blue streak 1 KP When SOU rr changed their double track ATL - WASH line to single track CTC most of the turn outs were made "equilateral turnouts" I have not ever looked at the frogs so cannot confirm your speculation as to how they are built. Do not know if NS is continuing the practice ? With the NCDOT restoring all the double track from CLT - GREENSBORO the equilaterals on that section are being change to regular turnouts as double track is reinstalled..
KP When SOU rr changed their double track ATL - WASH line to single track CTC most of the turn outs were made "equilateral turnouts" I have not ever looked at the frogs so cannot confirm your speculation as to how they are built. Do not know if NS is continuing the practice ? With the NCDOT restoring all the double track from CLT - GREENSBORO the equilaterals on that section are being change to regular turnouts as double track is reinstalled..
They are all coming out, eventually. Turns out, they are expensive to maintain. Every move beats them up like a diverging move - at least that's what I've heard.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
oltmannd They are all coming out, eventually. Turns out, they are expensive to maintain. Every move beats them up like a diverging move - at least that's what I've heard.
BLUE STREAK 1:
OLTMANND's comments about NS (ex-SOU) "Y" turnouts taking a beating would seem to be right on the mark. My Mom's housing development (Charlottesville, VA) is about 100 yds off the Washington to New Orleans mainline , a few hundred yds south of one of those "equilateral turnouts", and (even for someone who savors railroad noises) I have always been surprised by the amount of noise and vibrations associated with them, especially at track-speed.
As for the movable frog question, I am a regular AMTRAK rider on that NS mainline and I have never seen a "Movable Frog" sign posted at these "Y" turnouts (like those show in KP's frequent postings of So.Cal. UP turnouts). So, I would guess that NS does not use them on that part of the former Southern RR.
--John (Wash, DC)
Update as of April 8, 2013
Severely Windswept, Very Cold, Rainy (Some Snowflakes); Massive Dust Storms; and a Derailment Cleanup
Part “A” (of A-H, Overall A-Q)
This report will be on a railroad north to south basis, and starts at Keene, CA. Due to right-of-way access limitations thereat, the presentation’s first photos are of the south switch (background) of the Woodford siding (the track the BNSF train is on), at CP SP350 WOODFORD (M.P. 349.7). The highway visible in the background is the 58 Freeway.
It is quite clear on the photo above that the upgraded CP box may (“may”) not be new. Traditionally, new CP boxes have the CP name placard on the door ends. This box has the placards on the box sides.
At photo time, for some reason the Pass was clogged with trains all NOT moving, and in sidings.
Since the north slope of Tehachapi Pass has had so many intermediate signals done away with, most advance siding indications are at siding interlockings themselves, and they have two heads whereas previously they only had single heads.
At the north switch of the 4800-ft. Walong siding (the Loop), at CP SP351 WALONG (M.P. 351.1) the signal bridge has been eliminated, and the color light mast signals that are now present there are so high (as if in outer space) they have bracings! Trainmen that have seen them have said that they have never seen mast signals so high!
At the south (top) end of the Walong siding, at CP SP352 WALONG (M.P. 352.2) two-headed masts are present.
Continued in Part 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.
Part “B” (of A-H, Overall A-Q)
Between Walong and the next siding to the south, Marcel, is Tunnel No. 10 and for years there was a closely spaced intermediate set of signals, as the two previously shown photos below illustrate.
With the signal upgrading, the intermediate signals pictured above are no more.
There was NO evidence yet of any two-tracking. According to the Environmental Impact Report on the two-tracking project, this area will be the first to have work started on.
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (of A-H, Overall A-Q)
The new north signal of CP SP353 MARCEL (M.P. 353.0, the north end of the siding), as seen from the south side very winding two-lane Woodford-Tehachapi Rd.:
As seen from the 58 Freeway physically to the north, the south signals of that CP SP353 MARCEL:
As seen just above, the siding’s signal (right) seems rather short! The tall mast (left) has THREE maintainer cages for unknown reasons. Maybe the signal is so high the railroad feels it is necessary to have a rest stop on the way up to the top … Why the signal closest to the mountain is higher (on a curve, no less) than the siding’s is unknown. One would think the siding signal (right) would be higher for visibility reasons.
