What is happening to the Signals?
Part II (of I-V)
The signals along the I-40 Freeway were basically the same as at Vaughn, NM. At Winslow, AZ, however, there were partially the old type and some converted types. The below views are from July 12, 2014.
Above, ALL those 2014 signals at CP WEST WINSLOW the three lamps have one hood-like covering.
Continued in Part III
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 I (of I-V)
This past trip K.P. noticed upon reaching the southern Transcon at Vaughn, NM from El Paso, TX that the signals in Vaughn were different than in California …
… in that the hoods were not full, as with the below west side of CP DAGGETT signal bridge in Daggett, CA.
Continued in Part II
KP, I have never heard of a "100 year plan" until you introduced it. Regarding the Southern Transcon I feel confident that there is, and has been for some time, a plan to expedite trains as each dispatcher sees that need at a given time. With CTC in place and 50 MPH crossovers between Main 1 and Main 2 this is accomplished. I have witnessed it between Seligman and Belen over several years with many days having 100 plus trains, including Amtrak #'s 3 and 4.
The Transcon east from Belen operates the same way albeit constrained by several problems that are gradually being solved (Abo Canyon, Vaughn, Pecos River crossing, etc. This has been the "Plan" which I have observed since we put Williams-Crookton into operation on 12-19-1960.
diningcar (4-25): The 100 Years Bias Plan
First off, there is no 100 years bias plan, at least as far as I know. But, historical events and circumstances have to make one wonder.
For clarification, in Cajon Pass in Southern California, the line is left biased. Eastbound trains tend to be routed on Main 1 (of 3 tracks).
(So, between Cajon and Summit, Main 1 is generally used for eastbound trains, while Main 2 is used for westbound trains. Mains 1 and 2 are on a 2.2% grade. Main 3 is the shorter, original 3.0% line.)
Near Frost (or Victorville), the biases change from left running to right running because of the “natural crossover” at M.P. 39.1.
In Steinheimer’s great 1970’s Cajon Pass feature article in TRAINS, because of the way the then new Barstow Classification Yard was oddly built, the west side eastbound access to the yard was via Main 1, the westbound track. Steinheimer theorized that the “natural crossover” (at M.P. 39.1) near Frost would be eliminated. That would be a smashing success IF (“if”) the three areas of paired track had a track built alongside them, including in the Kingman, AZ area. That would make the BNSF line completely left biased from Los Angeles to beyond Belen, NM, and I don’t know how much farther east it would go. Somehow I wonder if that is the great master plan. It might take a hundred years to do, but maybe that is the plan …
In other matters, diningcar, do you (or anyone else) know on the southern Transcon what the biases are all the way to Chicago, now that it is all almost two-tracks all the way?
Best,
K.P.
Question about bias running. Seem to recall there was a bridge over the Mississippi river that had just bias running. Read somewhere that rail on the bridge would creep and would have to remove some rail at one end and place some on other end.
Does this occurr on regular rail now that rail anchors are used ?
KP & others: Your observations at Kingman are similar to mine because of the very steep (short) grade WB on track 1, while the more moderate ascending grade on track 2 is much longer for reasons explained by PNWRMNM. On Cajon there is one alinement (track ?) that has a lessor EB ascending grade and that is the logical choice for EB trains although the two other tracks may be used but probably for lighter trains.
KP,
May I suggest that you are spending a lot more effort than necessary on "biased running", April 24 A-D.
The modern dispatcher seeks to move his trains as quickly as possible given today's traffic and today's maintenance of way activities. That is the only hard and fast rule.
The former ATSF across Arizona was originally single track, then double track, and is now generally two main tracks. The double tracking was done ca. 1901-1920 as I recall. By definition, double track features movements with "the current of traffic". Block signals were installed to protect trains movine in only one direction on each track and trains normally ran with the current of traffic, that is, in the direction that the engineer could see the signals. Operating against the current of traffic was possible, but generally involved train orders and either the crew threw its own switches, or a trainman called off the extra board specifically called to handle the switches did so under the dispatcher's direction. This was slow and awkward. After the ICC imposed speed limits related to signals, operating against the current of traffic was slower than with the current.
