Update as of Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Colton Flyover
Colton, CA
Part III (of I-IV)
On the north side … A contractor “Skanska” piece of machinery with wheels hovering off the ground looks mysterious!
The black beaming on the lower right explains how the machinery was off the ground. A section of the flyover is hoisted up and positioned on the south, far side.
In the just above photo, there are those black items again.
Continued in Part IV
Update as of Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Colton Flyover
Colton, CA
Part IV (of I-IV)
On the north side also was some type of towering scaffolding. For what reason and how it is used is unknown.
Since that piece of side walling was lowered on the south side, K.P. went to the south side. What do they do? Put a flyover piece on the north, far side!
Many Sunset Route trains use the LA&SL transition track in the southeast quadrant.
When the flyover is finished, and the line between Fontana and Pomona is finally two-tracked, K.P. suspects more of such transitioning trains will take the original Sunset Route instead.
This will conclude this limited series.
a
A Whole Different World of Two-Tracking
An Arizona Quirk
Followers of this thread will undoubted remember the following Benson, AZ photo, of a truss bridge that had another type bridge structure built alongside it.
But, the important part is what is viewed the other way, east of the river crossing, CP S1035 FENNER (M.P. 1035.0).
And, of course, there is CP S1023 MESCAL (M.P. 1023.3) east of the Cienega Creek natural crossover.
Peculiar to all three previously shown file photos above is true tri-light signals, where the green, yellow, and red bulbs have a circular, triangular pattern. Southern Pacific started using such in the Anschutz era in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
Back at that time SP pulled up a section of double-track (NOT two-tracks) over Donner Pass in the northern part of California, over the Sierra crossing. Some of that good rail was transported to and relayed in Arizona!
On a side note, the Anschutz era tri-light signals may be the only kind of “heritage” signals left on the Sunset Route, with the searchlights quickly disappearing.
One more grade separation article, this time about the UP Los Angeles Subdivision. Money has been diverted from the underfunded Jurupa Road grade separation to the better-funded Clay Street project.
IMO this is a function of the terrain and operational considerations, not management philosophy. The above design will apply where trains ‘bunch up’ i.e. near steep grades and terminals. In flat terrain SP engineers could use very wide spacing, for instance CP SP436 Wash on the Mojave sub with 15 miles of single track on either side! Before Lordsburg sub 2MT, nine mile siding spacing was common. Some spacings may be steam era consequences - water stops!
The low speed crossovers must not be a significant bottleneck in this area - why fix what isn’t broken. When the old, slow crossovers wear out and budget is available for signal changes, upgrades may happen.
The Second-Track Is Up and Running
Wymola to Red Rock, AZ
A Remote Analysis
Part “A” (of A-B)
Sources have supplied sufficient details to make a “remote analysis” for the forum without actually being there. All the photos in this analysis have been previously posted.
On the May 18 and 19, 2012 trip to Arizona, CP SP943 WYMOLA (M.P. 942.7), where two-tracking from the west ended, only had a single 40 M.P.H. switch in service, with plenty of turnout parts on site for an eventual universal crossovers CP.
That is easy enough to visualize.
Eastward towards Red Rock, while most of the second main had been laid and well-manicured, the NEW signal system was only partially in service.
Continued in Part B
The Second-Track Is Up and Running
Wymola to Red Rock, AZ
A Remote Analysis
Part “B” (of A-B)
Previously, at Park Link Rd., looking eastbound, it was seen that the second-track had been laid, but the present Red Rock siding would remain. The two-mains by CP SP950 RED ROCK thus likely have BOTH absolute (left) and intermediate (right) signals
At the east end of the old siding is CP SP952 RED ROCK, another universal crossovers was being installed. Previous photos indicate it would be on both sides of the old CP. Sources indicated it too utilizes 40 M.P.H. crossovers.
