K.P., thank you for the updates!
It looks like this transition track will be built on the northwest side of the "Highgrove Diamond" crossing between the San Jacinto Line and that old SP branch line to Riverside.
The San Jacinto Line is slated to become the Metrolink Perris Valley Line.
It appears that Orange Avenue is now open under the UP Alhambra Subdivision flyover?
Lastly, the minutes for the upcoming ACE meeting suggest that four more crossing will be added to their study of possible underpasses or overpasses:
K.P., great catch on the 3 March 2011 STB filing which is linked here. It includes maps with exact mileposts and some pictures of the area in question.
Even though this abandonment doesn't seem controversial, UP chose to publish it in the widely read Precinct Reporter and Desert Sun newspapers (obviously to get the pro-rail earwig, scorpion and rattlesnake demographic).
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! ***
Marsh Station Road project, Arizona (Part 1)
A photo essay trip was taken to the Union Pacific track realignment project site between Marsh Station Road and Empirita Road along Interstate 10 east of Tucson, Arizona on Sunday, March 6, 2011.
In this view taken from the Empirita Road exit the present rail line is visible as it emerges from under I-10 and curves eastward toward Mescal. The route of the new rail line goes off into the distant west parallel to I-10.
Photo Number 2 shows a train emerging from under the I-10 overpass at Empirita Road.
Photo Number 3 is looking westward from atop the new Marsh Station Road exit bridge. I-10 is to the left, the new rail line roadbed is in the center, and the new Marsh Station Road is to the right.
Photo Number 4 is looking eastward from atop the new Marsh Station Road exit bridge toward Empirita Road. In this view, I-10 is to the right.
Photo Number 5 is looking west along the new roadbed to show the height and length of the fill that was necessary to span a wide ravine. I-10 is to the left and the new Marsh Station Road is to the right.
Continued in Part 2
Marsh Station Road project, Arizona (Part 2)
In photo number 6, we see a closeup of the large fill looking eastward from the center.
Photo number 7 looks westward alongside the large fill.
Photo number 8 is the location of the old Marsh Station Road exit, which has been dug out to bring the new rail line down to meet the level of the existing rail line that crosses over I-10. The new Marsh Station Road is curving off to the right.
Photo number 9 shows the location of a plate girder bridge approximately 1/2 mile north of I-10 that carries the existing rail line over a dry tributary of Cienega Creek. Grading for the new rail line is not lining up with the existing bridge, which indicates that a new bridge will need to be built to the left of the present line.
This final view shows how the new roadbed has had to be dug down into the surrounding terrain to line up with the old track.
Current projections are that the new track will be in place and the old, low clearance rail bridge will be removed in late 2011.
A huge mound of sand that was quarried from near Cienega Creek as the first phase of construction, has been spread along the entire length of the new rail line roadbed to a depth of nearly one foot.
Approximately 5 miles of new, continuous welded rail has been placed alongside the existing rail line just north of the plate girder bridge shown in photo number 9. This rail is stamped '141'.
cacole Marsh Station Road project, Arizona [snip] ...Photo number 9 shows the location of a plate girder bridge approximately 1/2 mile north of I-10 that carries the existing rail line over a dry tributary of Cienega Creek. Grading for the new rail line is not lining up with the existing bridge, which indicates that a new bridge will need to be built to the left of the present line.
Marsh Station Road project, Arizona [snip]
billio Thanks, KP and cacole for your updates. Regarding the possible erection of a new bridge to realign the track above, I'm wondering if the extra-wide grading is to enable maintenace vehicle access up to the bridge, simply because the expense of a new bridge seems an unnecessary (and costly) extravagance.
Thanks, KP and cacole for your updates. Regarding the possible erection of a new bridge to realign the track above, I'm wondering if the extra-wide grading is to enable maintenace vehicle access up to the bridge, simply because the expense of a new bridge seems an unnecessary (and costly) extravagance.
That's quite possible, but the present plate girder bridge possibly dates back to the late 1800's when the liine was built, and it may be getting too weak.
It's hard to see in the photo, but the current bridge is angled approximately five degrees to the right (west) because the track is curving to the right at it crosses the bridge, and the new track is approaching at an angle of approximately five degrees to the left (east) at this point.