Continued in Part D
Part “D” (of A-H, Overall A-Q)
From the Marcel siding southward (physically southeastward) to Cable there is a series of single-track tunnels. After them, two-tracks railroad southward begin.
For almost two miles the now two-track line continues to curve through the mountains
Within sight of the above view, is the Cable Crossover (X-Over) … and the derailment site mentioned in the announcement of this series..
Continued in Part E
Part “E” (of A-H, Overall A-Q)
Looking southbound, a northbound BNSF (with three CSX units) had come down from the City of Tehachapi and parked, and became as so much else on the Hill, stopped. Derailment cars can be seen on the lower right (below, first photo).
Continued in Part F
Part “F” (of A-H, Overall A-Q)
At least two of the new, not in service yet, color light mast signals got creamed out.
Both old and new side-by-side Main 2 south northbound mast signals apparently were ground to pieces and a new, leaning mast and old signal replacement was pressed into service.
Continued in Part G
Part “G” (of A-H, Overall A-Q)
In downtown Tehachapi, at CP SP361 TEHACHAPI (M.P. 360.6), there is a universal crossovers arrangement, which crossovers utilize 30 M.P.H. turnouts. The new and old north southbound signals:
As seen above, the rather well known, famous Tehachapi cantilever signal structure will be no more under color lights.
For those that may be unfamiliar with technical railroad track terminology, in comparing these new and old signals (above) at CP SP361 TEHACHAPI, of the OLD signals, only the lower left head and the top right head (FIRST photo) have a full, standard color lensing arrangement, i.e., green, flashing yellow, yellow, and red. The other heads are only capable of displaying red and flashing red, and authorize movement into “Double-Track” AGAINST the current of traffic. That is what double-track is, each track having an opposite current of traffic, i.e., northbound on one, southbound of the other, and BOTH tracks are absent reverse intermediate signaling. The new signals, on the other hand, have all full, three-bulb heads. So, south of this CP, instead of “double-track” as it has historically been the case for decades, the new arrangement will be “two-tracks,” signaling in both directions on both tracks.
This view looks southbound at the northbound signals: Note the cold, dreary, cloud filled sky, and rain soaked ballast. Also, there is a yellow track machine on the background left.
It is unknown if the yellow track machine was related to the derailment or ongoing track maintenance on the Tehachapi Hill.
The right track (above photo still), Main 1, has an old pot signal, typical of “double-track,” and the signal rarely would show anything except red.
From a couple block further south (east), looking northbound (west), another view of that interlocking (railroad south side northbound signals). A yellow flag and the ‘old’ Tehachapi Depot are in the photo center.
The reference to ‘old’ is a joke. The original depot burned down in recent times, and the townspeople built a replacement.
Continued in Part H
Part “H” (of A-H, Overall A-Q)
The town of Tehachapi is a railroad town …
… with a downtown flair for railroading! Notice the historic cantilever signal structure in the photo background (for a sense of where the signal display pictured above is located at).
In downtown Tehachapi, by the signaled universal crossover, were laying down new signal masts.
Those masts may (“may”) be for somewhere south (east) of town. On the other hand, they may be hijacked and pressed into service at the Cable X-Over derailment site … Who knows!
------------
Parts I-Q (9 posts) and a “Second Section” are scheduled for posting Friday, April 12, 2013 by 8:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time.
Part “I” (of I-Q, Overall A-Q)
We now head to the first new intermediate signals to the south (east).
Out of view on the right is where helpers often use to be taken off trains, and wait in the Tehachapi siding until the DS cleared them to head back down the hill.
The next set of signals to the south (east) is these by M.P. 363.8. Those that are familiar with the area will recognize the location where a high and wide detector is located.
Next is a well-known grade crossing: New intermediates have been erected just east of the roadway.
Just above, note all the orange vested track workers working on the tracks (right).
