Western Railroad Discussion > More Milpitas Sub Disappears

Went by Niles Jct on the night of 2/6 and then again on the night of 2/7. By the night of 2/7 both legs of the the wye from the Oakland Sub to the Milpitas Sub were gone. Looks like they were ripped up earlier in the day. The only track remaining is the switch at F031 to the east leg of the wye plus about 20 feet of track. The signals at the south switch and on both legs of the wye are still there, but they no longer have any track to protect.

Does anybody have idea how much track of what was the Milpitas Sub is being ripped out? Gone for sure so far is the wye at Niles Jct and Morrison Canyon Rd to Paseo Padre Parkway. Seems reasonably obvious that the track from Niles Jct to Morrison Canyon Rd will go, if it is not already gone. What about south of there? I'm figuring from Paseo Padre Parkway to the north end of Warm Springs will go, and from just south of Truck Rail (at Warren Ave in Warm Springs) down to near Milpitas where the track was ripped up a while back in a derailment will go as well. Then on the other side of Milpitas where it becomes the San Jose Industrial lead, are there any industries left beyond Montague Expressway?

Attached are a few pictures of the line recently. Unfortunately I didn't get any at Niles since it was about midnight. Lets start at what was F910 just north of Warm Springs. This strech of track is still used, although the signal pictured is no longer in service. Photo taken 2/3/06.

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Heading north at the Abel St. overpass. Taken 2/3/06.

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The new connection track from the Warm Springs Sub to the new "Milpitas Industrial Lead." What was the Milpitas Sub is directly ahead. Photo again on 2/3/06.

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Kato Road crossing as viewed from the Warm Springs Sub. The Milpitas Sub at CP F909 is on the right. Again taken 2/3/06.

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View from the north end of Warm Springs. The red flag is just south of the Grimmer Blvd overpass. Not quite in focus, but I was quickly running out of light. Taken 2/5/06.

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ble692 Wrote:
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> The new connection track from the Warm Springs Sub
> to the new "Milpitas Industrial Lead." What was
> the Milpitas Sub is directly ahead. Photo again on
> 2/3/06.


FYI, this was the scene of little knarly RCO autorack incident 8 months ago...

two related threads form the past...
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,945830
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,946414

Wow, I just rode ACE last Friday night and the Wye at Niles was still there. Guess that'll be the last time I ever see it.

Some images of track removal near Morrison Canyon road.

-Jarrett

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Last bit of track in view as I look towards Niles.

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Looking towards niles with spike remover waiting for the call.

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mario_puzo Wrote:
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> Looking towards niles with spike remover waiting
> for the call.



man, is it a jungle out there or what. Thanks to the winter rain and now abundant sun, that over-green photo is almost tropical in a way...

Where's UP going to park their baretables when container shipments slow down again? Ooops…

Sam Reeves
—
http://www.samreevesphoto.com

Yeah, looks like another abandonment that's gonna bite UP in the not too far distant future, count on it!

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> Yeah, looks like another abandonment that's gonna
> bite UP in the not too far distant future, count
> on it!

Or not.

In the Kato Rd photo, I can't read beyand the first line of the fluorescent green lineside warning sign. Whatzit?
...Lorenzo

Duno but the pole sign says end abs? so must be a warning for the crews.

Ac4400cwgevo

567Chant Wrote:
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> In the Kato Rd photo, I can't read beyand the
> first line of the fluorescent green lineside
> warning sign. Whatzit?
> ...Lorenzo

Warning sign for RCL operations.

Is that a lunar signal? Was the ABS recently deactivated north of the photo? The Altamont Press #13 timetable (2002) shows the whole Warm Springs Sub having ABS.

-Eric

Here is closer picture of the signals at Kato Rd on the Warm Springs Sub. The ABS was retired from service last year between MP 4.0 and the signals pictured (MP 8.3).

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RCL zone signs

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