Update as of Sunday, May 15, 2016
The Second Track is Now Being Laid …
… Between Walong and Marcel!
Part “D” (of A-D)
The south end of the Marcel siding, which will be the south END of two-tracks:
Above, the south end’s PRESENT color light signals are barely visible on the far, lower right. Exactly how things will be track-wise is not clear yet, but reportedly, the switch will be move north about 700 feet, which suggest the siding switch will be just below that top curve in the above photo. Likely, the present siding will be the Main (or Main 1) and present Main the siding, or Main 2, with the turnout route at both ends for new siding or Main 2. Obviously, it is not known yet whether Main 2 will actually be considered Main 2 or the siding, but since there will be intermediate signals, likely the two-tracks will both be called Mains, 1 and 2.
A final Pass view, back north by Tunnel 10:
A Warning!
We prepared well and so there were still packed sandwiches left, but we were now pondering going back a few blocks after passing a local restaurant we had eaten at many times before, but an alarming Tehachapi INTERSECTION situation got our minds totally off food, and the restaurant lost out on some bucks.
One car ran this stop sign. The red stop sign can hardly be seen, and the very close together signs (yellow and red) led us to believe this was a deliberate trap to raise money through traffic ticketing. And, the roadway markings are badly worn, and practically non-visible. Perfect to fool unsuspecting motorists! The intersection is a block east of the downtown Tehachapi main intersection and railroad depot. If you visit Tehachapi, watch out! A ‘running the stop sign’ ticket could ruin an otherwise great railfan day of seeing two-tracking type things …
This will end the series.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
K. P. Harrier
Gas prices here in Arkansas are still under $1.99 @ gallon.
Thanks again for the reporting.
narig01What caught my attention in this picture were the gas prices. YIKES!!
Tehachapi gas prices are a bit higher than Bakersfield, or farther south, usually, sometimes up to a quarter a gallon more. I remember in summer of 2008 we made a trip north and prices there were about $4.50, which was ten cents higher than Bakersfield. Two weeks later when we headed home, it was under $4 in the San Joaquin Valley, but still $4.50 in Tehachapi.
Two weeks ago, the average price we paid in the valley was $2.44 a gallon for regular. (I almost reverted to old habit by referring to "unleaded" regular.) So yes, Tehachapi is high in elevation and gas prices.
I could see back in 2007/08 the economy about to hit the rocks when gas prices spiked at $4.00 a gallon. With many people in California commuting 40 miles or more to work how could people afford to get to work. Especially driving SUV's. Shortly after the trucking industry hit the rocks. (I was an OTR driver going in and on the start of the recovery and watched diesel fuel prices go into orbit).
PS I also remember that Chevron tends to be more expensive than their competitors.
It used to be that the stations on West Valley Blvd (CAL-202) in the vicinity of Woodford-Tehachapi Road were a little less than the downtown stations or the ones at the Tehachapi Blvd/CAL-58 interchange. I'm not sure that is true any more, but I haven't been in that area of town in about 18 months.
In any event, I try to manage my fuel to not need a fill in Tehachapi, though a year ago, it was actually cheaper in Tehachapi than in San Diego. (Go figure!)
Update as of Friday, May 20, 2016
Part I (of I-II)
More Specifics!
A few days ago these two photos where posted, of the track between Walong and Marcel:
Less than an hour ago a source advised that the LEFT base has had a mast signaling erected!
The source also explained that the basic END concept of the TWO sidings that will become two-tracks WILL NOT CHANGE, causing a radial signal arrangement..
MARCEL WALONG
<< < >> 2 >>--------------------------------- >> \ \ \ \ \ \ << --------------------------------- << << > 1 >>
.
Thus, the SOUTHBOUND midway signals between Walong and Marcel on MAIN 1 will display yellow over yellow for turning into single-track, and NORTHBOUND the same will happen on Main 2.
With such an arrangement, it would seem (“seem”) the biases would be southbound (uphill) on Main 1 and northbound (downhill) on Main 2 to lessen the chance of pulling cars into the path of another train if a derailment occurred. But, the concept of two right hand switches goes counter to favoring the “cut” route. We will have to wait and see how the end product is.
ALSO, without seeing the future signals in operation, K.P. envisions an odd quirk surfacing. SOUTHBOUND at Walong routed to Main 1, in theory, a train will get a flashing yellow over red if the track is clear past Marcel. THAT leaves an engineer in the dark as to what is ahead. Will he have a green at Marcel, or a red? He will have to see what the intermediate displays to be sure.
The way around that is having TWO yellow over yellows in a row, but that gets into the exotic zone, and K.P. does not know if such is ever used. A lot of questions to wait for answers on …
The source advised, too, that the track will NOT be shorted at the south end of Marcel, but the north end of Walong will.
Around the Loop We Go
Photographed during the photo session of the last series, a well-known sequence seen often by railroaders and railfans alike:
Continued in Part II
Part II (of I-II)
Around the Loop We Go (Continued)
More photos …
Most (if not all) of the signals of the 4800-feet Walong (seen above) and 6189-feet Marcel sidings will be eliminated, replaced, or relocated. Tying the Walong and Marcel sidings together will be an operating boon, as the 4800-feet Walong siding has always in modern times been a thorn in the side of dispatchers, as most (“most”) trains were longer that the siding, making it basically useless.
This will end the posting.
MWCRV on the Ground!
As K.P. understands it, Thursday, June 2, 2016 the above train somewhere in the Loop area went into emergency, and the conductor walked back, finding 10 cars off the tracks.
UP was quite quick to open the line, with freight cars apparently shoved to the sides.
Reportedly, there is a big backlog of trains to get through the derailment area, as the line was out of service for a number of hours.
K.P. was hoping to visit the site for photos, and document two-tracking signals that have been erected in the Loop-Marcel area, but that fell through when K.P.’s dispatcher said no. So, in lieu of that, hopefully in a few weeks K.P. can get out that way and see what signals have been erected.
K.P., it looks as though you did as I, all too often, do--posted your report of the derailment without carefully reading and correcting errors. I get everything on this forum by email, and I saw that it read "with freight cars apparently loved to the sides." I wondered how that was done. When I brought the forum up, I saw that you had corrected the word from "loved" to "shoved."
Last year, when I was going from New Orleans to Charlotte, we were delayed by a derailment above Gainesville, Ga.--and we heard that the car that had been derailed had been shoved off the track. I wonder what equipment is used for that practice.
Johnny
Contractors have special rigs attached to bulldozers that are used to shove/pull stuff off of the tracks. Some years ago Trains had an article on them with a title something like "Who ya gonna call?"
K. P. HarrierAs K.P. understands it, Thursday, June 2, 2016 the above train somewhere in the Loop area went into emergency, and the conductor walked back, finding 10 cars off the tracks.
This might refer to the same derailment:
http://www.turnto23.com/news/breaking-news/train-hauling-beer-derails-near-tehachapi-loop
Possible cause of the derailment: THIRST
K.P., too bad your 'dispatcher' didn't send you there .....
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! ***
A Quick Trip to Tehachapi!
Saturday, June 11, 2016 a visit to Tehachapi Pass was made to check on the status of the Walong-Marcel two-tracking. The second track has been laid, but still lacks ballast. The midway signals are both up now, but others that are needed still have not been erected or even brought to their intended sites.
That derailment aftermath by the Loop is slow (really slow) in being cleaned up.
A photo report on the Tehachapi two-tracking will be posted in a few days.
Update as of Saturday, June 11, 2016
Walong-Marcel
Part “A” (of A-D)
The Midway Point and Tunnel 10
Both new intermediate signals midway between Walong and Marcel are erected, but the newly laid track has not received ballast yet.
Continued in Part B
Part “B” (of A-D)
The Loop Area
A northbound (westbound) BNSF circles the loop downhill.
Because K.P. was NOT focused on the Loop this visit, a specific telephoto photo(s) was not taken of the new signals at the north end of Walong (LAST above photo, BY the BNSF engine), so we divert slightly and tap a photo or two from the May 16, 2016 visit.
Continued in Part C
Part “C” (of A-D)
The north end of Walong (last photo above as mentioned above) was photograph the previous visit and the new, un-activated mast signals both have TOP three-lamp heads. (See photo center)
So, the old switches (at the north end of Walong and south end of Marcel) likely will remain in place and not be upgraded to a higher speed, but will remain as 30 M.P.H. turnouts. (A 40 M.P.H. turnout typically has a single red over a three light head when acting as a turn-in route.)
That seldom saw signaling will be posted about in the “Sunset Route Two-Tracking Updates” thread in a day or two as there may (“may”) be a surprise application to two-tracking in that thread.
Now, a return to June 11, 2016 is made.
A northbound went through Tunnel 9 (towards the camera) so that the present new signal was red over red.
That three-lamp over two-lamp signal will have to be modified or replaced, so that AT LEAST the lower head has three lamps. Its present location is questionable as it seems southbound trains would have a hard time seeing it. K.P. was expecting a new signal to be erected at the north portal of Tunnel 9, but nothing has changed.
Continued in Part D
The Derailment
North of the Loop and Tunnel 9, the derailed cars were just parked close to the mainline and they continue to lie there. (In the first photo, note the Loop freight cars on the upper left).
In looking back at the June 11, 2015 Tehachapi visit, while much progress has been accomplished, it struck K.P. as being stalled now. There may be things going on the visitors can’t see. Some of these things just linger on. It may be a month to six months before trains are running on the second track. But, it seems there is much left to do.
This will conclude the series.
This extra post series was held up by impossible problems at the TRAINS Magazine website.
Odds and Ends for June 11, 2016
Part I (of I-III)
Tehachapi
A further posting to the Saturday, June 11, 2016 visit to the Walong-Marcel area posting is below …
In the community of Tehachapi, on Tehachapi Blvd. on the east side of town, an 18-wheeler was disabled (left, red) and a big tow truck (left, white) came to the rescue.
Since the road was partially blocked, Tehachapi police were directing traffic through the single lane passage (white truck, center).
What was fascinating about this area now is that a SIDEWALK had been put in between the tracks (right) and the roadway! That may or may not be a boon to photographers, as it is too early yet on the still ongoing construction project to know if ‘No Parking’ signs will be put up. Of course, if they were put up, one might be able to park on streets south of Tehachapi Blvd. and walk across the street to the sidewalk. Nevertheless, it is nice to see a sidewalk put in. Railbuffs may be the only people to use it …
Cameron
A stop was made to check out the past Cameron washout area. Piles of ballast were here and there railroad north of CP SP370 CAMERON.
In the last photo above, the tracks slope downward right to left. In the background, on the hills, one can see just how precarious the water drainage flow was, and why this area often has problems.
Part II (of I-III)
Cameron … and a Miracle Train
While at the site, the north side SOUTHBOUND dark CTC CP signal for Main 2 lit red over green! A train from Tehachapi to Mojave was traveling on the before CTC ‘against the current of travel’ and was lined to crossover!
And it soon came!
Continued in Part III
Part III (of I-III)
And it crossed over.
How cool was that treat?
This will end the series (for now) …
Re: The miracle train. I have in the past seen a similar relatively short string of coil cars heading west through the loop. As I recall, that train had two BNSF units on the front (probably GE's but it's been several years) and no DP on the rear. The miracle train appears to be morte sturdily powered, to say the least. That maybe suggests that the WB I saw had empties and the EB here had loads. Just guessing, though the pull from Barstow to Bakersfield has to be a lot easier in terms of grades.
I don't know how long this has been happening, but today on ATCSMon all trains seemed to be routed through the (now former?) Walong siding and the main is marked OOS. This may be to connect the new trackage to the existing main.
It is not clear from K.P.'s pictures yet if a new turnout has been staged and/or installed RR south of N. Walong as reportedly will happen. Likewise I don't remember a pic of the new track connected near N. Marcel (or is it?).
Wait, is that a ballast train I hear coming?
Walong Report
K.P. has received a report, and as he understands the report, that the SOUTH end of Walong is gone, no dual control switch and no signals; and that the old Walong siding is now the ONLY track in use, acting as the Main.
It's been awhile since we've heard any news regarding the double tracking of Tehachapi. Does anyone have any recent photo's or information they can share?
To kind of answer my own question. Bob and Carol Westover, have reported they will more then likely make the tie in to the Western end of Cable sometime this month. They reported there wasn't a lot happening and the fire we had in Cajon Pass, may have affected train traffic over Tehachapi.
Just curious if anyone else has any further information.
RickH
BarstowRick.com Model Railroading How To's
BarstowRick (8-24):
Hi, Rick!
A source advised that nothing is taking place up in that area, which I find rather surprising since that two-tracking effort is State funded.
Most of the non-BNSF trains (UP) traversing Tehachapi also traverse Cajon Pass. As you probably know, UP suffered a key bridge outage in that pass caused by a raging, very fast moving brush fire. I think 15 photos will be in that presentation, so I should get back to that effort.
Anyway, great hearing from you!
Best,
K.P.
K. P. HarrierMost of the non-BNSF trains (UP) traversing Tehachapi also traverse Cajon Pass. As you probably know, UP suffered a key bridge outage in that pass caused by a raging, very fast moving brush fire.
So here's the $64 question: did UP run any traffic which would have normally taken the Palmdale cutoff up to Barstow and then back to the west on BNSF? Couldn't have been any more inconvenient than Soledad Canyon or the coast route.
ccltrainsWhere will be the ends of the double tracking when completed?
K. P. Harrier BarstowRick (8-24): Hi, Rick! A source advised that nothing is taking place up in that area, which I find rather surprising since that two-tracking effort is State funded. Most of the non-BNSF trains (UP) traversing Tehachapi also traverse Cajon Pass. As you probably know, UP suffered a key bridge outage in that pass caused by a raging, very fast moving brush fire. I think 15 photos will be in that presentation, so I should get back to that effort. Anyway, great hearing from you! Best, K.P.
Right back at you. That's how I look this morning.
I cheated and went over to TrainMaster and if you scroll down to the last entry you can see what action if any is happening the double tracking project.
Trainmaster.com
Now we can all get a bird's eye view thanks to the Westover's.
Moving southbound or what used to be called eastbound. I keep wondering what they are going to do on the face of the mountain where you have several tunnels and things get extremely narrow? Sorry exact location escapes me but it's south of Tunnel 10, where the freeway runs up a canyon and the tracks are slightly above the freeway. Just before Cable.
Cajon Pass, I wondered where there was still a wooden bridge on the pass. Then it hit me just north of the road to Wrightwood. Forgot about that.
@BarstowRick, thanks for the trainmaster.ch link as I did not know they were tracking the Tehachapi work as well. I first discovered that site during the local photographers epic coverage of the BNSF Cajon 3MT project.
ccltrainsDoes anyone have a map showing how much and where the line has been double tracked? Where will be the ends of the double tracking when completed? Will it be where the BNSF and UP split and go their separate ways?
Here's my Google map showing the Mojave sub with some key locations: http://g.co/maps/g7k8e Two double tracking segments are underway and neither are near the BNSF connections.
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