Continued in Part J
Part “J” (of I-Q, Overall A-Q)
Farther south (physically east) is another set of new, not activated yet intermediates. The 58 Freeway is in the background (with eastward vehicle traffic to the left).
Even another set of intermediates are southward (eastward) and are freeway passed, but stopping for pictures was inadvisable on a freeway where the “Emergency Parking Only” is the rule.
Looking north (west) in the Cameron area, we see a scenic scene with a road winding up the hills going into the background (upper left).
That road crosses the tracks on a curve. If a train gets stopped at CP SP370 CAMERON (M.P. 370.3) …
… it, in most cases, will block that grade crossing.
That CP is a rather strange interlocking. Years and years ago the site was a small, CTC control point, with a slow speed crossover. Now, it is a 30 M.P.H. one with modern color light signals on masts. The expanded CP was never finished, even though the modification took place several years ago. To this day NO near crossover exists behind those forefront signals. The lower forefront head on the right (above photo) is still turned aside.
Continued in Part K
Part “K” (of I-Q, Overall A-Q)
A closer view of the north (west) southbound signals:
The tail end of a southbound passes with DPU’s:
The present single-crossover (lower right):
Note above the LEFT of the two signals facing that departing train has the lower head turned aside also.
Continued in Part L
Part “L” (of I-Q, Overall A-Q)
It was fun watching the clouds’ shadows quickly moving through the CP.
This east slope is very windy … but the severest wind is yet to come!
Continued in Part M
Part “M” (of I-Q, Overall A-Q)
As we approach Mojave (pronounced Moh-hah-vee), the road along the tracks is closed for unknown reasons. (It was open earlier that morning.) The next off ramp is taken, and that road goes by an aircraft storage yard. The Lone Pine Branch (off the Mojave Sub mainlines) is seen across the photo bottom.
At Mojave, the BNSF branches off eastwardly on a high speed route to Barstow to meet up with the Transcon (Chicago-Los Angeles).
A quick diversion for a moment … Before UP bought Southern Pacific (the previous owner of the Tehachapi Pass trackage), SP successfully corralled D&RGW coal train traffic, and from Utah the coal would travel west across northern Nevada, over Donner Pass in California to Roseville, then southwardly through California’s Central Valley, up over Tehachapi Pass and down to Mojave, where the power would switch ends, and then travel over the Lone Pine Branch (past the aircraft storage facility above) to a power plant. Now, under UP, the short route is taken, from Utah to Las Vegas, to Barstow, across to Mojave, and up the Lone Pine. Just an interesting tidbit …
In the above photo, in the background, just look at all the sand being blown around in the air! And, we are heading into something like that …
Traveling south (literally) a bit, we now are back to UP’s “Mojave Subdivision” (the line over Tehachapi), but the line is single-track all the way to West Colton Yard where the Sunset Route east-west line is reached.
Our first stop out of Mojave is the Ansel siding, at CP SP389 ANSEL (M.P. 389.5). The background signal on the right has not had a new counterpart color light signal erected, and has not had one for months now.
The three wood poles use to have a microwave dish for the CP’s communication to the dispatcher, who now can be dispatching from either San Bernardino, CA (from BNSF’s center) or Omaha, NE (UP’s Harriman center). Two centers capable of having either one controlling makes for a versatile system!
A close-up of the north southbound old and future signals:
A close-up of the south northbound signals: Remember the new right signal is missing.
Continued in Part N
Part “N” (of I-Q, Overall A-Q)
The south end of the Ansel siding, at CP SP391 ANSEL (M.P. 391.1): The south end never had a poled microwave setup.
The north southbound signals:
The old searchlight target signal strangely stands without a replacement color light signal … amidst a Joshua Tree scene.
Continued in Part O
Part “O” (of I-Q, Overall A-Q)
We parallel the tracks for many miles, and at CP SP399 OBAN (M.P. 399.3), the dust is really kicking up now, and hitting hard the new, un-activated color light signals. All of them are present at this location.
