Trying to Get the Big Picture Series
Group TWO, Post “A”
The Lemon Ave. LA&SL Grade Crossing
City of Industry, CA
To the east of Fairvay Drive, around that curve several thousand feet, is the Lemon Ave. grade crossing. Intermediate signals are located here, on the east side of the street.
Looking westbound:
Somewhere in the above views the old west end of south side LA&SL Walnut siding ended. The siding went back on the right of the first, top view. In that top view, the left track is the original Main.
Of special note are the industrial tracks that are unused here too!
Continued in Post B
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
clean like what though, AM I RIGHT?
~Dave Browne
@DAVBROWNE
P.S.
WOOOOOOT WOOOOOOT!
Super Hunky (1-6):
UP doesn’t seem to be talking about that possible yard, and in light that time is getting away, I personally think UP gave up on it. It may have even been a ruse of some sort. In the upcoming Group TWO posting (likely posted tomorrow), towards the end, mention of Red Rock and West Colton are made and what may be happening, and suggested by the photos taken January 1. You might, Super Hunky, see things a bit differently afterwards.
Take care,
K.P.
KP Wondering about your comment that Red Rock Yard is Dead..What Happened?
KP: .. Here is a link to an aeriel photo of the area from 1965. There are other years as well.
http://historicaerials.com/?layer=1965&zoom=22&lat=33.99839417266545&lon=-117.87088751792908
Group ONE, Post “D”
The Fairway Drive LA&SL Grade Crossing
Looking south, the 60 Freeway is nearby (background).
Imagine that freeway not there and the way Fairway Drive as a narrow two-lane rural road as it was 50-55 years ago!
An eastward telephoto of the curve to the east … As a kid, K.P. imagined that single-track curve was far away. Remember, 50-55 years ago there was NO builds here, just flat rural land.
The industrial tracks seen by Fairway Drive have NO railcars on them. The reason may be more than an underpass construction. More details later.
But, SOMETHING TO PONDER … In that last above photo, between the photo center and the right edge, what appears to be a blue container, typically shipped on COFC or double-stack well cars … Is that an important piece of the big picture?
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This will end Group ONE’s posting. Group TWO’s posting, in reference to both the SP-side Lemon Ave. grade crossing and the LA&SL-side like grade crossing, is pending.
Group ONE, Post “C”
Looking west, note all that orange fencing.
The Fairway Drive grade crossing is on borrowed time, as an underpass is currently being constructed here. On the southeast quadrant of the site, something already is being put in related to the underpass construction.
Continued in Post D
Group ONE, Post “B”
Looking eastbound, the line curves a bit (“curves a bit”) slightly towards the north
Looking east, north of the two mains, an industrial track ends just before Fairway Drive with a bumper post.
Somewhat strangely, that above industrial track has NO railcars on it!
Looking west again, industrial tracks are present.
With that last photo above, look how far down that ground level is, that industrial track alongside the left building.
Continued in Post C
Group ONE, Post “A”
This is the LA&SL Fairway Drive grade crossing today, in a highly built up industrial and commercial area, looking north from the east side of the street with a wide angle distorting lens.
K.P.’s first encounter with the grade crossing was from the back seat of his parents’ car, after his dad capitulated and kindly drove over to the LA&SL track from by the SP track that followed Valley Blvd. in the then rural-like City of Industry area. That LA&SL track was single-track in the middle of nowhere on very flat terrain here. The narrow two-lane Fairway Drive steeply climbed up, over, and steeply down the other side of the LA&SL track. It was super impressionable for a young boy who loved trains!
In the last 30 years or so, K.P. never was able to find the location, but drove over the site without recognizing it. Focusing on finding the neat old grade crossing, it was found at Fairway Drive. But, everything was different now.
As seen by the background buildings (on the west side of the street north of the tracks) in the below photo, ground level is much below the present street level, that mildly rises southward (leftward).
That is quite a change from how the road went 50-55 years ago as mentioned in the latter part of the second paragraph of this post.
The City of Industry, according to Wikipedia, has 2500 businesses with a population of 219 (2010 census). It was formed (incorporated) in 1957 to prevent surrounding cities from annexing the land for taxes purposes. K.P. has no idea what type of financial condition exists there, but undoubtedly taxes are in line with the founders’ conniving.
That above westward looking photo when highly blown-up reveals an alignment shift about midway back.
Friday, January 1, 2016 -- A Day for Exploring …
… the Status of the Sunset Route’s …
… Industry-Ontario, CA Section
On the above date, the above territory’s area was visited (both the SP and LA&SL sides), and some loose ends tied down (or attempted to anyway) on a number of contemporary situations and issues. At this point in time it is unknown exactly how the material will be presented, but it lends itself to a number of separate groups, which would allow thread readers to quickly start digesting the material in lieu of a presentation sometime after all of it is ready.
One area will be K.P.’s super vivid recollection of a single-track grade crossing on the LA&SL that he saw as a kid 50-55 years ago, in the middle of NOWHERE, and what it looks like today in the “City of Industry.” It is almost shocking! And a single grade crossing on the original Sunset Route will be examined too, and from that the future of the entire western part of the Alhambra Sub might be discerned. Another area is the LA&SL alignment shift of the tracks as westwardly seen from the Grand Ave. overpass.
In visiting key LA&SL grade crossings for the upcoming series, things appeared to have changed from past visits with the line-side industries, and the way K.P. interprets that, the meaning may have a far reaching implication on the now apparently dead Red Rock Classification Yard in the Red Rock, AZ area on the Sunset Route AND that new classification yard planned on a north-south line in Texas.
Also, the new three-track facility in the Montclair-Ontario area is starting to take on a more logical appearance. More info with the upcoming presentation(s) …
Replies
SP357E44 (12-25):
That “parking structure” you post-replied about, the one by the LA&SL’s Metrolink “Industry” stop on the above mentioned investigative trip had “Foothill Transit” on it.
It is unknown if it is a separate, unrelated structure or a joint use one by two public carriage agencies. More about that area will be in the upcoming presentation(s), but sadly, the Metrolink parking lot was holiday closed and its roadways were gate blocked off, but the photos I did manage to get should suffice for the upcoming series.
jovet (1-1):
Great hearing from you! It has been a while …
You asked, “Is the two-tracking ever going to be finished?” Sometimes I wonder that myself. The hot question (at least for me) is will UP two-track the remaining parts of the Sunset Route in Arizona and California within that extension of the Positive Train Control law deadline or will they just upgrade the signals. It would seem management has some hard decisions to make with the new extension deadline.
With the big and continuing decline of coal trains up on the Central Corridor I envision Chicago-Los Angeles trains on the Sunset Route being diverted to the Central Corridor. But that still won’t justify all the money put into the two- and triple tracking done in Wyoming and Nebraska. I wonder if some of that relatively new rail will be transplanted to the remaining Sunset Route two-tracking on the southern tier? Of course, considering the weight of coal trains, maybe the rails are already wearing out.
Hey, jovet, how is the two-tracking going now between the shortcut Fremont, NE and Missouri Valley, IA section, if you’ve been out that way of late? I suspect it is still dead-like …
Take care all,
It's not "several miles" being less than two and it doesn't usually go very far. Part of the planning involves "brokering" the spoil to another project close by as fill dirt such as the one off Grand avenue next to Rubio Wash. Loading train on an active mainline seems like a good idea but doesn't save time nor money (and you have to have a place to dump it still).
A10
Hey, K.P.! Remember me?
I'm so out of touch on this thread, it's pathetic. Glad to see you're still keeping it covered.
What have I missed? :) Is the two-tracking ever going to be finished?
Happy new Year All
K.P.:
Thank you for your observations about dirt removal from the trench-- especially your comments, "swept-clean-like".
It would seem that removing several miles of dirt to that depth and width would require several miles of dumptrucks, several times over. That would clog streets and add noise and air pollution. Why go through that expense and chaos when there is a rail line just twenty feet away? (Either way, night removal?).
--John
SP657E44 (12-25):
Thanks for the input and technical info.
Electroliner 1935 (12-30):
That’s how I envision the walling.