To have the rest of the project get this far along and not to have at least started on the construction of a replacement bridge would be unusual, and perhaps a sign of poor project management/ scheduling - or more likely, an unexpected delay in obtaining the necessary environmental permits for the new bridge over the part-time waterway ?
Instead, I'm inclined to think that the wider grading at the diverging angle is simply for a 'working pad' to provide sufficient room to assemble the new track parallel to the old track as far west as possible, so as to make the 'cut-over' go as quickly as it can. Also, that would provide good room for the heavy construction equipment - dozers, loaders, excavators/ hoes, etc. - to maneuver and push the new track into its new position. Such 'working pads' are now generally required next to the main lines where new sidetracks are being installed, to likewise provide a 'lay-down' and assembly area for the pre-panelized turnout sections, and also for the heavy construction equipment to install them when that time comes. Less likely but also possible is to provide space there for a new or future turnout to start a double-track section to the east on the rest of the new subgrade - is that at all likely in this area in the near future ?
- Paul North.
cacole billio: ...[Could]...the extra-wide grading...enable maintenace vehicle access up to the bridge...because the expense of a new bridge seems an unnecessary (and costly) extravagance? That's quite possible, but the present plate girder bridge possibly dates back to the late 1800's when the liine was built, and it may be getting too weak. It's hard to see in the photo, but the current bridge is angled approximately five degrees to the right (west) because the track is curving to the right at it crosses the bridge, and the new track is approaching at an angle of approximately five degrees to the left (east) at this point.
billio: ...[Could]...the extra-wide grading...enable maintenace vehicle access up to the bridge...because the expense of a new bridge seems an unnecessary (and costly) extravagance?
...[Could]...the extra-wide grading...enable maintenace vehicle access up to the bridge...because the expense of a new bridge seems an unnecessary (and costly) extravagance?
Update as of March 7, 2010:
The Colton Signal Dept.
Colton, CA
Evidence from Imperial County, CA
K.P. had opportunity Monday to swing by the Colton Signal Dept., and found some taken-out-of-service CP boxes from Imperial County.
In the above photo, the box on the far right was labeled CP SP720 DUNES. So, the new second-track by Ogilby and Sidewinder Roads must be in service now.
The boxes were right by the new piping stored at the Colton site.
Fontana
The four new masts at the east end of the South Fontana siding (at CP SP531 SOUTH FONTANA) have been erected.
In the just above photo, for those not familiar with the area, the photo top track on the left is the siding.
In the above photo also, note that the west side eastbound lower signal heads are THREE-bulb heads! Likely that is for yellow over lunar for entering the Receiving Yard of West Colton Yard, at CP AL533 SIERRA.
K.P. had better luck on this trip than before in photographing the west switch of the South Fontana siding, but barely.
Instead of guard railing, K.P. had to deal with crash damage screening on the railing ... but at least you can halfway see (from lower left to right) the main (with a train on it), the siding, and the Kaiser switching track. A new tri-light signal for this west end of the South Fontana siding still has not been brought to the site.
The Pomona Diversion
A Thought-Provoking Email
An associate of mine forwarded the below excerpt from the Alameda Corridor East people's email to him:
Thank you for your follow-up email regarding the Temple Avenue Train Diversion Project. At this time, it is uncertain whether public funds would be required to resolve the pipeline protection/relocation issue. However, ACE is committed to remaining involved in this matter in order to take out of active rail service the railroad crossings at Temple Avenue and Pomona Boulevard.
Not knowing exactly what the dispute specifics are, it is difficult to comment on it. Comments from the parties involved obviously would be slanted towards the outcome they would prefer. My associate feels from his own deductions on what ACE conveyed to him is that a certain moral correctness (with public funds) will prevail.
Paul D. North Jr. (3-6):
Greetings Paul:
An excerpt of the UP petition before the Surface Transportation Board is below, and clearly explains the cost factors on the I-215 railroad bridge:
By abandoning the Line, the Caltrans 1-215 expansion project will save approximately $11.2 million dollars. The cost to replace the bridge is $12.4 million. If the Line is abandoned, the new bridge would not be needed and the cost to remove the existing bridge would only cost $1.2 million dollars. That is an estimated savings of $11.2 million dollars with rail service being preserved for the rail shippers served by the Line.
That was pretty definitive on costs.