Today, with two main tracks both main tracks are signalled for movement in both directions. In general, the only penalty for using the former "wrong main" is delay caused by movement through the crossovers at less than main track speed, that is, not much. 2 MT provides greater capacity than DT since it elimiated the cost and time penatly imposed by operating against the current of traffic under DT.
When the line was double tracked, the opportunity to seek out less steep routes was presented. Where a significant improvement could be made at a "low enough" marginal cost, a new line would be built. If the new line had to pass over the old, and then pass back, it was done. Remember this is in DT days with current of traffic and the new line was intended to handle ascending trains, increasing train size over the subdivision for any given power in the process.
Where such low grade lines are still in service they introduce a directional bias ONLY IF trains are not adequately powered to ascend on the old line. Some low grade lines may limit some trains, but I suspect most do not, since trains today tend to be powered for the worst climb they will see, and this particular grade may or may not be the worst, or all trains are powered sufficiently to make the grade on the old line to avoid dispatching constraints.
There may be factors that tend to enforce a bias at terminals, that is the yard is on one side of the main tracks. Odds are however that there is a set of universal crossovers just beyond each end of the yard.
My point is that today there are no longer many physical factors to enforce a bias. As a matter of routine I suspect the dispatchers prefer right hand running, tempered by the effort and delay required to enforce it if the railroad happens to be running left handed for some reason. It is certainly best to keep all west trains on one track and all east on the other to avoid the constant crossover moves that random dispatch would create. That said, trains get crossed over all the time for overtakes and becuase one of the main tracks is out of service. If a main track is out of service for a 8 hours or more, some low priority trains may be held out of the work area, or trains may be fleeted, that is all run in one direction for an extended period of time.
Mac
K.P., you can get a one-stop ticket from ONT to MSP on Southwest. Then head to St. Paul and visit Dayton's Bluff to photo-shoot the BNSF, CP and UP yards. Then head west and stop at Minneapolis Junction to check out 261. After that, head north and stop at Northtown Yard in North Minneapolis. Then take US Highway 10 all the way to Fargo pretty much alongside the BNSF two track main. In North Dakota the paired track is a little more challenging to follow but generally can be followed on main roads.
Another option is to follow BNSF down the Mississippi to Illinois all the way to Galesburg. There is some awesome scenery, and some great places right on the river to get a great burger, watch the tow boats on the Mississippi and the CP across the river, and literally be within yards of the BNSF twin mains as the BNSF trains roll by. And roll they do - this is the former route of the Twin Cities Zephyrs and you will be up close to rolling thunder, pedal to the metal railroading.
diningcar (4-24): Biases Roulette
Say a third trick dispatcher has had a relatively good day, and the 15 trains on his territory are all right running. The first trick dispatcher takes over, and a few trains are made to be left running to get around slower ones. The DS sees he has to get those left running trains back to right running ones because a fleet of right running trains are coming the other way. So, on and on it goes. Even the next dispatcher takes over, but sees he has 30 trains to deal with. He has no time to make all the trains left running just to flex the circuits. So, observers see most of the trains run right handed most of the time, and then SOMEONE coins the expression the line is right biased …
Hey, diningcar, I passed through Kingman, AZ this past trip, which to me is a right biased territory, as most of the trains I’ve seen over the years run on the right track in both directions. I got stopped by a westbound on the west side of town, and of all things, it was LEFT running! As the train kept and kept passing, a track machine zipped by eastbound on the other track, it also being left running. I immediately concluded there was track work to the west on Main 1 so that was why the westward train passing was on Main 2. I finally got across the grade crossing, and eastwardly paralleled the tracks a bit, and saw another westbound on Main 2 was coming to a stop at the red intermediate signal.
The signal went yellow, but the train didn’t budge, and waited for a flashing yellow …
… and then headed west.
Except for that day and one on a previous trip, all the trains I’ve ever seen in the Kingman area have been right running. If all tracks are open and operative, I think dispatchers just don’t have time to flip a coin to decide if the day should be left running or right running. They just tend of follow the seemingly eternal flow of traffic that tends to be on a traditional side.
