The laying of the new track westward from CP Walker has almost reached to CP Cajon
The steep 3% Track 3, presently aligned with Track 2 at Cajon, will soon be alignment shifted to Track 3 in lower foreground. Track 2 on the left will then be alignment shifted to meet up with the new track in the above two photos
The counterpart switch of this future CP Cajon crossover between Track 3 and 2 is still missing and unaccounted for, and may be an indication the completion of the project is still months away
(If necessary, click on photo to enlarge.) From left to right: Tracks 1 and 2. The rightist most Track 3 has not been laid yet. Note NEW crossover from Track 2 to 1 in the far DISTANCE. This poster believes the original CP Cajon crossover from Track 2 to 1 in the FOREGROUND will be eliminated. The two uninstalled turnouts on the right just past the foreground signals, once installed between Tracks 3 and 2, would complete the control point crossovers INSTALLATION (except for the missing switch above). However, keeping the foreground Track 2 to 1 crossover i
Very slow going as two BNSF workers walk their track equipment.
One of the workers has reached the large, now landmark famous retaining wall
A fire breaks out in Cajon Pass. With red lights and sirens, emergency vehicles are seen passing each other in opposite directions on Cajon Blvd. As for the old signal boxes trackside (lower right), their days are numbered, and will have to make way for the laying of the third track
Thx for the photos once again KP on the continuing progress.
Sure those firetrucks are racing to a fire or is it possibly a couple of Alcos struggling up Cajon. And here I thought all the fires were in Northern California
The captions for the 1st 2 photos of K. P. Harrier’s post of 06-23-2008 at 7:55 PM (above) are:
“Very slow going as two BNSF workers walk their track equipment.” and
“One of the workers has reached the large, now landmark famous retaining wall.”
It looks like the trackmen were applying the clips - Pandrol ? - that hold the rails to the concrete ties, although it is hard to identify their machines/ tools from the extreme distance of these photos. For more info on those machines, see the Pandrol’s website video page at:
The under construction University Parkway overpass in San Bernardino, at the timetable location of ONO, is coming alone fine. At this spot, holding tracks are present for overflow EMPTY double-stack platforms from the San Bernardino Intermodal facility. However, both railroad west and east of Ono, the overflow tracks are occupied with powered and loaded stack trains apparently unable to reach Chicago became of severe flooding in the Midwest.
Between CP KEENBROOK and CP CAJON, in the vicinity of the old Keenbrook siding of decades ago, a loaded tie and track positioning train is idly spending the weekend. Previously, between CP WALKER and CP CAJON, the tie train worked westbound. Apparently, it is now working eastbound.
Just railroad east of the tie laying train are new block signals. The heads for Tracks 2 and 3 are now functional, with only the future Track 1 signals turned aside.
Swarthout Canyon Road at Blue Cut now has markings
…My thanks also for all the scrip and photo updates.
I note the center barrier on the highway at the crossing in the last few photos…It seems to me, this is what is needed at crossings where “quiet zones” are put in place so drivers can’t drive around the horizontal gates.
Tie laying train was moving eastbound towards Blue Cut
Remember …
… this EAST TO WEST tunnels shot by Warren Smith in his post of November 10, 2007?
Now Views:
All photos taken this and next section from Interstate 15:
Views look WEST TO EAST. Heavy telephoto of where the under 500-foot Tunnel #2 was once located
Shadowed cut on right was the approximate location of the tunnel
A wider view
This is what is considered ALRAY. One can see the new cut again in background. Tracks curve around on the left, and out of view on the right curve under the freeway and into the CP WALKER crossovers. Track in the lower foreground is Union Pacific’s Palmdale Cutoff.
The tie laying train didn’t really go anywhere Thursday, and will apparently spend the long holiday weekend at Blue Cut.
Unmanned Distributed Power Units (DPU’s) push a train up “The Hill.” Because of Midwest flooding, it is unknown if BNSF will be in catch-up mode this holiday, or as quiet as the tie laying equipment in the background
To CNW 6000:
Thank you for your kind words.
The progress on the triple-tracking may seem fast and dramatic. But, as a “local” (that traverses the pass frequently whether he wants to or not), the progress seems painfully slow and drawn out. However, railroads can move super fast when they want to!
Case in point: Check out this recent Rialto, CA photo of Union Pacific’s West Colton Yard, probably 20 miles southeast of Cajon Pass.
In the 1980’s, the track arrangement was very different under Southern Pacific.
Once again thanks KP for the excellent photos and updates. As I had said earlier I thought about coming to Cajon this weekend but my boss had different ideas, I have to work this Saturday. Anyway have vacation coming after the fifteenth of the month so will get a chance to visit Cajon Pass and the UP double tracking along the southern transcontinental. Was thinking I might drive all of the way to El Paso and photograph as much as I can. I also want to spend some time along the Surf Line as it is a few years since I have visited that area.
From high up on Interstate 15 overlooking the tracks: From left to right, the UP, the BNSF 2.2% gradient Tracks 1 and 2, and the 3% Track 3. It is difficult to see, but the Silverwood connection between the UP and BNSF is mid way up on the far left to just above the photo’s center.
A new large drainage item
Railroad employees servicing the Swarthout Canyon Road crossing gate are now protected by a frail (but sufficient) fence
Everything was locked-up for the July 4 Holiday weekend. BNSF now has a number of such gates in Cajon Pass.
… from outer space TWICE landed spacecraft in Cajon Pass. (Such cryptic terminology should pacify Bergie …)
One spaceship’s occupants, a “colony” of aliens, set up camp on the south side of what became railroading’s Palmdale Cutoff (the photo upper track), and near what is now BNSF’s KEENBROOK control point on the north side. (Note the cantilevered signal.) With or without a camera, railfans may attract the attention of the California Highway Patrol as possible alien chasers. A long time ago, when nobody minded, I walked with my then future wife the then Santa Fe main, and saw an ENGINEER-LESS Southern Pacific train go westbound (now UP northbound, towards the right) on the Palmdale Cutoff. Where was the engineer? All the crew was on the LEFT side of the cab looking the aliens over! (If necessary, mouse click the photo to enlarge.)
The other group’s spaceship landed at Blue Cut years later, and they’ve been there ever since too. Railfans, and other passerby, can often see (when on the foreground Cajon Blvd. that loops around by the trees on the far left and through the cut in the mountains in the photo’s center) dozens and dozens and dozens of aliens socializing in pairs among the shady trees on the far left background. This poster never has had communication with them, and they don’t seem to bother railfans or passersby. They just stay in there own little world. From outer space, they brought automobiles with them, and those many, many cars can often be observed parked all ove
I see the strange position one would find himself in fronting that Swarthout Canyon crossing…The rotation of the road right at the crossing presents a confusing condition and can see how a driver could get in the “wrong lane” under less than good weather conditions…
Looks like a place for bright white and or yellow lines on the roadway and maybe upright staffs with reflectors mounted and directed to show the driver the correct lane to be following.
As for the center barriers in the road…Sure looks like a good solution to apply to say…city streets {that are a straight crossing of the tracks}, and having no confusion “which lane to follow”. Here in Muncie at a CSX double east / west track thru the city the “quiet zone” crossings situation has been discussed for some time now…Although it’s been rather quiet about it lately.
For those that do not have a timetable of some sort, and/or are from out of state or the area, etc., the following list may be helpful in following the posts herein:
Rounded Location Powered
Mile (Control Points Cross-
Post in Capital Letters) Overs