HOWEVER, AGAIN there is a mismatch of turnout speeds. The Red Rock SIDING uses the UP standard siding 30 M.P.H. turno
I will try to swing up to Red Rock today or tomorrow. We drove thru there Saturday, and all evidence of the work train was gone – no ballast cars, tie flats, gons at all between Picacho and Naviska… Just a few sweepers and tampers on one of the sidings.
A Few Replies …
mvs (9-1):
It was surprising that the Clay St. grade crossing in the Pedley area on the LA&SL will have an underpass started in late 2013 or early 2014. That grade crossing certainly is a high vehicle use one.
As a child in the early 1960’s, that Clay St. didn’t even exist! How times have changed.
Clay St. is between the ends of two-tracks. One from the west at CP C050 LIMONITE (M.P. 49.9) …
… and the other, from the east, at CP C053 ARLINGTON (M.P. 52.6).
Just WEST of CP C053 ARLINGTON is the great landmark, the viaduct.
Many Sunset Route trains traverse through here instead of the traditional, direct Sunset Route.
About the Clay St. grade crossing itself, there are TWO issues that come to mind that the forum viewers may find of interest.
A Few Replies …
Continuation of mvs (9-1):
The FIRST issue is that if, in 1992-93, this section had been two-tracked, long eastbound trains stopping at the single-track Viaduct could conceivably sometimes block Clay Street and tie up traffic badly. That may have been partially why this section has never been two-tracked. With an underpass at Clay St. and the problem eliminated, perhaps this area will finally be two-tracked.
SECOND: As seen in the below previously show eastward photo, there is not much room to build a shoefly, especially if a two-track bridge is built for the underpass.
A westward view shows a similar area cramped.
A non-telephoto August 11, 2010 file photo seems to show, surprisingly, old crossing gates positioned in anticipation of a second track!
Perhaps one bridge at a time will be built, possibly the north or left one first. A roadway shoefly may also be implemented.
A Few Replies …
MikeF90 (9-1):
Ah, Mike, you mentioned CP SP436 WASH …
… and by inference CP SP434 WASH (both of which are on the Palmdale Cutoff) …
… as an example of long siding spacing! The next siding to the west is Palmdale (formerly Palmdale No. 2) at 15-16 miles away, and to the east about 14 miles is the Phelan siding. THAT is how it is NOW, since circa 1980, when CTC came to the line. As originally built in 1966-67, the “dark” territory’s NEXT siding to the east (from Wash) was Hiland, at the top of Cajon Pass!
The stretch from Wash to Hiland was 25-26 miles! However, technically, K.P. is unsure of those specific distances, as some sidings were lengthened back around 1980, but exactly which ones are unknown, except for Canyon and Slover which K.P. actually saw lengthened.
(In light of the fact that for a trainman a day’s work was 100 miles back then, the 25-26 mile spacing between Wash and Hiland was something
As promised, I was able to make a side trip out to Red Rock. The following picture says it all…
At SP952, the westbound signals were showing reds…
… as were the eastbounds… No three-headed monsters here, apparently…
There are also warning signs trackside for the moveable point frogs.
The searchlights still standing are now turned…
At SP953, facing east, the new signals are in place for the existing main, and turned for the yet-to-be cut over second track.
The double track continues all the way to SP 954… New Track 2 ends along the south side, and New Track 1 begins on the north side.
K.P.,
A couple of weeks ago you asked if the Union Pacific had removed all the rail from the former line that ran over and under I-10 between Marsh Station Road and Empirita Road west of Benson, Arizona.
The rail, ties, and ballast have been removed from the old, low bridge near what used to be the Marsh Station Road I-10 exit on the west end of the project site, so the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) can have the old bridge removed, but the rest of the line is intact. ADOT has made no announcement of when they plan to remove the old bridge.
The UP has reinstalled a switch at the east end of the rerouted track near the Empirita Road exit and is using the old line to store a long string of excess grain hoppers.