At the south end where NO color light replacement mast signals have been erected …
… the crossing gates soon activated, and a southbound train came whizzing out of the dust storm!
After it passed, a photo of the double-red signal was shot while the train still was in the circuit.
Above, one can see just how sand-filled the air was.
Traveling beyond (south) of Oban a very short distance, more like crawling for a few minutes, the dust got so horrifically bad K.P. actually had to stop right in the middle of the street for a few seconds! There had been no time to pull off the road! It just happened so fast!
Continued in Part P
Part “P” (of I-Q, Overall A-Q)
At Palmdale, an interesting sight was beheld: UP had a fenced signal department staging yard. The UP track is in the background, the foreground Metrolink track had one of the painted silver Automatic Train Stop (ATS) ground units.
There were all kinds of things in the small fenced yard.
The signal department yard and Metrolink’s ATS unit was just north of Avenue R.
Continued in Part Q
Part “Q” (of I-Q, Overall A-Q)
Another view of Metrolink’s ATS unit that can apply train brakes:
A view looking literally south: UP’s track is on the left while Metrolink’s is on the right. Most UP trains now use the Palmdale Cutoff (the background track branching off to the left) in-lieu-of the Metrolink line, unless UP will encounter no opposition or track work, usually like midnight to 4 A.M.
As one can see the stopping distance for a tripped Metrolink is quite long before the absolute signal is reached. Santa Fe, which uses such a system for Amtrak (and their own passenger trains before Amtrak), put there ground units right in front of signals. A person should not confuse ATS with Positive Train Control, which, while similar, works on a whole different principle. Of course, that new government mandated PTC fad is satellite based, and Metrolink, BNSF, and UP will have to install that, even over the slow going freight line of Tehachapi Pass. UP will also have to extensively modify the PTC as new second-track stretches are laid over the pass and put in service.
So, there we have it, what is happening on the west slope of Tehachapi, the east slope, and to the south.
-----------
A “Second Section” follows.
Second Section
The new color light signals over Tehachapi, while K.P. has not extensively studied the matter, seem to be similar to the situation on UP’s Alhambra Sub between Los Angeles and Fontana, CA. In that cutover, new CP boxes were NOT installed. But, on Tehachapi two boxes are present, so it is unclear exactly what is taking place.
The above few years ago view is in Ontario, CA on UP’s southern east-west Sunset Route.
In both of the color light signal conversions, on the Alhambra Sub and over Tehachapi (at least the west slope), new second-track is scheduled to be laid. On the Alhambra Sub the older boxes and their wiring may be waiting the actual two-tracking there. That puts a new element to our two-tracking observations.
On Tehachapi TWO boxes seem to be at CP’s now.
But, the second boxes may not be new! They may only be older “modern” boxes that came from somewhere else. It is difficult to see, but above, in a highly blown up photo, the newer second box (right) at the Cable X-Over has a just right of center door. The latest new boxes utilize totally offset doors, front and back. The new east box for CP SP538 RANCHO in Colton, CA has the visible door on the left and an air conditioner unit in the center..
So, the ‘modern’ boxes on Tehachapi may (“may”) be just temporary while waiting for the partial two-tracking of the “Hill.”
For the hair style types … It took K.P. THREE shampoo treatments to get all the dirt out of the hair … Wow! What a sand storm!
K.P., thanks for the thorough update. Hopefully your vehicle didn't get sandblasted too bad - can be a terrible problem in desert regions. Just think, in seven or so years CP E Bealville will be the end of 2MT.
Regarding the 'missing' crossover at CP Cameron, perhaps the upgrade to CTC is the first step .... Look forward to anyone exploring the status of the remaining DT ABS 'island' on the west end of the sub (map link).
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! ***
In Search of the Truth
CP Boxes
Part I (of I-II)
Now that K.P. has some time …
A search of some photo files was made, and this February 5, 2013 photo was found of a NEW box for CP SP540 MT VERNON resting at the Colton Signal Dept. yard, Colton, CA. The photo originally appeared in the “Sunset Route Two-Tracking Update” thread. It seems to match the new-like boxes on the north slope of Tehachapi Pass.
