Update as of Monday, May 26, 2014
Perris Valley Line Happenings
Part “B” (of A-F)
Just south of Nuevo Rd. a nice lengthy stack of concrete ties were staged, the long line only separated by electric poles.
A west side eastward perspective: There are even more ties out of view on the right.
Continued in Part C
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 “C” (of A-F)
The curve coming into the north end of the old town of Perris had a bunch of ribbon rail trackside.
Just south of that final curve before downtown Perris, another group of ties were staged.
Those ties were staged right by a public park-like scene, with a public roadway right next to them.
Continued in Part D
Part “D” (of A-F)
Some close-ups:
Continued in Part E
Part “E” (of A-F)
More close-ups:
K.P. went a little hog wild taking pictures of the ties, but seldom does an opportunity arise for close-ups.
Continued in Part F
Part “F” (of A-F)
K.P. is pretty sure a tie guard does not live in the house overlooking the tracks. A railfan is possible, but since railfans don’t usually have enough money to walk around with $100 bills stuffed in their pockets and falling out behind them, probably the chap that lives here is not a railfan …
That park with giant flowers is almost trackside. The old AT&SF line now heads southeast.
Nothing seemed to be happening construction-wise towards the end of the line in the distance, not too far from the I-215 bridging on the distant left.
One last view, of something K.P. had not expected.
Since it was the Memorial Day Holiday, the Orange Empire Railway Museum was running trolley equipment almost into downtown Perris under their strung catenary, almost to the junction with the Perris Valley Line.
So, that is what is currently happening with the Perris Valley Line.
Thank you K.P. for the update! Now, we wait for those ties to be used.
K. P. Harrier Update as of Monday, May 26, 2014 Perris Valley Line Happenings Part “D” (of A-F) Some close-ups: Continued in Part E
K.P.,
I note in your photos that the ties were produced by the CXT tie division of L.B. Foster, as are the ties being used on the UP Sunset Route project. Out of idle curiosity, I wonder if they came from the Tucson plant that both of us have photographed in the past.
John Timm
Update as of Saturday, May 7, 2014
The Future Stop at Marlborough Ave.
Riverside, CA
Part I (of I-III)
At Marlborough Ave., only about a mile or so from the BNSF mainline to the north, construction equipment is now present, in a large fenced area.
The lead construction company is ACE (with red painted equipment), the same company that has done a lot of work for Union Pacific on the Sunset Route, and has the big I-215 Freeway widening contract very nearby. In that freeway project, a BNSF railroad bridge is being replaced with larger truss bridges.
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-III)
A sign identifies the project as with the Perry Valley Line.
Above, note all the large rocks in the background.
There are poles and piles of such rocks here and there.
Such rocks are now across the street shoring up Union Pacific’s Riverside Industrial Lead track, in the M.P. 544 area.
Above, the slanted track in the background is the future Perris Valley Line. What a steep grade (rightward) station stopped trains will encounter when starting outbound!
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-III)
Makeshift water connections are by Marlborough Ave.
Above, the future Perris Valley Line is across the view about midway up, especially discernable on the right.
A whole bunch of boulders are by the Perris Valley Line itself, and that newly put up Microwave tower on railroad property.
A whole bunch of rocks has been put by a rather new derail installation, presumably to prevent wayward cars from enter the fenced property at the bottom of the track embankment.
K.P. traveled much of the future Perris Valley Line, and nothing overly stood out as new construction, except this area by Marlborough Ave.
Continued in Second Section
Second Section
By the new BNSF truss bridge sections was a big red, ACE contractor owned (or at least leased) crane.
When its use for by those truss bridges is finished, K.P. wonders if it will conveniently be used in heavy duty projects for the nearby Perris Valley Line. Time will tell.
Update as of Friday, August 22, 2014
The Two Eastern Stops
Perris, CA
Part “A” (of A-C)
A number of months ago this grade crossing electrical box photo was posted here. The location was in the southeastern part of Perris.
It had no ownership markings. Most grade crossing boxes on the Perris Valley Line referred people to a BNSF hotline number if there was a grade crossing problem, like gates down, etc.
Metrolink has since put its sticker on the box.
The old flashers are still in place.
But, there is a sign in place as evidence something will change soon.
You may recall there is a like sign by Marlborough Ave. in Riverside, near where the BNSF San Jac Line and the UP Riverside Industrial Lead used to cross.
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (of A-C)
A bunch of Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) is now along the southeast end on the line.
A few pieces of heavy grading equipment are now at the site (far right).
Over in downtown Perris, concrete ties are now stacked up by the transit mall, by the future downtown Perris stop.
Part “C” (of A-C)
The yellow line suggests that the Perris Valley Line will have a new track put in.
Above, the old track may remain too, and CTC’ed so freights that pass may be away from waiting passengers. Or, maybe an additional concrete platform will be put in. But this is only conjecture. Conjecture too is that Metrolink trains will not tie-up for the night here, but go straight through to the South Perris end of the line
The transit mall is service by Riverside Transit Agency buses, spiffy new ones.
All the previous RTA buses seemed to have all disappear en masse all at once.
