Western Railroad Discussion > SMART progress on on legacy NWP "San Rafael "main line"

SMART contractors have yet to close the final gap on the Main Line into San Rafael just west of the Civic Center Station underneath U.S. 101. In the following series of images, the yet to be finished sub-grade coninues for several hundred feet around the curve at Los Ranchitos Road.  The third image looks at the newly ballasted track which leads to the north enrance of Putero Suello Hill tunnel at San Pedro  Rd.  The next image shows end of track at San Pedro Cross with the Tunnel Portal several hundred feet to the south.

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Work in proress in downtown San Rafael in images four and five ooking south first and than north. The sixth picture is the Caltrans track that was built after the demolishing of 28 homes east of Linclon Avenue to facilitate the widening of U.S. 101 and the installation of the sound wall. This construction reduced the curvature but increased the gradient from 1.8% to over 2% in the northerly direction.  This shot looks south.  It is on wood ties with spikes and not fasteners with 136 lb. CWR.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/15 14:05 by weather.

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Looking north towards the Puerto Suello Hill tunnel showing the Caltrans track behind the sound wall and 101.  There is a little less than a mile of this track.  The nest two images shows the closing of the gap and finished track from McGinnis Park and the bridge over Las Gallinas creek to Hamilton Field. The final image is the yet to be completed northern connection to the D.T. which extends from behind the Shooping Center at Novato Creek to Hamilton Field. About 3/4 of a mile to the north, the D.T. begins and NWP freights will do some left hand running to access the wye at Ignacio instead of having a crossover built from main one to main two at the wye underneath the 101 interchange with Hoghway 37 at Ignacio.  Text and photos by Mike Pechner



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/15 14:07 by weather.

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Still amazes me this line is being brought back to life. I never could've fathomed it in the late 90's and 2000's

Nice series of photos Mike.  Thanks for posting them.  I was up to Santa Rosa last weekend and impressed with the SMART progress made to date.  The completed ROW looks first class.  Still plenty more to do before it is complete. 

Yeah, who would have thought 20 years ago the NWP line would someday again see passenger trains, although SMART's appearance will be somewhat different from that operated by NWP. 

Gerry 

When was the last time this section of the ROW saw any trains, let alone passanger trains?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/15 14:46 by peh934.