Western Railroad Discussion > A Smooth Ride for UP's Hollister Local

In recent weeks Union Pacific has completed a thorough upgrade of its Hollister Industrial Lead running 12.5 miles between Carnadero and Hollister, CA. The whole process took an extended period beginning with tie replacement about three years ago with at least a year gap before new ballast was then spread. Most recently(this past October) relay welded rail was dropped from Bolsa(m.p. 3) to Hollister which was installed in January to complete the rehab.

The first two photos represent a then and now sequence. The Watsonville Jct.-based LRQ40 Hollister Local is seen southbound approaching Wright Rd. in Hollister in a view from last April and in a scene from today. The old jointed rail at this location was milled by CF&I in 1907. Despite today's smooth ride speed is still restricted to 10 m.p.h.

---

---

---

Today's local behind the UP1092 and HLCX3840 coasts into beautiful downtown Hollister on welded rail. All the grade crossings on the branch had their old crumbling asphalt replaced with new concrete panels.

The power has run around its train on the short siding just south of the depot and that siding--as seen in the fifth photo--also got the welded rail treatment.

Today's Hollister Local is seen earlier in its run in the sixth shot near m.p. 1--the first three miles of the branch received relay welded rail several years ago.

---

---

---

The substantial Hollister depot--now occupied by several small businesses--dates to 1871 when the line was projected to head over the mountains to the southern San Joaquin Valley via Coalinga--it only made it to Tres Pinos.

San Benito Foods in Hollister accounts for almost all the traffic on the branch with outbound loads of tomato products. The two parallel tracks seen on the right in the seventh photo each hold just four cars. The branch is served twice a week(Tu/Th) which comes to 16 loads a week or approx. 800 a year. The only other on line business--a chemical customer at Bolsa--accounts for less than 100 cars a year. UP spent a lot to keep a line in a state of good repair for some very modest annual carloading totals.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/15 07:38 by shed47.

---

---

Nice bunch. Don't think UP had a choice as I believe CA PUC or some such office made them do it? Down in So Cal they put new ties and welded rail on virtually all of the exPE branches in Los Angeles and Orange County many of which do not see daily service.
JB

Nice tour of the Hollister area. I remember it back in the old SP days.

Larry

3rdswitch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice bunch. Don't think UP had a choice as I
> believe CA PUC or some such office made them do
> it? Down in So Cal they put new ties and welded
> rail on virtually all of the exPE branches in Los
> Angeles and Orange County many of which do not see
> daily service.
> JB


Thanks for that info, Joe. I hadn't heard that.

V

SLOCONDR

Nice photos.

Ronda Thomas

Good story with a nice series of photos!

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

Nice series.

~Ryan

Nice series of a SP branch I knew so well.

San Benito Foods was always a very good account and I used to enjoy calling on them, like
twenty years ago. It was an old plant then and probably a lot older now, I'm surprised it's
still running, but good for them and good to see rail service still in place.

Out

Any plans to extend Caltrain to Holister? This track work could be the first step.

wingomann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any plans to extend Caltrain to Holister? This
> track work could be the first step.

Caltrain to Hollister would be a great idea. Would lighten the traffic loads on highways 25/101.

Mark
Reno, NV / Salinas CA

sp1827ml Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wingomann Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Any plans to extend Caltrain to Holister? This
> > track work could be the first step.
>
> Caltrain to Hollister would be a great idea. Would
> lighten the traffic loads on highways 25/101.
>
> Mark
> Reno, NV / Salinas CA

Why not extend a Capitol Corridor Train to Hollister as well.

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival