Update as of Friday, June 29, 2012
Two Flyovers
Part I (of I-IX)
The Milliken Ave. Flyover
Ontario, CA
In an unusually long layover of free time, K.P. was able to investigate at length the Colton Flyover, and the Milliken Ave. Flyover to a lesser degree.
There was little to report at the Milliken Ave. project. However, there was track equipment on the east slope.
A switch has been installed on the east slope so the industrial track can be reconnected to the mainline. The connection will be to the future Main 2.
Likely an automatic absolute "entrance signal" will be erected near the above switch.
The below photo shows the short distance between the flyover's western end (shiny silver poles on far left) and the east end of the Guasti siding at CP AL525 GUASTI (far right). It is estimated that distance is about 300 feet, insufficient for a 60 M.P.H. freight speed track alignment shift.
Continued in Part II
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
Part II (of I-IX)
The Colton Flyover
Colton, CA
For the first time K.P. saw the big, towering, movable crane in the southwest quadrant of the Colton Crossing.
About midway on the crane in the photo above, it only looks like the crane is being held up by some kind of bracing. The two items are completely separate.
One item looks like a humongous drilling tool.
A worker(s) was in one of the Intermodal containers onsite by Colton Crossing.
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-IX)
Two heavy rebar structures were laying in the southwest quadrant, by the big crane.
Continued in Part IV
Part IV (of I-IX)
The sand train came along ... it really does carry sand!
In the second to last photo above, plenty of flyover project equipment was parked. Also, the train is moving westbound on the NEW Main 1 alignment.
Continued in Part V
Part V (of I-IX)
A heavy grader was constantly smoothing out the area and picking up dirt, and transporting it somewhere west of the Rancho Ave. camera location.
It returned often for another dirt pickup, in this case, while an eastbound heads to Arizona and points east.
Continued in Part VI
Part VI (of I-IX)
A northbound out of West Colton Yard heads up the West Leg of the Wye (top) while orange vested track workers work on a new switch.
Posts very recently showed so much ballast was on the track that one could not discern there was even a switch there, but now it is easily seen.
A broad overview that looks WEST from Rancho Ave., an overpass that taxes one's photographic patience because of the auto traffic in the way so much of the time. The above two photos are the plant just right of center in the below photo.
While the present minor interlocking to the WEST is presently identified as CP SP537 EAST WYE BYPASS, K.P. believes this area will eventually be one great big interlocking under the CP SP536 designation, and replace the present CP to the WEST and CP SP538 RANCHO to the EAST of Rancho Avenue, which is ...
... partially in the way of the Colton Flyover construction. In the above view, a BNSF Transcon crosses the diamonds.
Continued in Part VII
Part VII (of I-IX)
A 'fleet' of trucks was going back and forth using this makeshift grade crossing.
Going counterclockwise, they were loaded with sub-ballast.
Counterclockwise still, they would head west close to the Departure Yard and drop their load.
The trucks were traveling on a newly graded path, probably the long future crossover between mains
Continued in Part VIII
Part VIII (of I-IX)
They would soon dump their loads and headed back clockwise ...
... and go over the tracks again just east of Rancho Ave.
The spot (above) was very congested at times (note the yellow grader waiting just above photo center). An onsite traffic controller was watching for train traffic (orange vested gentleman on the lower midpoint).
In watching the constant flow of equipment (a show in itself!), one can see why a "Form B" is in effect, and trains use the horn freely.
Continued in Part IX
Part IX (of I-IX)
Back and forth they would go. Clockwise ... Counterclockwise ... Clockwise ... Counterclockwise ...
Colorful tents continue. Also, the relocated track now looks so normal ...
... it is hard to imagine it used to be on the RIGHT (north) of the CP box.
This will conclude this series.
-------------
Tuesday, July 3, 2012 by 9 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time will be that brief presentation of what is missing at the two-tracking down by Salton Sea.
Meanwhile, over in Arizona, the long-awaited Red Rock Yard project appears to be moving forward again.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2012/07/01/20120701picacho-peak-train-yard-sought.html
John Timm
Something Missing with the Two-Tracking by Salton Sea
Headway Run No. 1 (of 1-2)
As in the two below photos ...
... Like the first photo ever posted in this thread ... the then future CP SP598 RIMLON in California, signals were erected (background) before the second track was laid ...
... and the then future intermediates at Porter Rd. in Maricopa, AZ ...
... the signal masts were erected way before track laying ever began.