With the prolonged drought in the midwest that has destroyed this year’s corn and soybean crops, all of the major railroads probably have many hundreds of surplus grain hoppers to put into storage until next spring’s winter wheat harvest.
Arizona Two-Tracking and Retained Sidings
Part I (of I-II)
Assessing a Red Rock “Monster”
On Tuesday, September 4, 2012, forumist eoleson posted some incredible photos of the two-tracking in the Red Rock and Naviska areas. K.P. had speculated that the now two-tracked CP SP952 RED ROCK with a 30 M.P.H. north siding switch would have an east end siding mast signal like the north siding one at CP SP938 EAST PICACHO, i.e. with three heads. But, the Red Rock one was not a three headed “monster,” but only had a TWO FULL headed one!
The way K.P. sees matters, either CP SP938 EAST PICACHO (far left signal in below first of two photos) …
… or CP SP952 RED ROCK was wrongly done. In K.P.’s opinion, the Red Rock one is the one that is incorrect because it makes NO distinction signal-wise between 30 and 40 M.P.H. turnouts on the west side eastbound signals! K.P. wonders how long it will take for the ra
Arizona Two-Tracking and Retained Sidings
Part II (of I-II)
Pondering a Double-Crossover East of Naviska
It is now known that the south side Naviska siding will remain in service after the area is two-tracked, just as the north side Red Rock siding will.
In an eoleson’s September 4, 2012 posted photo …
… the yet to be activated forefront left two-head signal’s lower head has three bulbs (CP SP957 [WEST] NAVISKA). As an absolute signal, the future red and yellow (siding entrance) bulbs are obvious. That leaves the lower head’s third bulb for a green. Thus, both the background left and foreground left masts have lower green west facing eastbound bulbs, which are duplicated at CP SP959 [EAST] NAVISKA to the east, for an advance indication for a crossover lineup at the future, as yet unknown named 50 M.P.H. (NOT 40 M.P.H.) double-crossover CP in the east. The new west masts for that CP are in the below previously shown K.P. photo.
So, the crossovers around Picacho, Wymola, and Red Rock, all have 40 M.P.H. crossovers in-lieu-of the more common 50 M.P.H. crossovers. Presumably, the future CP SP970 SABINO to the east …
Monster Attack in Arizona!
It is unknown exactly what happened nor why, but the north side Red Rock siding (in the M.P. 950-952 area) has reportedly suddenly gotten shorter by about 600 feet!
Perhaps a monster got on the loose! – You know, the one eoleson a few days ago said was NOT there!
Update as of Friday, September 7, 2012
The Colton Flyover
Colton, CA
Part “A” (of A-J)
At the Colton Flyover, the 9th and “L” Streets area in South Colton was checked out, and it was found that a gravel route alongside the Riverside Industrial Lead’s west wye had been put in.
It appeared that east of La Cadena Dr. the flyover’s concrete-work had no further obvious progress.
At the Colton Crossing itself, the center pier-work finally had some concrete poured. Shot taken from “L” and 5th Streets:
Continued in Part B
Update as of Friday, September 7, 2012
The Colton Flyover
Colton, CA
Part “B” (of A-J)
The diamonds area itself has the west support piers construction well along.
You may recall the short concrete pillars (from the below previously shown April 28, 2012 photo) near the northwest quadrant:
Now that area has wood wall framing erected. The far right pier is one of the two that are SOUTH of the Sunset Route.
Those two-south of the Sunset Route piers are on each side of the below view (the ones with the narrow rebar tops):
Continued in Part C
Update as of Friday, September 7, 2012
The Colton Flyover
Colton, CA
Part “C” (of A-J)
Now, from atop of the Rancho Ave. overpass on the west end of Colton, looking east:
A heavy telephoto of the east end’s getting higher walling and concrete between the side walls.
Just by the photo’s center, are the early stages of concrete pouring for the floor and walls between La Cedena Dr, and the BNSF Transcon.
Continued in Part D