It was NOT mentioned in the ‘Sunset Route Two-Tracking Updates’ thread, but when I was very near El Paso, TX this trip, I stopped right by the border with Mexico and talked with a border patrol officer. And, a westbound UP came (right to left photo travel).
That westbound train was unbelievably on Main 2. Of the numerous years that I’ve been to El Paso and photograph trains on the great river crossing bridges, every westbound train has been on the Main 1 bridge, and all eastbound trains were on the Main 2 bridge. But, obviously, the Main 2 bridge saw the above westbound boxcar train! I wish I could have been by those bridges and seen and photographed that!
This past trip I had numerous trying times with the clock and lodging, the likes of which has never been seen before. I missed Abo Canyon, so would like to get back that way and see the super limited spot where that two-tracking can be seen.
What you say, diningcar, is in principle true, but the reality is, at least from my repeated observations, there tends to be what I call biases.
This last trip gave me a bug for travel, and I’m itching to get back to Arizona and New Mexico and the southern Transcon. But, the debate that is raging in me now is possibly going all the way up to North Dakota and nearby states to see the two-tracking of the northern Transcon for myself. The Pacific Northwest is tempting too. There is a need to reason everything out very carefully on my part …
Take care,
KP, there is no "permanent" bias running on the southern Transcon between Barstow and Belen although as you have noted there was in the past. Yes, on a given day at a location an occasional observer will see all EB's on one track and all WB's on the other; that same observer on a different day may see just the opposite.
The wonderful observation location on the old Route 66 overpass at West Winlow which you and many others choose can be deceiving unless one knows the history of the second main construction now approaching 100 years ago. The second main was constructed with modern (at that time) equipment and methods with the objective, in addition to obvious objective, to reduce grades and curviture from that which was built with 'state of the art methods and tools' in the 1880's.
The prevailing grade west from Winslow is accending all the way to the Arizona Divide west of Flasgstaff even though in the photos you have furnished indicate a decending grade, but just for a short distance. Actually with today's operations that accending eastward grade approaching West Winslow is an asset as the 70 MPH trains must decellatate for the crew change location about one mile east.
But the EB's may approach West Winslow on either track as fits the dispatchers then current needs to expedite the priority trains. That is also true at East Winslow where (now a different dispatcher) EB and WB trains may enter or leave East Winslow on either track to satisfy that dispatchers current priorities. This is how CTC works and why a dispatcher may cross any train from one track to the other and then back again; and is why an observer may see a train holding short of a control point so the dispatcher may accomplish his priorities.
Apparently, BNSF doesn’t see a Complication …
… as a Complication
Winslow, AZ … and a Thought about up North
Part “D” (of A-D)
The northern Transcon K.P. knows little about, but he envisions a great portion of it is single-track. Anytime a second track is laid, layers (probably more accurately designers) are confronted with which side should the new track be laid on, to the right or to the left? In many cases the current side dictates. Occasionally, though, the new track would be better off on the other side, such as right biased running reaching a point where left biased running would be more beneficial. In that case what should those designers do?
Early double-trackers (like a century ago) so often used a flyover of some sort to change sides. BNSF calls some flyover arrangements a ‘natural crossover.’ Again, we go back to Arizona and Santa Fe’s 1959-60 line relocation. The now gone Santa Fe eastbound track went over the now gone westbound track maybe 10 miles west of Ash Fork, AZ and east of Seligman.
But, as discussed above, in the last 70 years or so railroads seemed to think avoiding such bridges was the better way to go, hence, situations like in Winslow, AZ developed. Undoubtedly, in the back offices of BNSF all the two-tracking on the northern Transcon they pretty much know what they want to do, and where (if any) places flyovers or CTC bias change arrangement would get one side’s normal orientation over to the other side’s orientation.
That is one issue probably most railroaders and railfans haven’t thought much about.
This will end this planned series. However, K.P. hopes to put together a short series on an apparently (“apparently”) recent development with signals, and Winslow, AZ is where K.P. noticed a semi-transition point. More details as soon as K.P. can get to it.
Part “C” (of A-D)
Looking west, that westbound scoots away:
Do you see anything odd about that above photo? I mean really odd? It is hard to see, especially at the above photo’s angle, but if you know anything about the history of the line and after pondering things, something odd just jumps out at one!
Check this photo out, at a better angle.
Trains normally going away from the camera down the grade on the westbound RIGHT track have a less gradient than trains elevating on the steeper LEFT track, totally opposite to and contradictory to normal industry practice! (Absent technical track profile data, K.P. is going by the obvious visual look of things.) Our forum contributor diningcar undoubtedly knew this! He was involved in the big 40 miles or so line relocation effort quite a few miles to the west back in 1959-60. Before that relocation, this line here (in Winslow) was LEFT biased and Automatic Block Signals (ABS) governed, often on cantilevered signal bridging, which means westbound trains normally went down the LEFT steep track, and eastbound trains came UPWARD on the less gradient RIGHT track in the just above photo! The forum can decide whether AT&SF management (“management”) back then was smart or dumb on this. But, with today’s high volume of traffic, it would seem a flyover would be more sensible, and a pay for itself idea. Otherwise, it seems to be a straining the gnat but pound foolish situation, i.e., trying almost everything to cut costs while having on ear deafening gear so they won’t hear a situation yelling at the top of its voice about a waste of money situation!
Whatever … Winslow, AZ is a cool (neat) place to visit, and one can spend time there, even a day or more in a very much enjoyable state of mind just watching all the trains go by.
In a similar situation to the west of the Winslow area is Seligman, AZ (a once crew change point) , where the eastbound track (top) is on a different level than the westbound track (bottom) …
… but the biases in Seligman itself never changed as it did in Winslow, because Seligman was WEST of the once biases change point that was eliminated in the 1959-60 line change reroute. Photos of that are in the next part.
Continued in Part D
Part “B” (of A-D)
K.P. had somehow envisioned BNSF possibly moving the west side interlocking and crossovers west a bit to solve that now ‘too short’ of tracks problem. But, the present plant has presumably new replacement crossovers switches waiting to be installed, even with attached silver switch motors and all.
An overview looking eastbound (and the overpass the photos were taken from):
A westbound comes (from Main 3, background) to Main 1 (foreground, left).
Above, trains make crew relief in Winslow (out of view in the far background), and whatever track is free and / or convenient to use the dispatcher uses.
Continued in Part C
Part “A” (of A-D)
On the southern Transcon at Winslows, AZ is a crew relief point. It is a bit more of a complicated relief point than most in that biases reverse there. To the east normal train operations is left running, but to the west it is right running, though because of CTC any track can be used at any time.
The below diagram is a simplified, key tracks only presentation, with arrows showing the general biases.
.
---------------------------> / / \ / / \<--------------------------------------< \ / / \ / />----------------------------
The basic concept is for eastbounds (left, west side) on the lower diagram track to get over to the uppermost track to continue east (rightward).
That worked fine for 40 trains a day passing through in the past (like 40 years ago), but with 75-100 trains now a big complication arise as trains start getting in each other’s way, especially if a train is so long it hangs into a key interlocking or control point (CP).
The above photos were shot back on July 12, 2014.
As in other places on the BNSF system, trains are often slowed or stopped by other trains in the interlocking ahead negotiating through those CP’s, i.e., crossing over. But, the railroad (and railroads) doesn’t seem to want to do anything to make things better. Why? Managements resist things that cost money AND directly affect THEM. Let’s say, hypothetically, the railroads changed from paying trainmen per mile to an hourly wage. Suddenly, railroad managements everywhere would be confronted by high cost AREAS, and flyovers and bridges would suddenly proliferate as the solution to quickly lower costs, costs that suddenly became forcefully obvious to them.
Continued in Part B
Of the roughly 70 miles which comprise BNSF's "Funnel" between Sandpoint Jct., ID, and Sunset Jct. (Spokane), WA, less than 18 miles are currently single track. No work is currently under way to add second main track at any of these gaps, though plans exist.
Grading through a heavily-wooded area for the 2nd main between Rathdrum and West Ramsey, ID, was begun a year or two ago, but further work there has been suspended. Roadbed is pretty much in place for 2nd main between East Ramsey and Athol, but no current work there either.