However, with the two-tracking by Salton Sea, new signals are conspicuously missing! Since just east of Ranch Rd. a CP is presently being put in, there should be signals in one of the two below photos, but there isn't!
Looking west: No masts are present.
Looking east: There is no mast on the lower right either.
Continued in Headway Run No. 2
Headway Run No. 2 (of 1-2)
Even in Cajon Pass on the BNSF, in 2008 when that line was being triple-tracked, signals came first, and in that case, on cantilevered signal bridges. Half a signal bridge:
Later, the full signal bridge was erected, but no track.
Eventually, the track came and track machines worked it over:
But, now, as posted a few days ago, down by Salton Sea in the M.P.637 area of the Sunset Route, new track and ballast trains are present, and only one signal stand, but no signals, not even new headless erected masts. The double yellow signal (upper right) is an old signal.
Why this situation has developed is unknown, but all previous documenting of two-tracking shows the signals were erected first, then came the track. The reverse seems to be the case now down by Salton Sea.
KP; Could it be lack of material?. The RR industry is really buying a lot of new signals and it may be that demand is out striping supply? Could you tell if preliminary signal work was done such as underground conduit etc ?
It could also be different crews, different foreman, unavailability of installers, or a hundred other reasons. I am sure the signals will be up and operating before the new line is placed in service.
Belated Replies ...
Almost a month of replies backlogged ...My, my, time is flying by too fast!
rdamon (6-5):
No, Robert, I did not see a dead line per se. However, in perusing the photos taken on the overpasses over each end of the downtown Phoenix Yard, I spotted a small line of power parked for unknown reasons, possibly six or seven units (upper left), but nothing as long as 30 units anyway in the yard.
From the overpasses, I found the constant flow of large commercial passenger jets westward out of Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport too tempting to not take a few photos of.
When you flew out of Sky Harbor, you must have gotten a very nice view of the yard!
silicon212 (6-5):
As in the memo to rdamon above, I didn't see any long line of stored power in the Phoenix yard. Such lines are quite conspicuous, and stand out to railfans. Since this railbuff didn't see such a line, and none are seen in my travel photo files, they probably weren't there.
samfp1943 (6-7):
In the last 30 years or so UP has used such short masts for single-head color light signals, such as on Beaumont Hill re-signaled with the two-tracking there in the last decade.
Apparently, UP management has had a shift in thinking, and has been replacing short masts everywhere, such as on the Palmdale Cutoff near Cajon Pass here in California.
Personally, I like the new consistency in tall height. Short masts never quite seemed appropriate for railroading, at least in my opinion.
desertdog (6-7):
Mopac was a maverick company that always found the least expensive way of doing things. It is not surprising the T&P used short masts for their signals.
Part II
cacole (6-7):
Your "possible explanation" for the "wide grade crossing" at Pecos and Power Rds. on the Phoenix Line at M.P. 934.5 makes sense. Of course, UP is notorious for moving grade crossing gates, so I'm not sure what the advantage is in now not having to add any grade crossing panels.
silicon212 (6-8/6-8a):
Reference that hairpin curve near the intersection of Broadway Rd. and Center St. in the Phoenix, AZ area, thanks for the background, at least from 1991 on when you showed up in the area.
One knowing that that old mast had a semaphore on it at one time makes it come alive in one's mind. Great input, silicon212!
So, the double grade crossing at Baseline is called the McQueen area. What is the area discussed above by the sharp curve crossing Broadway Rd. (above) called?
mvs (6-8):
Great hearing from you, mvs!
I've been trying to find out what is going on with the Diversion delay ...
... in Pomona, CA, and the controversy between Kinder-Morgan and UP. It is a shame the taxpayers have to wait in order to get their money's worth out of the Diversion. But, from what I hear, UP sees that situation as a precedent that will settle a whole bunch of other lawsuits between the two parties.
I'm inclined to believe that when the big Southern Pacific Santa Fe (SPSF) merger was first started, the Southern Pacific Pipeline Company should never have been allowed to be separated from SP. It was a controversy just waiting to erupt. UP purchased SP, and seems intent on forcing the issue now. BNSF probably saw the writing on the wall, and sold the pipeline to an unsuspecting Kinder-Morgan.
Government approving / disapproving agencies are to protect the people and taxpayers. I believe in this case the government failed to do its job properly years ago. The only solution I see is for the government to pay UP to buy the pipeline company back, or SP to buy it back, or however one wants to put it.
I guess the controversy is holding up the 'Up and Over' in the City of Industry ...
... because the two-tracking therewith has ground to a halt too.
BNSF6400 (7-7):
Oh, yes! The diagonal crossing on Metrolink at Ramona Ave.!
Baldwin Park Diagonal Grade Crossing
(For those unfamiliar with the area, the trackage is ex-Pacific Electric, a branch off the Sunset Route a few miles to the southwest.)
What is ironic, Metrolink uses the old PE freight line. The PE trolley line use to go down the center of Ramona Ave., hence, the center dividers of that main vehicle street in the aerial link above.
BNSF6400 (7-7a):
That north side grading not being level that you mentioned between Cherry Ave. and the Kaiser Yard: Yes, having passed by several times on I-10 in recent times, it does look like it was just a redoing of the ground. I guess the second main will be laid to the south of the present Main (whenever UP gets around to it).
CShaveRR (6-27):
It's been hot here in California of late. Very hot! Overcast this morning, with a semi- coolness in the air - a welcome relief. But it is sort of hot and muggy right now in the Cajon Pass area.
Part III
ccltrains (6-29):
Before I could reply to your request, MikeF90 came to the rescue! (You undoubted know that by now.)
As far as two-tracking El Paso to Sierra Blanca, TX, it is my understanding that that section was at least double-tracked (as opposed to two-tracked) years and years ago in joint Missouri Pacific / Southern Pacific days.
ccltrains (6-29a):
You can get rid of double posts by being signed in and going to "More" (next to "Reply") and hitting "Edit," and deleting it.
MikeF90 (6-29):
Thanks for the approximate Sunset Route two-tracking mileage update.
desertdog (7-2):
Thank you for the enlightening info (and news clipping link) on the future Red Rock Yard at Red Rock, AZ between Phoenix and Tucson. Great find, John! The news item makes the possibility of a new yard there look promising again.
An attention getting (at least for me) expression the clipping used was: "Red Rock Classification Yard." While that was understood previously, it was the first time (at least that I can remember) that that full expression has been used.
Thanks for posting. It made the future yard seem real and that it WILL happen!
blue streak 1 (7-3):
I didn't see any burying of signal cable anywhere in the Salton Sea area.
It probably is just a fluke related to the grading contractor. On the other hand, someone did tell me last time everything contractor-wise was to be completed in the third quarter of 2012. Maybe much logistics was based on that. Since the contractor apparently finished early (?), the signals' arrival were probably scheduled on his projected original timetable, and haven't arrived yet
Back on May 2, 2011, however, something like signal cable was being buried by Salton Sea for no apparent reason.
Maybe that was all advance signal cable burying. In the above photo, note the trenching behind the trailer and in front of the UP truck.
ccltrains (7-3):
I agree. The signals should arrive before the track is put in service. I hardly doubt the Salton Sea area is an experiment where line side signals aren't used. Hey, that would NOT be fun for railfans anyway ... (See post above to blue streak 1.)
To all:
At this point, in the next two and a half weeks, it looks like K.P. will have three dispatches to Sunset Route areas. Hot on the list of things to check out is the new sub-ballast between Rancho and Pepper Avenues in Colton, CA.
If track is found to have been laid thereon, hopefully, it will be relatively easy to photograph.
Have a great afternoon and evening everyone,
K.P.
The lack of signal masts at a control point under construction is not without precedent on UP, K.P.Here on the Geneva Sub, when they put in the control point at Lombard, the first things to go in were all of the intermediate signals. By the time the control point was in the process of being built, these intermediate signals were fully operational. When the trackwork for CP Y019 was finished, the signal bridges went up, and all of the piping and cable for cables, switch heaters, etc., were completed after that. Right now, there are still no signals for the crossovers at Wheaton. The track work has not yet begun, but that site is also complicated by a pedestrian underpass, currently under construction.On the other hand, I observed a forest of signals around Bellwood, where the track layout will eventually be revised so tracks will eventually run past them. And the new control point at 19th Avenue in Melrose Park has had the new bridges up for a while, but the old bridges and some of the old crossovers are still in operation (I need a trip in that direction!).
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
CShaveRR (7-4):
That Melrose Park, IL 19th Street grade crossing you mentioned was looked up on Google Maps. I saw the NEW cantilever signal structure with heads for three tracks, and the OLD three-track wide bridge with signals for only the present two-tracks, as duplicated in the below link ...
19th St. Grade Crossing in Melrose Park, IL
That very confining Google Central Corridor view prompted me to make a connection to the Sunset Route (if you can bear with me) ...
On April 30, 2009 the east end of West Colton Yard had been having major two-tracking revisions taking place, and the old target signals were still present.
