The Tehachapi Pass Visit
Part IV, Section “D” (of A-G)
The Loop Vicinity plus the Cable Crossover
CP SP353 MARCEL (M.P. 353.0) and its signals won’t be needed with the two-tracking, unless intermediates are put in..
The northern approach is via a winding, full of cuts route.
Continued in Section E
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 IV, Section “C” (of A-G)
It is by Tunnel 10 (left).
The new second track’s “cut” in lieu of a new tunnel is starting to be dug.
Another steep road seems to have been graded as well.
Continued in Section D
Part IV, Section “B” (of A-G)
Approaching the Loop from the north (west), the old intermediate signal set around the curve is now gone.
Now, we approach the Loop itself and Tunnel 9. The new signal has its color light heads pointing in slightly different angles.
At the south (east) end of the Walong siding, the new color lights stand guard.
A number of people were gawking at the Loop, by the lookout area and monument marker.
But, there is something new trackside around the corner, out of view to the right!
Continued in Section C
Part IV (of I-VI), Section “A” (of A-G)
We now go to the long Woodford, 8960-feet siding. An engineless CWR train was on the MAIN, not the siding! (That is unless they were reversed.) Looking southbound:
Looking northbound:
The big rocks and hillside is picturesque to say the least!
Continued in Section B
Part III, Section “F” (of A-F)
Bena, Ilmon, and Caliente Areas
There was some activity at Caliente.
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Continued in Part IV: “The Loop Vicinity plus the Cable Crossover” to be posted by 8:00 A.M. (Pacific Time) on Sunday, January 19, 2014, but may be posted up to 11 hours earlier.
Part III, Section “E” (of A-F)
From Ilmon south to Caliente there are a few intermediate sets.
At Caliente, two-tracks become one-track at CP SP335 CALIENTE (M.P. 335.4). Since Caliente received color lights a year or two ago, K.P. only arrived on site this time for a single purpose! To see if the burnt out diode light was still burnt out or if it had been replaced. (Two photos previously shown)
Well, it had been fixed!
Continued in Section F
Part III, Section “D” (of A-F)
We now arrive at a view of CP SP331 ILMON (M.P. 330.6), where two-tracks begin again southward to Caliente.
Color lights are invading here too.
Part III, Section “C” (of A-F)
A couple of more miles south is CP SP328 BENA (M.P. 328.1). A northward view:
Main 2’s signal is of the red over type.
The switch at Bena in SP days was a wye type, but UP has a certain abhorrence to wye switches and traded it out for a traditional right hand turnout. Because of that, northbound trains normally now take the turnout route with a red over green (of less).
Just above, in an odd twist, UP installed the switch here with THREE switch motors, two for the points area, and one for the frog.
Part III, Section “B” (of A-F)
Forty years ago the signals here were on a signal bridge, and helpers were staged at the site. Then a gigantic flood came, and washed the signal bridge away and much track. Target mast signals replaced the signal bridge, and something must have happened to the left mast as what is erected there now is a color light signal.
The highest display that left Main 2 signal can display is yellow over yellow, for turning into the Main ahead in the transition from two-tracks to single-track.
The right signal only governs straight track ahead, hence, the replacement color light does not have a lower head for southbound movements, but such for northbound movements (towards the camera).
Part III, Section “A” (of A-F)
We now go a few miles southbound to a set of intermediate mast signals …
… at the bottom of a brief lowering in this hilly area …
… with a straightaway thereafter.
Part II, Section “J” (of A-J)
Beyond Quantico to Sandcut
The south side signals, old and new:
A final view:
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Continued in Part III: “The Bena, Ilmon, and Caliente Areas” to be posted by 8:00 A.M. (Pacific Time) on Friday, January 17, 2014, but may be posted up to 11 hours earlier.
Part II, Section “I” (of A-J)
More southbound views from Neumarkle Rd., (M.P. 324.85):
Continued in Section J
Part II, Section “H” (of A-J)
We now reach CP SP325 SANDCUT (M.P. 325.0) where a universal crosser is location, the present transition point between “Double Track” and “Two-Tracks.” A southward view:
One of the crossovers was being worked on.
Continued in Section I
Part II, Section “G” (of A-J)
We continue moving southeastward on Edison Highway, and pass a spot of non-grade crossing intermediates.
Continued in Section H
Part II, Section “F” (of A-J)
Looking northbound at Comanche Rd.:
Looking southbound: The new number plated (turned inward presently) signals.
