Not sure if this has been brought up here before, but there was a town out in California(can’t remember the name off hand) that was shown on Pentrex’s Street Running video and it has street running down the main part of town with traffic lights. In the video, they show two light SP units making it’s way down through town having to obey the traffic signals just like the motorists. As far as I remember, they never mentioned what other railroad traffic uses this line.
This is the first I have ever seen this as others that have connections with traffic light systems have the flashing white light which emergency vehicles use to stop traffic.
If this is this case out in California, surely a 9,000 ton freight train would not be routed through here [:0] as this would frustrate an engineer to no end. Even at a low enough speed you couldn’t leave your air set all thorugh town(maybe if its downhill[:D]) and prepare to stop for every light and the independent would probably cause you to run the light[:)]. This is worse than an over ambitious Trainmaster throwing fusees down right in front of you while in yard limits [:0]. Just curious if anyone else has seen this out there and if they just hustle light power thorugh and maybe short locals?
this is in Jack London Square area in Oakland, CA. The Main from Oregon to LA runs right on the street for about a mile. I have never heard that they stopped for the stop lights though. I have seen very big freights on their, as well as the Coast Starlight, and other Amtrak trains. Oaklands Jack London Square Station is right at the end of it.
Brad
Actually after asking this question, I popped in the video. This was old Tiedwater Southern trackage in Modesto, CA down ninth street operated by Tidewater Southern, then Western Pacific, the Union Pacific. They said the tracks were abandoned in 2000. They also said that the trains actually did have to obey the traffic signals. They show a long freight as well for interchange with the ME actually having to stop right behind some cars in a turn lane at a light. I can imagine the engineer holding on the his seat as you hear the engine and cars squeal to a halt right behind three cars at a red light[:0].
A couple times whe I was visiting Modesto,I happened to be on 9th Street when the train was running there. It was a strange feeling. I believe the tracks are now gone, but didn’t go by to look when I was there last month. One street I was on in the northern part of Modesto used to cross the tracks. There was just roadbed left on each side of the former crossing.
Yuba City California had a couple blocks of street running (former Sacramento Northern on Bridge Street) until a year or so years ago, but the trains were not as long or as frequent as in Modesto. The Yuba City tracks are still in place although paved over in a couple intersections. Last I heard (a few months ago) the UP had applied to abandon the line but it abbandommet had not been approved yet.
Prior to WW2 Los Angeles used to have some serious street running down Alameda Blvd in Downtown, This was because the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe depots were right on Alamada Blvd just south of downtown. Express passenger, local passenger trains would back into the stations, freight trains running to and from the harbor would use it and local switcher freight trains all ran down the center of the street, slowley of course, north where they then would run alongside the LA river. The majority of this rail traffic was eliminated when Union Station was built in '39. the only street running then was by local freight switcher and the harbor frieghts which eventually got routed along a different line. I remember as a kid my dads car getting stuck behind a local switcher moving cars down the center of the street and switching off into a factory sididng. All this is gone now, the tracks remains in places but most of it has been paved over and the factories are gone or are using trucks.
I was in Modesto in July, If I remember correctly, the tracks are still in place but severed at both ends. The entire line through Modesto, north of Ninth Street, is gone except where it crossed roads. The tressle over the Tuolumne River is gone. The interchange with the Modesto & Empire Traction is now on (formerly) Southern Pacific’s Fresno Line (one block over). The Tidewater Southern is still in place from Stockton to Escalon (I think it goes that far, it has been years since I have been in Escalon). Then it is still in place from the interchange (formerly crossing) with the Fresno Line down to Turlock.
If any of you are ever in that area, make a trip to Faith Home Road at Harding Road west of Turlock. There must be some ag business there that is owned by a railfan as there are a few old locomotives there. I was there in July 2002. There was an SP SD9, a couple of former WP GE 44 tonners (in the Orange and silver scheme but lettered Turlock Western or Turlock Southern), some old freight cars, and I think some other stuff.
I was in Oakland, CA, in the late 80’s, staying at the Jack London Inn, a rather run down hotel, and saw the street-running trains from a second floor balcony. Took a few snapshots with my camera; still have them somewhere, but no way to post them on the internet. Always wonder if that hotel is still there. Anyone know?
I can’t say, but I do know that anytime I have to go to SanFran for conferences, I stay over on that side because it’s much less expensive and actually easier to commute via BART. I also enjoyed being able to watch the parade of SP trains running down the center of the street… admittedly not from a balcony, but a 200’ walk from the hotel door is not a very stiff price…
I might suggest
http://www.jacklondoninn.com/home.htm
if you wonder if it’s still there
I can’t say, but I do know that anytime I have to go to SanFran for conferences, I stay over on that side because it’s much less expensive and actually easier to commute via BART. I also enjoyed being able to watch the parade of trains running down the center of the street… admittedly not from a balcony, but a 200’ walk from the hotel door is not a very stiff price…
Hey, thanks, overmod, for the link. I can’t tell for sure if it’s the same building or not, but it’s definetely been upgraded and remodeled. We stayed in Oakland for the same reasons: much more reasonably priced, and an easy commute via BART to SF. The hotel at that time had a parking garage attached, also. When we were on the balcony, right at street-side, it seemed like we could almost reach out and touch the train! Not too many train watching spots like that! Do the trains still run that street?
SP used to have a couple miles of street trackage in Anaheim on its branch to Santa Ana. I believe UP still runs locals there.
yes, that is the UP/SP main from Sacto to San Jose. Now they don’t run on the UP tracks a block north anymore, but the still run on the street for those few miles on the SP.
I got to see that Pentrex video one time on TV, it was playing on some local channel.
It didn’t know that it was on, I just happened to be flipping channels when I saw it.
It really was neat to see all the street running, almost surreal. As mentioned above, they did have to obey the traffic lights…
I really wish I could have seen this in person before the track was abandoned… oh well.
Yes, it’s still there and still in service. That line is home to the last wig-wag in Orange County (Lemon St. crossing)
This line was in service at least through the early 1980s. I recall seeing several refrigerator cars on sidings back then. The sidings into what was S E Rykoff (food warehouse) were built in the early 80s–note the modern grade crossing signals still in place there.