Sources have told me that adding a second main along Lake Cocolalla would require the relocation of U.S. Highway 95 to higher ground away from the current rail line and lake shore. Between the difficulty of permitting and actual construction (translation: time), and the fact that it's only a 2.3-mile gap, don't expect to see BNSF bother with that one any time soon.
The gap between Otis Orchards and Irvin, WA, would require massive fill work and construction of a second bridge over the Spokane River. But it would be a very welcome place for having a second main. It's not uncommon to see trains depart Hauser Yard westbound, only to stack up three or four deep from Otis Orchards clear back to the WA/ID state line, waiting for their turn across the Spokane River and through the Parkwater/Yardley terminal area. Not to mention the cloggage that happens when an intermodal train stops on either main at Parkwater to pick up or set out cars at the ramp, backing up traffic for miles in both directions.
Some years ago, the pipe dream among local officials and a few folks in the rail biz was this thing called the Bridging the Valley Project. Details with interactive map here:
http://www.srtc.org/btv.html
A few of BTV's goals have been accomplished in the form of overpasses and crossing closures on BNSF. But the grand idea of closing much of the UP line between Spokane and Athol and shifting that traffic onto a 3rd main parallel to BNSF's proved to be increasingly distasteful to both companies from both a cost and logistics standpoint. The new signals and CTC islands which UP has been adding to its dark/TWC line (not to mention all the PTC poles) northeast of Spokane into Idaho are a pretty good indication they intend to stay on their side of the valley for quite a while.
KhsP, thanks for update pics and info. I have been to summit at night with the light field. Spent several days there during triple tracking. Liked the area off RT66 ai a little stream where locals wIould cool off. UP is just uphill from BNSF there, good photo ops. On the day those runaway freight cars rolled thru Pomona and crashed in Industry, I arrived at the Pomona station 10 min after they went thru, for photo shoot. Its great how free I was to get upclose for pics with no hassle. In Jersey they have fences everywhere to block access. THANX AGAIN, STEVEL
Midland,
Everything west of Athol is relatively open so adding a second main would not involve the major earthworks required east of Athol in the ca. 1965 line change that eliminated about three miles of slow crooked track, and when put second main through in the late 1990's. Deep fills and cuts were required as part of both projects.
Mike F90 on 4-16-16 in this thread said BNSF doing second main between Rathdrum and Athol. That is 11 miles less 2 between East Ramsey and West Ramsey. I did not check BNSF website. BNSF tends to do earth work first summer, let it sit over the winter, and lay track the next summer.
Bruce Kelly lives in the area and I would rate his reports as highly reliable, should he comment.
Thanks Mac. I started following the line on Google Earth from Sandpoint south. I see the long single track bridge across Pend Orielle (it looks like ther is a swing span near the south end, is that still active?) and the single track along the small lake between West Algoma and Cocolalla. However, the 2 mile single track between Athol and East Ramsey seems to be over flat open country, although I recall that one of the other posters indicated that this area thru Rathdrum was planned for double track.
Mike,
As of 2005 trackage on the funnel was as follows, from east to west with MP 0 at the former NP division point of Kootenai.
MP 2.9 ca. 1972 connection to former GN main line, trailing point westward.
MP 3.1 Sandpoint depot.
MP 0.0 to 5.0 East Algoma single track. Includes long bridge over Pend Orielle River.
MP 5.0 East Algoma to MP 14.1 West Algoma 2MT
MP 14.1 West Algoma to MP 16.5 Cocolalla Single track
MP 16.5 to MP 33.5 Athol 2MT with universal crossovers at CP 223 at MP 22.3.
MP 33.5 to MP 36.7 East Ramsey, Single track.
MP 36.7 to MP 38.8 West Ramsey, 2 MT.
MP 38.8 to MP 44.5 Rathdrum Single track.
MP 44.5 to MP 53.9 Otis Orchards 2MT. This segment includes Hauser Yard and Hauser fuel facility MP 45.6 to 49.9.
MP 53.9 to MP 63.0 Irvin single track.
MP 63.0 to MP 71.5 Spokane Depot 2MT. Includes Yardley Yard, Parkwater mechanical facilities, and Erie Street yards with old main between Yardley and Erie Street. Connection to former GN main line to Dean near east end of Erie Street.