Continued in Section G
Part II, Section “E” (of A-J)
Looking southbound from Comanche Rd. are new intermediate signals:
The Comanche Rd. grade crossing and a long deleted old signal’s base that apparently was relocated here, for aerials do not show it.
Part II, Section “D” (of A-J)
Heading south, we observe track maintenance equipment.
At a private road a bit to the southeast, northbound views:
From that private road still, looking southbound:
Part II, Section “C” (of A-J)
A northbound passes the private Giumarra Vineyard Rd.:
Looking northbound, a manual crossover … with a strange twist (a missing rail-frog section):
Part II (of I-VI), Section “B” (of A-J)
We now move southward to the community of Edison, CA.
A southbound view from the private Giumarra Vineyard Rd. at M.P. 319.58:
The new, left signal above sometime previously had a strange encounter with an unknown something.
Part II (of I-VI), Section “A” (of A-J)
At Morning Drive, M.P. 317.57, looking southbound with new color lights erected by the grade crossing:
Just above, in the background, is a left track Automatic Block Signal (ABS) for “Double Track” which will soon give way to the new signals of “Two-Tracks.”
A southbound telephoto: Note the spacing of the current, old intermediate signals.
Years and years ago the ABS signal spacing was much different, and one could look and see back then the signals a half a mile apart alternating between sides all the way into the distance.
I wonder what the reason was behind the installation of a tall entrance signal in the first place, and then its replacement with a shorter mast. Other than standardization for its own sake, is there some chance that the signal on the taller mast could be confusing to a train crew?
John Timm
KP- Great pictures of Bakersfield. Brings back fond memories of when I lived in Bakersfield (1970-72). Did you have lunch at the Wool Growers Cafe? As I remember it was a great place to get great Basque food.
Part I, Section “G” (A-G)
Bakersfield to Quantico
A final thought for this area …
Looking back northbound, the new, right color light signal is in the switching track alignment.
One use to hear on the scanners mainline trains all the time picking up or setting out cars and much yard movement use to take place. The lack of that now has caused the track with the signal in it not to be used anymore.
So much setout and pickup traffic is now contracted out that the future of the Bakersfield Yard seems in question.
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Continued in Part II: “Beyond Quantico to Sandcut” to be posted by 8:00 A.M. (Pacific Time) on January 15, 2014, but may be posted up to 11 hours earlier.
Part I, Section “F” (A-G)
At Quantico (pronounced quan-TEE-coh as in cola, M.P. 315.0) at the south side of the UP yard, is a signal bridge. The view looks northbound.
Northbound from up on the Oswell Street overpass:
That Oswell Street overpass is a nice, safe place passing vehicle-wise to photograph from, as the sidewalk has a protective concrete barricade walling.
A southbound view:
Part I, Section “E” (A-G)
A few more north side southbound views:
From the southeast side of the CP, looking northbound:
Just above, the left signal is for an industrial track that wyes off; the three headed color light signal is for the present northbound Main 2, with a third, lower green lit head for a BNSF routing. Left of it, for Main 1, almost in the same visual alignment, is a mainline pot signal.
Part I, Section “D” (A-G)
This is Kern Jct., where the BNSF curve-cuts into the UP. Views are BNSF eastbound / UP southbound, and from the northwest side of the CP
A westbound look at the branching off BNSF tracks to Fresno.
Part I, Section “C” (A-G)
Some yard engines and a railroad police white caboose.
More yard trackage:
The old Bakersfield depot and a remote control operations warning sign:
Part I, Section “B” (A-G)
A few years ago on the west side of Casa Grande, AZ on UP’s Sunset Route a tall two-bulb “entrance signal” was erected. It did not conform to the norm height-wise for entrance signals.
It soon was traded out to a shorter two-bulb signal typical of entrance signals.
If the last photo in Part I is an entrance signal, undoubtedly it will be traded out also to a more conforming height.
Back in Bakersfield, CA, a southbound view from Baker Street:
Part I (of I-VI) , Section “A” (A-G)
On Monday, December 30, 2013 K.P. took advantage of an unexpected opportunity to visit Tehachapi Pass from sunup to sundown, and saw the early two-tracking cut-work between Walong and Marcel sidings. This report will be on a railroad north to south basis, and will start in Bakersfield by the old Southern Pacific depot on Baker Street.
All the above switches are of the manual, hand throw type. The right signal (just above) has no number plate, hence, is an automatic absolute.
The new, not activated yet two-bulb signal appears to be a tall, future “entrance signal.”
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