As you said, Paul, removing the bridge would probably be done "late at night" and on a 'weekend or holiday.' I sure would love to witness that, and have my camera with me! The whole area would probably be all lit up with floodlights. It would be an eerie sight to behold in the nighttime coldness!
mvs (3-6):
ACE's future study of a grade separation at Durfee Ave. in Pico Rivera (on the LA&SL) will be extremely interesting to hear about. Durfee Ave. is only a TWO-lane road with businesses on each side of the roadway. ACE is not used to building just two-lane grade separations. I wonder if they have in mind buy all the business for a couple of blocks on each side of the tracks and building a four or six lane structure of some sort.
cacole (3-6):
Thanks for the photo essay on the reroute by Arizona's Marsh Station Road and the I-10 Freeway.
Two things popped out at me:
(1) Photos Number 1 and 2: There is a land marker present with "261" on it. Typically, those types of milepost markers are used in periodic watchful aerial inspections of buried pipelines. The marker seems to be farther from the tracks that I've seen in California. Too, I wonder how the track reroute will affect that pipeline. Will the pipeline be relocated too? Will UP retain ownership of the land of the ex-track right-of-way? And, too, I wonder if the pipeline is that same one UP has a controversy with reference the Pomona, CA Diversion.
(2) Photo Number 4: With those parked truck trailers present in the photo, a point of reference is present to compare the scene. The new grading does seem abnormally wide for merely single-track. Seeing that the involved Main 2 is basically a very curvy line in that area, I wonder if the rather straight reroute will include the addition of a siding. It could be a three-mile one with a possible double crossover in the middle. Otherwise, I cannot think of any other reason for the railroad specifying such wide grading, UNLESS the great master plan calls for greatly rebuilding (straightening) and two-tracking the Main 2 route through the area and abandoning the Main 1 route over the Cienega Creek Bridge, and making everything from El Paso to Los Angeles left-biased running.
Best wishes 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.
Posted on TrainOrders this morning (not by me):
Just another thought from an old retired railroad builder:
perhaps the extra wide embankment east from Tucson is just excavation that needed to be deposited somewhere and it could not or should not be deposited on the desert landscape.
K.P. - Thanks for that snippet from the STB petition. You're quite right - it is pretty definitive on the costs and savings, specifically stating the 'gross' savings from the 'avoided' cost to replace the bridge with a wider/ longer one, the alternate cost to remove it, and the resulting 'net' savings, etc. But for all that, I'd think they'd have also mentioned the cost of the new connection as just another part of the costs to be incurred, unless somebody's doing that for free or just absorbing those costs internally . . .
diningcar Just another thought from an old retired railroad builder: perhaps the extra wide embankment east from Tucson is just excavation that needed to be deposited somewhere and it could not or should not be deposited on the desert landscape.
There are several places along the construction zone where the grading appears to be much wider than needed to accommodate two tracks. You can pick them out on Google or Bing satellite views. MikeF90 has conveniently posted links on page 91. As you point out, this could well be excavated dirt that will eventually be hauled away. It also comes to mind that there will need to be set out sidings for track vehicles at some of these locations.
West of Maricopa they used to do some block swapping at Enid. I have not been back out that way for over a year and don't know if they retained a third track for that purpose or not, but that (or simply a place to park trains) is another possibility for some of the wide roadbed that is present in places.
John Timm
john_edwards Posted on TrainOrders this morning (not by me): Week of 1 March, 14 miles of double track between Araz and Catus California was cut in. 16 miles of DT expected to open any day now vicinity of Maricopa AZ. Grading between Ferum CA and Niland CA will soon be underway. John
I am heading to Tubac, AZ tomorrow and hope to get back on the road early enough to take some pictures between Casa Grande and Maricopa.
diningcar (3-9):
Interesting guess you made about the extra wide grading as an old ex-rail line builder that you are!
But, hold on to your pants, diningcar, because they are about to almost be shocked off! I now think I know exactly what is going on with that extra wide new grading, and if I've surmised rightly with kind of visual proof also, it very likely will have a profound and lasting effect on Sunset Route Arizona and New Mexico operations! I hope to have a post on that Thursday or Friday ...
Take care,
Will the Sunset Route Be Rerouted Big Time in Arizona?
That question may seem absolutely ludicrous ... But if one goes to the following MapQuest link ...
http://mapq.st/e0Nztv
... one will see I-10 and preliminary grading for the present new graded area (north of I-10) EAST of the old bridging of Marsha Station Rd. (far left) for the CURRENT Main 2 reroute project.
If you, however, with the mouse, then drag the view RIGHTWARD so that more on the LEFT (west) comes into view, it looks like preliminary grading had taken place for a much, much longer future reroute of Main 2 right along I-10!
Maybe eliminating the present Main 1 route of the famed Cienega Creek Bridge ...
... and relocating EVERYTHING (including the photo-unseen Main 2 crossways underneath that above bridge) to an entirely new alignment, and making El Paso-Los Angeles ALL left-hand biased running, isn't so crazy after all! Wow! That would actually be laying two-tracks from scratch!!! Such would explain WHY the present new grading by Marsh Station Rd. is so wide -- the grading that cacole so kindly photographed and posted about for us earlier this week! -- See especially "Photo Number 4" in his Sunday, March 6, 2011 post.
I believe that's a surface vegetation-cleared (only) area is for a gas pipeline, instead of preliminary grading for a new railroad alignment - it's got too many sharp angles and curves for a modern high-speed railroad (let alone the topography, grade, and permitting, etc. issues). Go to ACME Mapper 2.0 at - http://mapper.acme.com/ (or an equivalent website), insert these Lat./ Long. coords. for the I-10 Exit 289 for E. Marsh Station Rd./ Frontage Rd. - N 31.98496 W 110.56014 - and then click on the "Topo" view 'button' at the upper right corner, zooming in as necessary. That old USGS map calls it Southern Pacific, Pantano Interchange, and Pantano Road, but you'll figure it out. On it, the cleared area on the MapQuest view is covered with an almost-solid dashed line of the same shape and pattern which is labeled as "Gas Pipeline" about 1+ mile to the east, and 2+ miles to the west. Also, if you click on either the "Satellite" or "Hybrid" views/ buttons at the upper right of the ACME Mapper 2.0 view, you can see some faint traces or remnants of that same clearing along the gas pipeline - perhaps from back when that line was installed - even before the grading for the new UP alignment was started.
The Cienega Creek Bridge in your photo above is about 6 miles farther to the west, at - N 32.01983 W 110.64610
Left or right hand bias in modern double track operations would be inconsistent with maximum utilization of CTC whose purpose is to utilize both tracks with trains moving in both directions.
With high speed crossovers at 8-12 mile spacing (see BNSF Transcon) Amtrak and 'Z' trains overtake slower trains, pass them and return to their original track w/o either train stopping. The dispatchers become 'artists' in creating the flow.
Paul D. North Jr. (3-10):
The Cart before the Horse
Your bringing the pipeline matter to our attention was great. Thanks, Paul.
The three-mile very well, newly graded section of the current track realignment effort east of Marsh Station Rd. would be on or very near the pipeline alignment. I have to wonder: Who owns that alignment? Perhaps the railroad anticipation years ago that someday the rail line would be altered, so bought the land.
We might have put the cart before the horse. I was of the opinion that the railroad was rerouted at Marsh Station Rd. because of freeway modifications. Perhaps it was the other way around, with the freeway being altered because of the railroad's desire to reroute their line to the pipeline alignment route.
We, Paul, are kind of in the dark on all this because we don't have official railroad word on the matter. But, because the railroad graded a two-track plus maintenance road width for the realignment by Marsh Station Rd., I can't help but be convinced that big, new realignments are in the area's future.
It is difficult to make assessments from a computer screen. One of these days I hope to visit that area and see firsthand what is actually there. If I can ever get out that way, I'll convey to you, Paul, and to the forum, what I find.
Lastly, the ACME website you referenced was a fantastic one. I've been looking for something like that. A super "thanks," Paul!
diningcar (3-10):
You speak truth from experience.
The expression "biased" was concocted because dispatchers tend to repeatedly use certain tracks in normal flow situations, but, as you said, utilize any tracks in getting faster trains around slower ones.
On other matters ... I still think of you periodically from my knowledge of your background in layout out the big AT&SF line relocation over 50 years ago in Arizona, and my personally having seen the old abandoned line along I-40.
You got to experience a great life and see wonderful things that most here at the forum can't even imagine.
Stay healthy, all.
KP, thanks for your generous compliment. I worked with many talented, energetic and loyal engineers on the Williams-Crookton line change. Many are now gone but we always took pride in what we accomplished as we held two reunions to recall those days. By-the-way we built the entire 44 miles in seventeen months, starting when we cleared the first brush and ending when the first passenger train ran.
If anyone may be interested, I shall be giving a "clinic" about the unique engineering involved with that project during the Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modeling Society annual convention in Tempe, AZ June 17-18. I shall also give it at the La Posada hotel in Winslow, AZ on April 16.
The possible pipeline-railroad location conflict is an interesting aspect - but didn't SP used to own one of those, too ? And farther to the NW at about - N 32.03395 W 110.69768 - up past that same Cienega Creek bridge about 2 miles, that same pipeline seems to either cross under the railroad and/ or disappear and/ or merge into another pipeline which about 500 ft. NE of this same UP rail line that's parallel to I-10, and that latter pipeline is 'trapped' between the 2 rail lines as they come progressively closer together as they go farther towards the NW, until that latter pipeline too disappears from the USGS map - you don't suppose ???
Quite understood about being in the dark . . . I could see UP installing a 3-mile siding there just to have one handy - that now has to be about an ideal location in this area, a flat tangent right next to an Interstate - for re-crews, break-downs, congestion relief, etc.
The only credit I can take for the ACME Mapper 2.0 is having the good sense to follow up on the suggestion of Larry/ tree68 here about a year ago to try it. I just wish it also had a 'bird's-eye' oblique view capability built-into it like MicroSoft's Bing does . . . Nevertheless, glad it appeals to you. I particularly like the "Markers" feature, just like the ones that MikeF90 has used on his Google Map version of this line.
Thanks again for your continuing efforts and posts here, K.P.
@PDN, you beat me to it on the Acme Mapper 'topo' view, it's really a great reference to 'fill in the blanks'. Likewise, the 'new' Mapquest.com shows more political boundaries that can be of interest.
I agree with your take on the 'wide' new ROW grading, it is likely for accomodating rail and possibly pipeline access. I think UP will spend its $$$ elsewhere rather than abandoning one of the Cienega Creek area ROWs. In this area, main 1 (ex EP&SW) has 60 mph speed limit vs the 25 mph (!!) ex-SP main 2.
desertdog john_edwards Posted on TrainOrders this morning (not by me): Week of 1 March, 14 miles of double track between Araz and Cactus California was cut in. 16 miles of DT expected to open any day now vicinity of Maricopa AZ. Grading between Ferrum CA and Niland CA will soon be underway. John I am heading to Tubac, AZ tomorrow and hope to get back on the road early enough to take some pictures between Casa Grande and Maricopa. John Timm
john_edwards Posted on TrainOrders this morning (not by me): Week of 1 March, 14 miles of double track between Araz and Cactus California was cut in. 16 miles of DT expected to open any day now vicinity of Maricopa AZ. Grading between Ferrum CA and Niland CA will soon be underway. John
Week of 1 March, 14 miles of double track between Araz and Cactus California was cut in. 16 miles of DT expected to open any day now vicinity of Maricopa AZ. Grading between Ferrum CA and Niland CA will soon be underway. John
The cleared land K.P. Harrier refers to in his message is a second Kinder-Morgan gasoline pipeline that was put in two years ago between El Paso, Texas and Tucson, Arizona. It runs parallel to another of their lines. They had to move some of it last year near where the new rail line is being built at the Interstate 10 Empirita Road exit because it was in the way of the rail line, but all of that cleared land showing up on the satellite views has nothing to do with the Union Pacific. The pipelines are between I-10 and the new rail alignment.
The present construction project is one of the "shovel ready" economic stimulus projects, the primary purpose of which is to eliminate the Union Pacific low clearance bridge over I-10 at Cienega Creek so the highway can be rebuilt to incorporate a median. At the present time, a one mile stretch of highway under the Union Pacific bridge and across Cienega Creek is not part of the federal Interstate Highway system because the low bridge and lack of median does not meet federal highway standards.
