Update as of May 2, 2015
The Mountain Ave-Buena Vista Rd. Area
Monrovia-Duarte, CA
Part V (of I-VI)
A northward view of the low signals, the right one with a shade covering:
Just to the southeast:
Continued in Part VI
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 (of I-VI)
Note the sign on the left!
An interesting warning sign, looking outbound, east:
Just above, note the two pot-like signals on each side of the tracks.
Continued in Part V
Part III (of I-VI)
An eastward, outbound telephoto:
On the northwest corner of the grade crossing, a building right next to the tracks had construction workers doing something to the building, possibly brick layers. Undoubtedly, none of those workers were railfans, but if they were, what a cool place to work at … and even more so a type place when the Foothill Extension is running in 2016 …
At Mountain Ave., west of Buena Vista Ave. the grade crossing is a swerving one, with additional flashers and crossing gates needed.
Continued in Part IV
Part II (of I-VI)
An eastward view from Buena Vista Ave.:
A northwardish view:
Duarte Road straddles the two-tracks, looking east. The Foothill Extension spared no expense with a multiplicity of flashers and gates.
Continued in Part III
Part I (of I-VI)
The two street areas were visited on the above date, and the crossing gates were in place and flasher lights facing traffic, and presumably working.
The rail tops were basically dull, but one could tell some movements had gone over them.
A heavy telephoto looking west on the inbound track, with a pot-like signal lit in the distance, at Mountain Ave.:
The outbound track (movements towards the camera):
A westward overview from Buena Vista Ave.:
Continued in Part II
An Upcoming Update Report …
As of Saturday, May 2, 2015 …
The Foothill Extension grade crossings at Buena Vista St. (City of Duarte) and Mountain Ave. (the border line between the City of Monrovia and the City of Duarte) were visited on the above date.
Above is a constantly lit new signal just east of Mountain Ave. On the upper right is a lit signal for the spur track related to the new Monrovia maintenance facility.
A photo-report about the findings will be forthcoming in about a week.
Update as of Saturday, February 7, 2015
Part “F” (of A-F)
A Maintenance Facility
Monrovia, CA
Final views:
The facility is easily seen from the eastbound I-210 Freeway lanes if one knows where (and when) to look.
This will conclude the series.
Part “E” (of A-F)
Other views:
Continued in Part F
Part “D” (of A-F)
Most easily found on maps at California Ave. and Duarte Rd. in Monrovia, a maintenance facility has been going in on the property.
Looking south, the Foothill Extension tracks are on the other side of the background walling. Arcadia, Pasadena, and Los Angeles are to the right.
Continued in Part E
Part “C” (of A-F)
Progress by the Arcadia Stop
Arcadia, CA
A well-known light rail supplier:
A stylish sign:
Arcadia put in an attractive stop.
The site was departed from, and a place that hasn’t been cover here before was stumbled across …
Continued in Part D
Part “B” (of A-F)
There are many crossing gate mechanisms.
Continued in Part C
Part “A” (of A-F)
By the Arcadia stop at Santa Clara Street and First Ave., it was found that the catenary was in place, and the grade crossing flashers looked workable. Looking outbound at the rise for going over Huntington Drive and Second Ave.:
(When this right-of-way was owned by the Santa Fe Railway and the Super Chief was supreme, the background left bridge was what was used, and instead of the track shifting as it does today it came straight towards the camera.)
The inbound track at the Arcadia stop with catenary overhead:
Inbound (right) and outbound tracks that rise over Santa Anita Ave. in the background:
The platform still needs to be finished.
Continued in Part B
Catenary and the Iconic Bridge
On Thursday, January 8, 2015 K.P. was dispatched to Los Angeles, the routing also brought him to Hollywood, and thereafter passed under the Iconic Bridge in Arcadia while traveling over the eastbound lanes of the I-210 Freeway. This trip K.P was partially accompanied by L. R. Lawrence that was more than willing to take a few photos of the Iconic Bridge! Thus, three shots in sequence where taken, with an emphasis on the new catenary poles on the bridge:
It did not appear than the actual catenary wires had been strung over the bridge yet, but at least the poles for it are up.
A couple of more pages of photos were posted on the Metro Flickr GL album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolibraryarchive/sets/72157627612864007/
There are some good closeups of rail based construction vehicles. Most of the current work looks related to clearance testing.
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! ***
The small signals are probably crossing signal repeaters to let the train operators know if the grade crossing protection is working. This is fairly common in transit signalling and will most likely show up as a flashing white.
Update as of December 27, 2014
The Foot Extension Construction Status
Part VIII (of I-VIII)
The one-way (southbound only) San Gabriel Ave. crossing devices:
Two eastward views from San Gabriel Ave., looking at the Azusa station stop.
In the last two views above, another signal is seen, just a block from that other one at San Gabriel Ave.
Part VII (of I-VIII)
Coming into Azusa from the west, the BNSF track and signal:
All three tracks are on wider centers to go over the three bridges over Foothill Blvd. in the distance:
Looking east, as above from San Gabriel Ave. (not to be confused with San Gabriel Blvd. west of here) that aligns with Pasadena), a Foothill Extension signal is seen (lower left).
Continued in Part VIII
Part VI (of I-VIII)
Looking east or outbound, an odd place to park a piece of track equipment:
A heavy eastward telephoto:
There are not so many ties stacked up now that much of the line has been laid with track.
Continued in Part VII
Part V (of I-VIII)
At the Highland Ave. stop, the station there is coming together nicely, and catenary is present. Looking west or inbound:
Part IV (of I-VIII)
Looking inbound and the catenary:
Part III (of I-VIII)
We now move over to the Monrovia stop, by the Magnolia Ave. grade crossing, a grade crossing we have not been by before. Looking inbound:
Looking outbound, the Monrovia stop:
A parking structure is by the stop.
Part II (of I-VIII)
On the east side of the Arcadia stop, looking inbound.
Another sign:
Some track equipment was across the street intersection from the Arcadia stop.
Looking outbound, the rise in tracks in the distance is to bridge over Huntington Blvd.
Part I (of I-VIII)
There has been reports that catenary has been strung to power the light rail cars, but as seen here in downtown Arcadia, some (“some”) poles are in place but the wires are not. View looks inbound, with the rise on the right bridging over Santa Anita Ave.
A wider view, with NO power poles:
Just west of the Arcadia stop, looking outbound: A sign (right) for track equipment being tested.
K. P. Harrier Update as of Friday, June 10, 2010: Part A (of A-B) Arcadia was visited, and the site of the future "Iconic Freeway Structure" (bridge) over the 210 Freeway only had, at least from what I could see from the freeway, orange webbing at the east abutment to prevent workers from falling. The Santa Anita Ave. grade crossing was stopped at, but nothing overly obvious was spotted. A westbound view found someone reading on the old track! A June 8, 2009 view (just slightly over two years ago) looking east with spur cars on the photo upper right: All those cars that had been on the spur were now cleared from the line. Continued in Part B
Update as of Friday, June 10, 2010:
Part A (of A-B)
Arcadia was visited, and the site of the future "Iconic Freeway Structure" (bridge) over the 210 Freeway only had, at least from what I could see from the freeway, orange webbing at the east abutment to prevent workers from falling.
The Santa Anita Ave. grade crossing was stopped at, but nothing overly obvious was spotted. A westbound view found someone reading on the old track!
A June 8, 2009 view (just slightly over two years ago) looking east with spur cars on the photo upper right:
All those cars that had been on the spur were now cleared from the line.
That same former Southern Pacitic Business Car was sitting there back when I had an IT Project in Pasedena, CA in the late 1990's but in less sun faded condition. Can't believe it was still there post-2000. They probably found another storage location. Happy I got to see parts of trhe ex-ATSF Super Chief line before most of it was ripped out.
MikeF90 New Youtube video of the inspection trip from Pasadena to Asuza:
New Youtube video of the inspection trip from Pasadena to Asuza:
Yeah, I'll say uncle, I was overly optimistic but it was getting very close to running test trains. Glad to hear they're starting it.
Have fun with your trains
vsmithWell Mike, I will be sure to post here the first time I see test trains running on the new track east of the Madre Station. I'm still betting on trains on track before Turkey Day :-)
I'm still betting on trains on track before Turkey Day :-)
You would have lost that bet, but just. Beginning tomorrow, test trains will be pulled and run on the extension to test clearances and the OCS:
http://www.foothillextension.org/images/uploads/275_12-8-14_thru_12-16-14.pdf
They will have flaggers since some of the grade crossing protection isn't fully tested, at least west of Irwindale. Hate to have some dim bulb motorist smash into a LR vehicle.
BTW some new Alan Weeks photos were posted on the LACMTA Flickr Gold Line album last month:
I think it should go southward first, down to Whittier, then its an easy jump to Brea. Lots of unused ROWs in Fullerton too. Personally I believe eventually both branches will be built. but the low lying fruit is down in Fullerton
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