2 MT track continues west of depot to single track Latah Creek bridge which connects with the former GN to Wenatchee and the former SP&S to Lakeside Jct (about 10 miles of SP&S). The NP and SP&S lines comprise 2MT, each on a separate right of way.
As to the UP, the local politicans want UP on BNSF through the Spokane Valley. I am unaware that the railroads have any interest in that, but since I do not live in the area I have no idea what anyone is up to. UP has rights on GN from near the east end of Erie Street Yard and over the former SP&S to their connection which is just east of Lakeside Jct.
Filling the Single-Track Gap at Vaughn, New Mexico
Part V (of I-V)
West of the UP Golden State Route is a south side siding, the west end of such is shown here west to east:
All the above photos, aerials, and information was an effort to convey to the forum the new two-tracking in the Vaughn area that took place last year.
A stop was made in Winslow, AZ this trip, and a brief review of that area will be posted in a few days, as well as a comparison in signaling here in the Vaughn area in contrast to the far western part of the southern Transcon will be made.
Part IV (of I-V)
So, EAST of the UP Golden State Route track (that the BNSF bridges over) a north side siding exists, and WEST of that Golden State Route a south side siding exists.
BNSF SOUTHERN TRANSCON VAUGHN, NEW MEXICO EAST OF THE UP GOLDEN STATE ROUTE
TO UP -------- / \ / \ / -------------------- / \ / \---------------------------------------- / \ / \----------------------------------------
The situation WEST of the UP Golden State Route:
BNSF SOUTHERN TRANSCON WEST OF VAUGHN, NEW MEXICO WEST OF THE UP GOLDEN STATE ROUTE
---------------------------------------- \ / \ / ---------------------------------------- \ / \ / -------------
Continued in Part V
Part III (of I-V)
In the downtown Vaughn area, there is a universal crossovers situation with that north siding-like track splicing into Main 1 between the two crossovers.
While the Santa Fe Super Chief and a lot of its colleagues went via Raton Pass, the Oakland-Chicago train was routed through Vaughn. It is unknown if the Vaughn station was a stop or not back then, but high level cars were routed through here.
Continued in Part IV
An impressive CP on the west side of town (east of the new bridging over UP’s Golden State Route) has a look more impressive than it really is. It is only to a north side siding / yard track that is connected into by an un-signaled interchange track between the UP and BNSF.
At Vaughn, New Mexico BNSF’s southern Transcon goes over Union Pacific’s Golden State Route. Previously, in Vaughn the two-track line from the east became single-track for plus or minus 10 miles to the west, where two-tracks resumed and continued west to California. That gap was finally two-tracked last year. The new BNSF bridge over UP’s line:
Above, unlike BNSF’s northern track at Vaughn that goes over a landfill with UP tunneling under it, the new BNSF southern track has a bridging over UP.
Aerials now show that new southern bridge route:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.6030836,-105.2372137,198m/data=!3m1!1e3
In the latter of the above two photos, a westbound UP is stopped on the Golden State Route mainline, and can be seen through the tunnel.
Consistent with all the railroads’ grade crossing elimination efforts, a key road (at least for us) was closed. Looking north on Mesa De Leon Road, a westbound passes:
Look how gleaming and pristine the lead unit of that westbound is!
With that grade crossing closure, if one wants to get to the other side of the tracks, one has to take a circuitous route via the east side of town.
K.P. wonders if that TWO-poled sign had a little too much to drink …
SOUTHERN TRANSCON MISSING DT SUMMARY:
1. Fort Sumner,NM Pecos River Bridge. Plus 2 miles of track west side. Under construction. Finish about Dec 2016
2. Alva,OK Bridge over Salt Fork of Arkansas River plus 1 mile track on west and 2 miles of track on east. Large embankment grade on east side already built with subgradee. (2 years ago). Probably under construction in 2017 but variables with economy and thus traffic and Panama Canal Factors.