Wide and high loads have to exit I-10 and take a 90 mile detour south through Whetstone and Sonoita using Arizona State Highways 90, 82, and 83. Because highways 82 and 83 are only two lane and are very narrow, a full police escort is required. I've seen as many as 10 Arizona Highway Patrol cars escorting some loads because the highway has to be totally closed off during the move. The loads also have to negotiate a rather trecherous route through the Santa Rita Mountains.
From the news items that have appeared in the local press, this project was instituted by the Federal Highway Administration and not the railroad -- Union Pacific is just one of the beneficiaries of the need to get rid of their low bridge.
As far as land ownership is concerned, I believe it is all State Trust or Federal land. No one lives within 5 miles on either side of the project.
Another part of this same road improvement project is being carried out at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Arizona State Highway 90 just west of Benson, where two S curves are being eliminated and the intersection is being moved northward because this stretch of Interstate has been a high accident rate area..
K.P., thank you for your reply.
Cacole, thank you for the picture update of the realignment near Cienega Creek.
Returning to the Phoenix area from southern Arizona on Thursday, we arrived in Casa Grande right at sunset, so it was not possible to document any of the recent construction activity with photos. A brief narrative of what I was able to see in the darkness will have to suffice for the moment.
From Tucson westward there are no visible signs of new construction activity east of Picacho (M.P. 936.7), which is where the Phoenix Sub departs from the Gila Sub. We left I-10 at that point and headed towards Casa Grande on parallel SR 84. We noted that concrete signal bases had been distributed westward all along the roadbed. There were piles of ballast and strings of rail next to all of the road crossings west of Eloy that had not previously been upgraded for the second track. A new CP box has been deposited along the ROW just east of the I-10 bridge at about M.P. 923, where a transition is likely to take place. Taken together, this all suggests to me that for now, Picacho will be the end point for new track laying.
Five center beam flatcars loaded with wooden ties were parked on the old Bush Farm Supply spur at Toltec, along with a couple of MOW gondolas. The piles of prefabricated concrete bridges that have been there for well over a year remain. The ties could be related to the new construction, or just be a shipment from the tie treating plant at Eloy, waiting to be picked up by the Casa Grande switcher and sent elsewhere.
Entering Casa Grande along Jimmie Kerr Blvd., track has now been laid all the way east from downtown up to a point just short of the feed mill complex at Peart Rd. A set of three-bulb hooded signals with a single bulb below on each mast has been installed at that point, indicating a crossover is in the works, most likely because the feed mill is a high volume rail customer and is switched frequently. Just down the way, Trekell Rd. is currently closed for crossing construction.
The eastward construction zone starts east of the downtown area at Hemosilla Street (approx. M.P. 920). The newly-laid track is connected for now to the end of the siding that serves mainly as a drill track for the Arizona Grain Company. As predicted in earlier posts, the siding will clearly become track two once the wooden ties, and no doubt the rail, are replaced. For reference, here is a photo of the area that I posted back on 2/6/11 before construction had started:
No other activity was noted in Casa Grande itself. At Ethington Rd. (M.P. 914) just beyond C.P. West Casa Grande, the hand operated switch remains in place at the point where second track construction resumes. There was no sign of signals or other new trackwork right at that point. However, about half a mile to the west is a new pair of masts, this time with a pair of side-by-side three-bulb hooded signal heads at the top and single bulb signals mounted below, suggesting a crossover. This location seems to be a little short of M.P. 912 where MikeF90 has noted another wide graded area, so we will have to wait a little longer for an answer on that one.
Along the way west I noted at least one other point where there appeared to be a crossover signal installation prior to the crossovers and signals at Anderson Rd. (M.P. 906.3). The single track gap between Bon Siding at Anderson Rd. remains.
There is an odd set of three new masts just to the west of the grain elevator at Cowtown, all of which appear to have a full three-bulb set of hooded signals at the top. There are three tracks in this area, the third serving the industry. The siding ends a good half mile west of this point, if not further. I will need to see this in daylight to get a better idea of the purpose of the signals on the third mast.
At Porter Rd., across from Walmart, (approx. M.P. 899) they have installed a new MOW set out track. This is yet another one of those wide graded and ballasted areas similar to the one at M.P. 912 and the one at the March Station Rd. construction site. I did not check to see if the two-bulb short mast signal discussed earlier had been installed, but K.P. was no doubt correct as to its eventual purpose.
john_edwards (3-9):
Thanks for your 'other site' reference concerning the Araz to Cactus section of new two-tracking having been cut in.