That day a train (the left one) from Los Angeles came via the SP Sunset Route (the other route is the Los Angeles & Salt Lake route) and passed West Colton Yard.
It branched off and went up the Palmdale Cutoff (with a DPU pushing on the rear) ...
... and eventually got onto the BNSF, and passed spacious desert-scape between Barstow and Daggett, CA ...
... where BNSF tracks could be on wider centers, and soon thereafter got onto the LA&SL again to Salt Lake City and Ogden, UT, and headed east to Melrose Park, IL and Chicago.
That kind of makes your Illinois referencing post more personal now that there is a connection to the Sunset Route, doesn't it, Carl?
UP sure has allot of coals in the fire, with adding another track here and there, like you mentioned, Carl, and Jovet about trackage above (north of) Omaha, NE, and desertdog's recent mention of on the T&P in Texas, etc., etc., etc.
On something else ... Just as a fun side note, I couldn't help but slide the Google Map view for more from the west, and found a rather rare situation: Two rail lines (one looks like a branch) CROSS with a grade separation all on top of a river!
Two Rail Lines and River All Cross at One Spot
You really do have some interesting spots in the Chicago area, Carl!
Take care,
K. P. Harrier CShaveRR (7-4): Just as a fun side note, I couldn't help but slide the Google Map view for more from the west, and found a rather rare situation: Two rail lines (one looks like a branch) CROSS with a grade separation all on top of a river! Two Rail Lines and River All Cross at One Spot You really do have some interesting spots in the Chicago area, Carl! Take care, K.P.
Just as a fun side note, I couldn't help but slide the Google Map view for more from the west, and found a rather rare situation: Two rail lines (one looks like a branch) CROSS with a grade separation all on top of a river!
Of course we do...one of the reasons I don't plan on moving after retirement (just traveling, then coming back home!).What you discovered here is the UP main line crossing the CN (old Illinois Central) line west of Elmhurst. Unfortunately, it's inaccessible to the public, so it's not a great railfanning spot. That's Salt Creek flowing beneath the two.I've been on the "over" end of some over-under train movements here on several occasions. It isn't really that hard to to. All you have to do is wait for CN's daily land barge to come through. It will take so long to get past any one point that you're bound to have something go over on the UP!Whenever it cools down around here, we have things we'd like to do in Chicago, so I'll see what can be seen along this line now. As you were going west along the main line from 19th Avenue, all of the trackage that shows as two tracks will be three (the new track will be to the south from 19th to the IHB bridge, and to the north from there to Elmhurst, sometimes with a platform or pier intervening). It looks like my "signal field" shows up, just to the right of the Mannheim Road overpass.
And if you go north from roughly where Proviso Drive changes to 47th Avenue (Really?), you'll encounter the hump yard--my home away from home for nearly 40 years.
K.P., good to see that track laying on the Yuma sub is taking place in earnest. We may see twenty miles of new MT in service soon.
BTW someone on another forum had some 'K.P. luck' and appears to have caught UP cutting in a turnout for the Milliken flyover south half on July 4. Now, for an actual photo of a revenue train on it.
More of a unverified rumor is that removal of some of the UP Riverside branch is imminent - guessing the part north from the planned BNSF / SCRRA San Jacinto connection.
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! ***
MikeF90 (7-6):
Yes, it was good to see track laying taking place by Salton Sea (CA). I don't know if UP workers thought it was such a good idea or not because it was HOT over there! In a never before posted track-laying photo, the gentleman near the photo's center had a towel or something hanging down from under his hardhat!
Thanks for posting the link to the photos about the Milliken Ave. Flyover track cutover that appears to have taken place July 4th. In my wildest imaginations I never thought cutover crews would work on a big holiday. But, that probably was a good idea, because, except for Kaiser, all the West Colton Yard cars that have to pass there to outlying Los Angeles area yards would be blocked with the Milliken Ave. trackage out of service.
It is now wonder how long it will take to completely remove the old track as seen on the lower left in the below reshown March 15, 2012 photo.
I've never understood why UP didn't build a southwest quadrant connector to the BNSF at Colton Crossing as an alternative route for those car distributing trains that could travel east to south on the BNSF to west on the LA&SL. I guess paying Milliken Ave. Flyover track workers big bucks for holiday pay was cheaper than building and signaling a southwest connector at Colton Crossing.
It was amazing that there even were trains running on the 4th of July holiday!