3. Second Bridge over Missouri River at Bruckner (Sibley), MO. A real problem. Tight 30mph curve now on west side. Needs new alignment, BUT a. Power Plant in way and B. Homes in Way and C. On east side State Park, State Wildlife Sanctuary, and Federal Bird Sanctuary in way (Jackass). I suspect they are waiting for Coal Power Plant to disband and be torn down and get that land. Very difficult. Think more like 2020
Sum of all of these three is about 7 miles total.
NORTHERN TRANSCON MISSING DT SUMMARY:
1. Still single track Snowden, MT to West Williston, ND. On hold. Oil down, Coal down, grain down.
2. Trevino, WI 1 mile single track, needs bridge that needs environmental permits etc like LaCrosse. Slow, on hold. suspect 2018 or 2019
3. East Winona, WI four miles single track. Grading and ballast mostly in. Widening mostly done. Some rails ready to go. No real land disturbance or bridges. Possibly by fall.
4. Ports, WI Needs second track big bridge over WI River. Suspect 2020 or
2021.
5. Montgomery, IL to Sugar Grove, IL 5 miles DT going in. By November.
kgbw49, thanks. I have another question about the Sandpoint-Spokane funnel, which is apparently mostly single track. Since I understand UP has trackage rights in the Sandpoint area, was here ever consideration to forming a directional running paired trackage line with UP between Sandpoint-Spokane?
MidlandMike, I am in La Crosse intermittently.
The double track project across the wetlands to the south of La Crosse yard and through the golf course was completed and in operation last time I was there in early fall 2015.
On the Northern Transcon, the last I heard about the LaCrosse, WI double tracking project was that it was still being legally challanged. Was that finally completed?
STEVEL (4-15): Route 66
Part II (of I-II)
In Pomona, the old “Second District” passenger line has been severely downgraded and is now owned by commuter interests. But, by the Garey Ave. grade crossing is the site of the new Metrolink system dispatch office.
That office BNSF Transcon trains will never see, as all the southern Transcon trains now go via the old “Third District” to or from Los Angeles.
The reason Transcon trains don’t use that old “Second District” anymore is that in 1994 Southern California experience a big earthquake, and the big, rather spectacular railroad bridge going halfway over to the 210 Freeway in Arcadia was damaged, and reportedly to fix it would cost as much as a new bridge, which because of the nature of its design, was a whopping amount. Santa Fe opted to abandon that line as a thru-route, and used the money it received to two- and triple-track the southern route via Corona (Third District).
A now rather famous “Iconic Bridge” eventually replaced the damaged bridge, but built NOT to heavy freight train standards, so is only limited to light rail traffic.
I hope all this doesn’t make your wife wonder why you have a sudden itch to visit Southern California again … But anyway, if nothing else, this posting two-part series will bring back memories of your past travels along Route 66 and the southern Trancon.
Part I (of I-II)
Your being from New Jersey, I found the word of your past couple of travels out west the last couple of decades or so along Route 66 most fascinating, as this Southern Californian is quite familiar with Route 66 in the western United States. Perhaps to light your fire of things you can relate to, here are a few tidbits about this and past trips of mine along or related to Route 66 …
Back in 1984 somewhere (“somewhere) between Seligman and Peach Springs, AZ my wife and I were eastbound on the old Highway 66 when we saw something we both had never seen before, a big trampoline with people jumping on it in the middle of nowhere, where someone had opened a small general store! We went back, paid our quarters or whatever it was back then, and jumped too for ten minutes! AT&SF trains on the Transcon could easily be seen passing. I returned circa 1999, found the spot, but everything was gone. This past trip, the State had erected a fence along Highway 66 for miles, and the trampoline spot obliterated so it could not be found.
In dusk light, the east interlocking at Peach Springs, AZ was photographed.
The two-tracks and a siding arrangement is used often on the southern Transcon; however, it is unknown if it is used on the northern Transcon two-tracking.
Recently in Cajon Pass (CA), the Summit CP and floodlights to its east was photographed by forum contributor croteaudd and appeared in the “Cajon Pass Triple-Tracking Updates” thread, and is here reproduced in part by quoting his post.
croteaudd
Above, as a New Jersey man, you probably never have personally seen Summit at night with all those security floodlights! But, it is something to see in person!
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.