The new buses have 5-digit numbers.
With a number like that, are transit officials expecting hundreds of Metrolink trains needing thousands of feeder buses? The Perris Valley Line is supposed to be a single-track line, so hundreds of trains seem unlikely. But, a bus with a 5-digit number makes one wonder …
This will end the three part series.
K.P., I thought I read somewhere that a maintenance facility would be constructed at the South Perris station, but a cursory search of Google gives no clue.
mvs (8-29):
About a “maintenance facility” at South Perris … It seems I read something about that once too, but everything is blending together and not distinctive in my mind. But, such a South Perris facility wouldn’t strike me as prudent. There has been some ‘fork’ talk, a line forking off from Perris and extending to Hemet, as well as another fork to Murrieta where the I-15 and I-215 Freeways come together. So, in the long run a maintenance facility in the Perris area might not fit in nor be practical.
Long range I see someone trying to lay track between Murrieta (on a Perris Valley Line fork extension) and Oceanside, partially over the old, long abandoned California Southern route. If that ever happened, the joint maintenance facility with the Coaster people in the Oceanside area …
Coaster in San Diego
… would seem to make a choice of Perris for maintenance look not wise.
A commuter car at the end of the line in Perris needing urgent maintenance could simply be moved to the Colton maintenance facility in the San Bernardino area.
If you find anything on all this, please let us know.
Take care,
K.P.
Signals Have Arrived!
The Perris Valley Line is currently having both Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) and Automatic Block Signals (ABS) installed.The above mast signal is probably a half mile north of Nuevo Rd. in Perris, along the I-215 Freeway.Track is being laid also, though at the above signal’s CP the track has NOT been laid and is incomplete. At this point in time it appears (“appears”) that at the above signal’s CP that the higher speed Metrolink commuter trains will take, unbelievably, the turnout route!On Friday, October 24, 2014 K.P. was in Riverside County and on a few periods of free time was able to check out much of the Perris Valley Line’s construction, which has taken on a more visible, substantive pace. An assessment report should be forthcoming within a week.
K. P. HarrierThe Perris Valley Line is currently having both Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) and Automatic Block Signals (ABS) installed....snip...Track is being laid also, though at the above signal’s CP the track has NOT been laid and is incomplete. At this point in time it appears (“appears”) that at the above signal’s CP that the higher speed Metrolink commuter trains will take, unbelievably, the turnout route!
Seeing signals on the Perris Valley Line is an accomplishment in itself!
I'm very surprised that ABS would be in effect on the Perris Valley Line. Equally surprised that the fast trains would have to take the turnout route. I think it would be worth the extra $$$ to have two upgraded main tracks through there.
Memo to mvs (10-25):Technically, the Perris Valley Line will be only Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) with intermediate signals between CP’s. The comment about Automatic Block Signals (ABS) was composed somewhere around 3 A.M. when K.P.’s brain circuits weren’t working so hot … Got the picture?Concerning the regular route being the turnout route near downtown Perris … That is what it presently looks like it will be. That could change, but track and ballast seems to suggest the turnout option is the way it will be.A construction supervisor I talked to said the line along I-215 was going to have a speed limit of 55 M.P.H. I had thought it would be much faster, but I guess planners of the rebuilt I-215 Freeway had no concept the line would someday have commuter trains on it, hence, routed some track around on and off ramps instead of routing the freeway around those on and off ramps.Even at 55 M.P.H., the turnout route might be that way to cue outbound engineers that the Perris stop is around the curve and it is time to slow down. Unfortunately, the new signals won’t be set up as Union Pacific’s higher speed signals, i.e., a RED OVER green to go BOTH ways through a turnout. Outbound through the turnout route will only have a single head signal, as with green, and the engineer will have to know there is a turnout ahead and to go through it at the appropriate turnout speed.Anyway, until the actual switch is brought to the site and installed, we are dealing with an element of uncertainty.Take care,K.P.
A South Perris to Riverside Review
On Friday, October 24, 2014 K.P. was in the Perris area, with a lot of free time here and there that allowed him to document much of the Perris Valley Line construction. In organizing a presentation for the forum, thirteen parts had been composed, with probably seven more to be work-up. Then the drastic change in the TRAINS Magazine forums occurred, a change to the negative. Thus, only a few significant highlights will be presented, in only three parts, in light of the difficulty that posting has become …
Part 1 (of 1-3)
The South Perris station, by Case Rd., is now having construction activity take place thereat.
From Perris Blvd. in the Case Rd. area, looking inbound at the new track that replaced the old one:
Now on the north side of downtown, at San Jacinto Ave., looking south towards the transit mall in the upper right distance. A new track’s alignment closer to the platforms is partially graded.
Continued in Part 2
Part 2 (of 1-3)
Several blocks north of the Nuevo Ave. overpass a short gap in the new track laying exists, and signals have been erected.
On the Nuevo Rd. Bridge, looking north, those above signals’ CP (whatever it will be identified as) appears to be an unusual CP, in that the Metrolink trains will take the turnout route, at least it looks that way at this point in time.