So, the CP boxes on Tehachapi may indeed be new.
An actual case example is presented to the forum for its consideration, and involves Maricopa, AZ. On May 29, 2009, this was the situation at the Sunset Route-Highway 347 main grade crossing in town.
Looking east:
Looking west, the end of new two-tracks from the west, formerly the Maricopa siding:
A new uninstalled CP box thereat:
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-II)
Three months later, on September 4, 2009:
The old California Zephyr Silver Horizon tail dome car on display by the new east westbound signal then in operation:
Single-track by the grade crossing at Highway 347:
January 29, 2010 in Maricopa still, a second-track had been laid across Highway 347, and what was now CP SP899 MARICOPA (with its new CP box) to the east was in operation.
So, the railroad using new boxes (or at least relatively new boxes) on Tehachapi, and their use in some cases being short term, is consistent with other locations on the UP system.
Memo to MikeF90 (4-13):
Great Tehachapi area location posting, Mike!
When I was in the Sandcut area back in January (2013), I traveled northbound just a bit, and Sandcut-Bakersfield was all still Automatic Block Signals as far as I could tell. (Photo looks northbound from the Sandcut area.)
Take care,
K.P.
K.P.,
You will recall that not only was the new signal box short-lived at Maricopa, but the hooded signals, as well. I don't recall the exact time, but it could not have been more than a year and they were gone once the Maricopa siding was extended east as part of the second main.
John Timm
The Signal Status
Word has just been received that the “double-track” between Tehachapi and Cameron (on the east slope) is officially “two-tracks” now.
Above: A reshown Monolith file photo
In other words, the new bidirectional color light signals between those two points have been activated!
KP, next time you get to Tehachapi, you might want to peek at the house on the NW corner of Hayes St. and East F St and see if it still has the interesting house number support in the front yard. That would be right behind (next street south) the Village Grill.
Edit (7/16/2013): Checked the house out last night after dinner and it does still have the interesting house number support in the front yard. Very appropriate to the history of the town. It does show on Google Earth street view.
hey K.P. I read in the June issue of Railfan and Railroad magazine that they are planning on cutting back on the number of sections there are going fix on the Tehachapi pass.
denveroutlaws06 hey K.P. I read in the June issue of Railfan and Railroad magazine that they are planning on cutting back on the number of sections there are going fix on the Tehachapi pass.
Reportedly they are scaling back the project to the first two priorities, Walong-Marcel second track and Cliff siding extension - see map link for locations.
Replies …
ChuckCobeigh (4-29 / 7-16):
Cool!
So others here can see it …
LINK: Two-Bulb Signal in Residential Yard, Tehachapi, CA
I don’t know if it is still there, but in Daggett, CA was an old UP target mast signal, lit no less, and the indication periodically changed, high green over red, red over red, etc. I would assume it could be made to display red over yellow (I’m pretty sure it had a lower head).
denveroutlaw06 (7-16):
The TRAINS Newswire of June 4, 2013 also had a story on it, “Tehachapi improvement project scaled back.”
It used to be that railroads were feared and could do anything because of the political clout they had. Now, the railroads fear and tremble at endangered species! What is the rail world coming to?
MikeF90 (7-17):
Yes, the Tehachapi two-tracking project is scaled back! The surviving sections are probably the most important, (1) making one long siding out of the short Walong and medium length Marcel sidings, and (2) extending the Cliff siding to current standards.
I wonder what would happen if BNSF and UP announce in rapid succession that, in 2015, they BOTH were abandoning Tehachapi, the Central Valley, and the lines through Oregon to Seattle? The reason: There are just too many endangered species!
Sounds totally ludicrous, but who knows, maybe soon after two-tracks would fall from heaven, mountain cuts would be cut, and not only just sections two-tracked but the whole pass two-tracked!
One has to wonder …
Then, too, can someone cry foul? In other words, what they voted for the allotted money is not being used for?
Take care all,
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