellow over lunar, repeated with a yellow over lunar at the new CP AL514 HAMILTON also, and finally a red over flashing red or red over lunar at CP C033 WO TOWER for a routing southward to the un-signaled Chino Industrial Lead.
This is all only conjectural, but it seems reasonable and quite viable, and very well could be what UP has in mind.
In the future, four tracks will come to CP AL514 HAMILTON from the west. The above concept would work with three- or four-tracks heading east from the above CP.
Update as of Tuesday, March 1, 2011:
The Colton-Riverside, CA Area
Part A (of A-C)
BNSF's CP WEST COLTON
At CP SP540 MT. VERNON (M.P. 539.9) the southeast quadrant's transition track to the BNSF begins, and ends at BNSF's CP WEST COLTON (M.P. 4.2). At the latter's location, K.P. found the cantilever part of the north (east) new signal bridge finally attached, and the new signals on it in operation.
A west side view from La Cadena Dr.
The south (west) end of the CP only has mast signals. The right mast is easily spotted, but the left mast is behind the vertical part of the cantilever structure and is discerned by comparing the protective maintainer caging for each signal. The B-5 Bridge is visible in the distance on the photo's lower right.
The transition track only has a new two-head dwarf signal that is now in service.
Continued in Part B
Part B (of A-C)
Colton Crossing Signals
At the Colton Crossing itself, the last new tri-light was found to have been erected (right) and is for the other transition track in the northwest quadrant. It is an "intermediate" (note the number plate on the old target signal). The Sunset Route is the tracks in the background (with Los Angeles to the right); the signals are controlled by BNSF.
If BNSF's new signals at CP WEST COLTON are now up and running, activating the BNSF signals at Colton Crossing can't be far behind ...
It should be noted that all this is likely temporary, as two future developments are expected: (1) the Colton Flyover for the Sunset Route scheduled for 2011-2014, and (2) triple-tracking the BNSF line from Colton to Highgrove, at an undetermined date.
Continued in Part C
Part C (of A-C)
The Magnolia Ave. Underpass in Riverside
Dramatic furtherance has been accomplished on the railroad bridge. Construction workers were all over the new structure like ants.
The shoefly and the well-along bridge sides of the future underpass:
K.P. believes such odd tower-like construction has no structural value but is related to esthetics and an image the City of Riverside is attempting to project.
A view from the south:
K.P. envisions trains traversing the new bridge within a couple of months IF the rate the ant-like workers are progressing is maintained.
K. P. Harrier [snipped] K.P. believes such odd tower-like construction has no structural value but is related to esthetics and an image the City of Riverside is attempting to project.
Update as of March 3, 2010:
Warbonnets on a Sunset Route Branch?
Part I (of I-IV)
In conjunction with the future Colton Crossing Flyover and the future I-215 Freeway widening in the Grand Terrace area between Colton and Riverside that would see this railroad bridge taken down ...
... it was speculated (based on newspaper reports) that a transition track would be built in the southwest quadrant (foreground green weeded area) of Colton Crossing (view looks east on the Sunset Route) ...
... and BNSF tracks would be utilized by UP to reach Riverside, where a connection between the BNSF and UP's Riverside Industrial Lead would be built near Downtown Riverside.
WELL, FORGET ALL THAT!
UP's public filing petition with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) spells out something quite different and gives much details.
Part II (of I-IV)
The Riverside Industrial Lead street running in Colton will apparently remain (contrary to previous newspaper reports) ...
... but, the southward extending line will end right before the Santa Ana River crossing (far background dark ties, visually midway up and left of the last freight car).
Basically, almost the entire branch thereafter to Riverside will be abandoned! However, there are a couple of rail shipping customers in the City of Riverside, and BNSF (under a special arrangement with UP) will serve them via BNSF's San Jacinto Branch. The LA&SL uses the below Transcon, the view of such looks southward (westbound) at CP HIGHGROVE. The turnout on the left is the junction switch to the San Jacinto Branch.
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-IV)
Where the BNSF San Jacinto line (the cross track) crosses the Riverside Industrial Lead, a transition track will be built (on the foreground left) and the diamond eliminated. The UP businesses to be serviced are about a mile or so behind the camera.
(In the photo above, the ex-SP milepost is 544. The BNSF, as one can see, is less than a block away. However, unofficial reference materials consistently show a milepost designation that is one to two blocks further away [from the camera] than the diamond actually is!)
A southward view of the BNSF San Jacinto line: The future connector would be on the lower right, possibly out of camera view.
How the involved shipper's freight cars would get into UP hands, or even if they would, did not appear to be stated in the filing with the STB. BNSF power is regularly seen in UP's West Colton Yard (below) on the Sunset Route, as BNSF customarily runs transfer shuttles from their Barstow Yard way out in the Mojave Desert over Cajon Pass to West Colton Yard and back.
Continued in Part IV
Part IV (of I-V)
That bridge in the first photo in Part I is the same one below, except from another angle, the north side.
The filing with the STB stated that if most of the line was abandoned so that a new bridge over I-215 would not be necessary, it would still cost $1.2 million for the removal of the present bridge in order that the freeway could be widened! Wow!
The planned trackage to be abandoned includes the portion northeast of the previously mentioned and photograph presented diamond. (See the first photo in Part III, plus the information in parentheses right underneath that photo.) Somewhere NORTHEAST of that diamond is the timetable location called Orange Center, a location mentioned in the March 3, 2011 TRAINS Newswire as a point of reference in identifying the small portion of track that will survive SOUTHWEST of the diamond.
Exactly where Orange Center is located is unknown to K.P., possibly the area above the curve in the below photo ...
So, what is the connection in all this to warbonnets in this four-part series? For years the BNSF ex-Santa Fe "San Jac" local worked out of San Bernardino, but from K.P. trips past March Air Force Base in the last couple of years, BNSF ties up local power now on the branch itself, near the airbase, which power consistently includes (if not mostly) warbonnet painted GP60M's. It is likely such red and silver GP60M's will service the customers on the surviving portion of UP's Riverside Industrial Lead.
What is NOT mentioned in the filing with the STB (at least K.P. didn't see it) is that BNSF is making arrangements to sell their San Jacinto Branch to commuter interests who will undoubtedly upgrade the San Jacinto line to signaled, high speed standards for Metrolink commuter trains. BNSF will retain trackage rights on the line; with UP obviously technically having a couple of miles of rights on it to get to their old line also!
In the first photo in Part I, a theorized transition track between the UP and BNSF line in the southwest quadrant of Colton Crossing was mentioned. With BNSF serving customers on the remaining part of the Riverside Industrial Lead in the future, there will technically be NO need for such a transition track. So, at this point in time, it seems very unlikely that a transition track will ever be laid there.
K. P. Harrier [snipped] The filing with the STB stated that if most of the line was abandoned so that a new bridge over I-215 would not be necessary, it would still cost $1.2 million for the removal of the present bridge in order that the freeway could be widened! Wow!
I agree - that's a lot for a demo job like this, even considering it includes removal of the abutments, and will probably have to be late at night and on weekends or holidays, etc.. So perhaps instead that's an "all-in" budget figure which includes the cost of the new connection as shown several posts above ? That way, it would be the total cost of the alternative to replacing the bridge for the wider highway, which seems to me to be a more appropriate figure and context for a higher-level body such as the STB.
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