BUT, as far as some drainage in the small width on each side of the floor, I have no idea where the water could be drained to. At this point in time, what a perplexing dilemma would arise if it freakishly rained hard for a week!
John Simpkins-Camp (12-30):
Having been onsite and actually having seen the trench floor, I was wondering the same thing myself! It is all so swept-clean-like. It is almost as if a super big bird (Rodan?) came by and sucked all the dirt out with a giant straw! But, I am sure something like that would have been on national TV …
If I ever find out, I’ll let you (and everyone else) know. The majority of the trench still needs the treatment, so there is a very good change K.P. will happen onto it happening.
Update as of Saturday, December 26, 2015
The Riverside-Colton Area, CA
Part III (of I-III)
The Colton Signal Dept. was visited, and it was all close down for the holidays. A Hertz rental trailer was present. Apparently, UP has so many non-Sunset Route projects going on around their system rental trailers must be used.
While by the fenced Colton Signal Dept., a westbound (leftward) came by. K.P. found that rather astounding seeing it was the day after Christmas!
This will end the series.
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K.P. has been pondering of late about getting over to El Paso, TX to check out UP’s new Santa Teresa, NM facility, as well as the supposed two-tracking east of downtown El Paso. But, the sudden jump in the price of gas may delay that effort.
Also, there has been some speculation and questions about the LA&SL line WEST of Pomona (CA), and K.P. hopes to get out that way before the end of January, 2016.
Part II (of I-III)
The very old BNSF bridges over La Cadena Drive and Fogg Street were having some type of construction taken place. It is unknown if the bridges were being modified for an additional track or simply earthquake reinforced. At La Cadena Drive:
Fogg Street, the narrow, one lane road under the BNSF (and UP) was actually closed. Closing a road by a fire station is an odd situation.
In that last photo above, look at that ‘white’ penguin on the center road close sign! Or, is that a bag of sand or something as weight to hold the sign in place if it gets real windy?
Continued in Part III
Part I (of I-III)
On the above date, necessity threw K.P. into a visit to the Colton area. Afterwards, he pursued briefly checking out the Riverside-Colton area. In Riverside, at the junction between BNSF and the LA&SL (UP), UP’s relatively new CP C056 SCRRA JCT box apparently had been sufficiently negatively painted that whatever had been graffiti painted had to be covered over.
There still were NO signs, outside of large piles of ballast here and there, that the BNSF CP WEST RIVERSIDE would be altered.
Neither was any additional progress found on the new bridge over the 91 Freeway (right).
Matter of fact, the west end of that bridge over the 91 Freeway still had much gapping and was still nowhere ready for track laying.
Continued in Part II
Whoooooo, those rigs are fierce, brother!
~Dave
WOOT! WOOOOT!
Second Section
In Parts A-J, specifically Part F and G, only eastward views from Mission Blvd. were shown. Westward views were difficult to photograph, as much was in the way. One such view:
The pedestrian walkway and flashers are gone at Mission Road too, but K.P. is not sure if this walkway was open or not, but getting to this area was difficult to say the least, so it most likely is closed!
Hopefully, during the next visit to this area the photos will be a bit easier to come by.
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There are a few non-developments (What was that?) to report about on the 91 Freeway railroad bridge in Riverside (CA) and at the Signal Dept. in Colton, as per a visit to those sites on Saturday, December 26, 2015. It is hoped that a few photos and an explanation can be posted in a day or so.
Update as of Wednesday, December 23, 2015
An Update Outing Full of Surprises
Part “J” (of H-J, Overall A-J)
The San Gabriel Trench Construction
San Gabriel, CA
Ramona Street
Look at those braces for that forefront piece of equipment!
A final southeast side view looking northeast:
The Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority’s website mentions this project will be complete in a year and a half! So, there is a whole bunch of stuff left to do.