I questioned the accuracy of some of the information at the other site, though, and found that such questioning was justified.
The below section lists the accurate information collected from friends of sources connected with the railroad.
Best wishes,
Technical Information on the New Two-Tracking West of Yuma, AZ
Two-tracks westward out of Yuma, AZ has existed for years, and ended westward at CP SP726 ARAZ (M.P. 725.8). The location and arrangement thereat continues as was with the exception that the name ARAZ has been changed to ARAZ JCT. Single-track then proceeds westward for a little over two miles. (All photos herein were previously posted, and are reposted to help the forum visualize the locations spoken of.)
Then, the new, now in service double crossover (M.P. 723.7) east of Sidewinder Rd. comes next.
Previously, it was speculated that that CP might be named SIDEWINDER, and then FELICITY was suggested. Neither name was used. Rather, the railroad chose the familiar ARAZ name, necessitating the renaming of the old ARAZ to ARAZ JCT. as mentioned above.
Two-tracks then go westward, and over both Sidewinder Rd. (M.P. 723.4) and Ogilby Rd. (M.P. 716.6), with two-tracking ending westwardly at the new CP SP715 CACTUS (M.P. 714.9), which is a total second-track laying distance of 8.8 miles.
The east end of the old Cactus siding was at M.P. 713.6, and the west end at M.P. 711.9, both points of which being WEST of the new CP CACTUS at M.P. 714.9.
So, the OLD Cactus siding must be similar to what occurred at the old Estella siding in Arizona.
When the new CP ESTRELLA was activated, the old Estrella siding was simply taken out of service and signals removed, and the old siding track remains dormant until such a time that the two-tracking resumes westward from that location sometime in the future.
To everyone ...
This Californian was in Arizona this past weekend, and traveled by auto alongside much of the Sunset Route public roadways in those two states ... And took allot of photos to share with the forum about WHAT is going on with the two-tracking.
In the above photo, instead of yellow of yellow that one typically sees on Beaumont Hill in Southern California, a yellow over green was observed at Porter Rd. in Maricopa, AZ. The new track on the photo far right is still not in service yet.
And, it has become readily apparent where and where not the CP's will be located in the Maricopa to Casa Grande stretch.
The newly finished section of two-tracking in California was also photographed.
But, several days will be needed to sort through everything and put together a multi-day, multi-post presentation for the forum.
Until then, take care all ...
Yellow-over-green suggests a high-speed crossover. Love it if you could photograph the turnout points and frog.
K. P. Harrier 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?
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?
I thought that orange conduit was much smaller than what I see. That appears to be 4" or greater that is used when crews must bore under roads or rails. A drill is run through from one side and then conduit is attached on the other and pulled back through.
What I was referring to is similar HDPE pipe, but 1"-1.5" in diameter and actually pulled inside other conduit allowing for multiple fibers to be installed separately. This is often used where one cable is required now, but they want to make provisions for future cables to be pulled without interfering with the existing cables.
I do not believe you photos have shown any of that smaller pipe in the lots.
Thanks again for the updates!!!
Robert
K. P. Harrier To everyone ... This Californian was in Arizona this past weekend, and traveled by auto alongside much of the Sunset Route public roadways in those two states ... And took allot of photos to share with the forum about WHAT is going on with the two-tracking. In the above photo, instead of yellow of yellow that one typically sees on Beaumont Hill in Southern California, a yellow over green was observed at Porter Rd. in Maricopa, AZ. The new track on the photo far right is still not in service yet. And, it has become readily apparent where and where not the CP's will be located in the Maricopa to Casa Grande stretch. The newly finished section of two-tracking in California was also photographed. But, several days will be needed to sort through everything and put together a multi-day, multi-post presentation for the forum. Until then, take care all ... K.P.
Yellow over green, Approach Clear 50. Proceed, not exceeding 50mph passing next signal.
If the green is flashing, then it's an Approach Clear 60. Substitute 60 for 50 in the preceding indication.
They are used with 50mph and 60 mph turnouts. On 70 mph lines sometimes you get the AC60, then the AC50, then a diverging signal at the 50mph turnout.
Jeff
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