There is now an intermediate signal (left) south of Placentia Street, the first overpass north of Nuevo Rd. The track and future alongside track now jog there.
After conversing with a supervisor near downtown Perris that said the Metrolink speed limit on the tracks along the paralleling I-215 Freeway would be 55 M.P.H., it was thought that motorists on the freeway have a 65 M.P.H. limit, and may snub their noses at slower Metrolinks. On the other hand, Metrolink passengers will sail right by the gridlocked Highway 60 / I-215 interchange …
Continued in Part 3
Part 3 (of 1-3)
In Riverside now, in the Box Springs Canyon area, from the steeply graded and angled Blaine Street grade crossing …
… residential walling is seen as having been put up.
Those above views had a north side perspective. The south walling (behind the camera) is not in yet, but is only in the early stages of being put up
Somewhere near the junction with the BNSF, a train heading towards Perris got ‘stabbed,’ i.e., blocked by construction on the line, and it had to ‘cut a grade crossing’ and wait and wait.
In the area of the junction with the BNSF, and traversing northward on Iowa Ave. over the BNSF, it was seen that NO transition curving or switch connection with the BNSF had been made yet.
This will conclude the series.
------
As of the date of this posting, K.P. expects again to be in the Perris Valley Line (PVL) area sometime between Friday and Sunday, November 7-9, 2014, but no specific arrangement has been set in stone yet. It is unfortunate that now that things are getting interesting on the PVL construction-wise, the TRAINS Magazine forums have taken a drastic turn for the worst. K.P. will thus do little documenting the scene this upcoming trip, unless something is found overly interesting …
....It is unfortunate that now that things are getting interesting on the PVL construction-wise, the TRAINS Magazine forums have taken a drastic turn for the worst. K.P. will thus do little documenting the scene this upcoming trip, unless something is found overly interesting …
Have fun with your trains
vsmith (11-6):
‘Works or not depending on the weather’ … Hmmm … Sounds like you might have your Internet via DirecTV satellite instead of a landline.
For months I’ve not had a hookup problem. But, the TRAINS forum has given me convulsions of late.
Jeffhergert came up with something that works, though it is a chronic nuisance to do, i.e., ‘refreshing’ the editing post page each use, and all function button that go missing reappear.
I see the writing on the wall, though, with there now being no ‘search’ ability. So, the inclined is to just give up now.
Best,
Nope, landline, its the site since the 'upgrade', most definetly. When it works - its fine, but some of the time I go to post and all I get is the spinning wheel, this especially happens when I try to edit something. Then sometimes the dialog box opens up, but my cursor/keyboard/everything is frozen out, or only the box opens but none of the tools/options open, just the twitterish box and I can only post text. Then I come back later and its fine! It gets exasperating at times.
Thank you for the great updates here and with the bridge work in Riverside. Isn't it nice to see tangible progress on the Perris Valley Line?
mvs (11-9):
Yes, it is great to finally see tangible construction progress on the PVL.
Friday, November 7, 2014, I was dispatched to deep within Riverside Country with none of the regular free time by the PVL. On I-215 between the I-215 / Highway 60 junction and Perris I did see a couple of construction works high up on one of those new intermediate signals, likely wiring that one up.
Unexpected Sighting: Can Any Trucker Share His
Knowledge?
This MAY OR MAY NOT involve the Perris Valley Line.
Circumstances developed very quickly, and on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 K.P. found himself southbound on the I-15 Freeway in Cajon Pass in an atmosphere where seemingly half the vehicles were 18-wheelers and the other half were autos, with extreme bunching with everybody moving about 40 M.P.H with the I-15 / I-215 interchange in Devore just a few miles ahead. Suddenly the No. 4 lane was blocked because a couple of guys had stopped and were looking for something in the trunk … In all this there were three flatbed 18-wheelers that I passed, their loads being lengthy new rails! K.P. has heard the maximum legal length of a truck trailer is 48-feet. The rails extended maybe 15 to 20 feet beyond with the obvious red flag on the end. (Can any trucker share the technical legal details on this for us?)
K.P. originally thought that those rail carrying 18-wheelers were heading to the Perris Valley Line, but they followed I-15 to an unknown destination. Anybody know where such lengths are currently being utilized at?
The Class I railroads have track laying machines (and use them very often on their tens of thousands of miles systems) …
Union Pacific laying a second mainline by Salton Sea, CA in 2012
… but contractors for such small entities as Metrolink for their Perris Valley Line probably find owning such machines totally impractical and cost prohibitive.
A never before posted photo of a short section of the new track in Perris
It is hoped the forum found something enlightening and educational in K.P.’s experience.
K. P. HarrierK.P. originally thought that those rail carrying 18-wheelers were heading to the Perris Valley Line, but they followed I-15 to an unknown destination. Anybody know where such lengths are currently being utilized at?
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! ***
Driving Over the Iowa Ave. Overpass
I drove over the Iowa Ave. overpass Saturday afternoon, November 15, 2014, and it was noted that the WEST connection between the BNSF Transcon and the Perris Valley Line was graded. The east connection, to BNSF’s San Jac Line, did NOT seem to have a corresponding grading.
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