Another thing, Mike, the photos in that link was of the EAST end area of the Guasti siding, by the actual flyover! I wonder if the WEST end trackage was realigned also. It would have to be too if any type of speed through the area was able to be maintained, but the west end trackage goes over an underpass, so it can't be realigned, at least not easily!
Aerial of the West End of the Guasti Siding
By the way, Mike, from being in Colton last week, I can verify that that new CP box placarded CP AL525 GUASTI is still in storage at the Colton Signal Dept. site. Undoubtedly, that is for a double crossover when the second Milliken Ave. Flyover alongside the first is finished.
Stay cool during this hot summer, Mike, if you can,
Quick Update on Tucson....
Grade crossing panels are now stacked up at Cortaro Road, which is a mile or so west of CP Kino, and two miles south of what will be CP Sabino. Nothing has really changed at Sabino since the signal cabinet showed up in April.
Also looks like a section of DT between Picacho and Naviska (sorry to be so vague) opened up in the past two weeks. My son commented on it after driving back from PHX and didn't have a point of reference...
Haven't driven south of Kino in a whole, but may have to find an excuse to do so soon...
MikeF90 BTW someone on another forum had some 'K.P. luck' and appears to have caught UP cutting in a turnout for the Milliken flyover south half on July 4. Now, for an actual photo of a revenue train on it.
Yup, that was me. ;)
KP: Last time I was out there, W Guasti appeared to be unchanged.
--Robert
K.P if you'll forgive me ,a fast question for Carl:
The linked site to the UPRR line crossing the former CNW /nee ICRR now CN line. Scrolling South from the above mentioned crossing. I notice something called the Salt Creek Greenway. It sort of looked like a former RR Row? [Is that to be part of the new line you mentioned?]
Thanks,
Sam, they're triple tracking -- it's triple tracked for a good portion of where the commuter ops run, with the exception of two sections including the one Carl mentioned (the other is where the Geneva Sub crosses the Fox River, and that bridge won't be replaced anytime soon).
AFAIK, the Salt Creek Trail isn't former railroad ROW (unless it was interurban prior to 1940), but just south of the CNW you can clearly find where the CGW ROW was preserved as the Great Western Trail.
The abutments and piers at both the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers were designed for four tracks; but those are not consistent with the new standards for 16' track centers. The bridges are rated for 315,000# 4-axle cars.
K. P. Harrier Belated Replies ... ... silicon212 (6-8/6-8a): Reference that hairpin curve near the intersection of Broadway Rd. and Center St. in the Phoenix, AZ area, thanks for the background, at least from 1991 on when you showed up in the area. One knowing that that old mast had a semaphore on it at one time makes it come alive in one's mind. Great input, silicon212! So, the double grade crossing at Baseline is called the McQueen area. What is the area discussed above by the sharp curve crossing Broadway Rd. (above) called?
...
Not quite sure if there's actually a name for it, but it is at the east end of Mesa siding. The Mesa house track continues east over Center St, but just. Cars for a lumber company down Center are spotted there. The mainline begins its southern curve just east of McDonald St. (and the Mesa siding). The area north of 8th avenue (south of the Broadway Rd. crossing) to a point between Extension and Alma School Rd. used to operate under yard limits, not sure if it still does. Speed through the area is still 25MPH, so it might still be. According to my 1991 SP Western Region timetable 4, this covers MP 920.8 to 922.0.
NOT YET!
Several days ago there was a link to another website that had 4th of July photos that one could interpret as the Milliken Ave. Flyover was being cut in. On Monday, July 9, 2012 K.P. went to investigate. Westbound on I-10, the transition to the southbound I-15 was taken, with a brief view of the east slope of the Milliken Ave Flyover. Expecting a nice swooping alignment shift, it was found that only the maintenance-of-way low speed switch was still present and NOT a nice swooping alignment shift!
At the Milliken Ave. grade crossing itself, it was found trains were still using the original ground level track!
So, the Milliken Ave. Flyover is still NOT in service yet!
Other material is pending about the Milliken Ave Flyover. The Colton Flyover project was visited too. And, even the Hunts Lane overpass construction site was checked out, with allot of activity thereat. The three sites should be posted about at length in two or three days.
A little extra history on the Broadway Road area in Mesa....
Up until a few years ago, the Mesa house track extended about three blocks further to the east, at least as far as S. Hibbert St.
At one time, it doubled around to the north and then headed back to the west, connecting to the so-called Creamery Branch that came out of Tempe, forming a loop. The Creamery Branch still exists as a short, disconnected piece of track along E. 8th Street in Tempe. It is clearly visible on Google Maps east of Rural Road.
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