Various sources indicate that UP runs 20-25 trains a day through this construction area, but K.P. is not sure of what and where those trains are going, and how they are routed to destination. Some length of time will have to be spent in the Mission Tower area of downtown Los Angeles to get a grasp of the usage of this track, and in comparison to the two-track LA&SL line a few miles to the south. Those 20-25 trains on the Alhambra Sub here by the trench have to be going somewhere, and except for the LATC facility in downtown Los Angeles, K.P. has no idea where those trains go … K.P. finds the matter especially pressing because of all the Metrolink runs must get in the way of the free flow of UP trains, but he never sees UP trains in the downtown area. Do they go through some type of Star Trek window or something and just disappear?
A Second Section follows.
Part “I” (of H-J, Overall A-J)
A telephoto looking westbound:
Another westward view: There’s the narrow road just above left of center that K.P. drove down recently to get a few close-up photos. The upper left background grass is a golf course.
Looking back east from Ramona Street: There is that crane again in the background, around the curving wall of the trench! Wow! -- Rather tight quarters to work in.
Continued in Part J
Part “H” (of H-J, Overall A-J)
On the bridge now, looking eastbound, and a lot of rebar cylinders are awaiting vertical placement.
An eastward telephoto:
A wide view looking westbound:
Continued in Part I
Your photos of the fully-lined sections of trench are very interesting. Do you know where the dug-out soil is being relocated? That's A LOT of dumptrucks!
K. P. HarrierAbove, look how crude the side walls are! They likely will have a smoother layer of cement eventually coating them. The bottom concrete slab-work has a space right before the walls, undoubted for that smooth side walling.
Do you think some of that space at the bottom of the walls could also be for drainage piping to lay below the ballast level.
Part “G” (of D-G, Overall A-J)
Mission Road
Eastward views still:
Above, look how crude the side walls are! They likely will have a smoother layer of cement eventually coating them. The bottom concrete slab-work has a space right before the walls, undoubted for that smooth side walling.
Looking east from the southeast side, that wood fencing is still up (right).
Ramona Street too is open to vehicle traffic. Northbound traffic is seen stopped on the bridge.
Look at the grade crossing stand left in the way!
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Continued in Parts H-J scheduled for posting Thursday, December 31, 2015 by 9:00 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, but posting may be up to 12 hours early.
Part “F” (of D-G, Overall A-J)
Del Mar Ave.
A stunning westward view: The trench is dug out and the concrete flooring is in place!
Now at Mission Road, three views looking back towards Del Mar. Ave.:
In the above views, look how close those builders on the right are to the trench!
Continued in Part G
Part “E” (of D-G, Overall A-J)
The new Del Mar. Ave. Bridge (M.P. 490.70) over the trench is open now, but that was not the focus this trip, nor was the bridge finished. And eastward view:
The previously shown July 3, 2015 temporary pedestrian walkway …
… is closed and flashers gone now that the Del Mar Ave. Bridge over the trench is open for vehicle traffic and crudely open for pedestrian traffic.
Continued in Part F
Part “D” (of D-G, Overall A-J)
San Gabriel Blvd.
From San Gabriel Blvd. looking eastbound:
In the distance is where we were a moment ago (yesterday post-wise), at Walnut Grove Ave. K.P. has heard both 1.4 miles and 2.4 miles for the trench's length. As seen above, a trench dug down in this area would seem to have a steep incline to Walnut Grove Ave. If the delaying in the trench-work by the shoofly connection (background) is for later, and extending the trench further, that would make sense. But, at this point in time, things are not clear yet how things will be.
From San Gabriel Blvd., looking westbound: The trench still has much dirt fill in it.
The side walling’s rebar suggests (at least here) the side walls will elevate as the walling approaches bridges.
Continued in Part E
Part “C” (of A-C, Overall A-J)
The Rubio Wash Area
A real close-up:
The house that was in danger of tumbling into the wash when the great flooding occurred has been removed from the scene (right).
A link to the house (center) that was torn down:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rubio+Wash,+California/@34.0956521,-118.0878781,99m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x80c2daeb38047a93:0xbfaa7be7aeb79cd8
About the above aerial link, it is unknown how long the view will remain as aerials are undated often.
Continued in Parts D-G scheduled for posting Wednesday, December 30, 2014 by 9:00 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, but posting may be up to 12 hours early.
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