Western Railroad Discussion > San Diego Area Question

I was driving by the Sorrento/Miramar grade the other day and I noticed some construction along the tracks on the grade north of the Miramar siding. Are they finally double tracking the grade? I was on the 805 freeway so I obviously could not stop to look.

Yes, they are slowing working on double tracking Miramar Hill!!
Finally.
Mike

I know this is good for the railroad. As a railfan I enjoy catching the meets at Miramar Summit. I would imagine that will be history if that area is double tracked?

George Cataulin
San Diego, CA
Left Coast Rail Videos

That should speed things up along that route. Years ago (1995) my office window looked straight out onto the hill and tracks. One day I heard a terrible banging noise and looked up to see about a dozen box cars jump the tracks and roll down the hill into the canyon. No one was hurt fortunately but it made quite a mess.

2720 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, they are slowing working on double tracking
> Miramar Hill!!
> Finally.
> Mike


Only double track to mp 251.

The first segment of DT is on a widened embankment with the same alignment, IIRC about 50 MPH. The concept is to build a straighter, non-parallel 50 MPH line further up the hill, it will be a little steeper so the freights will all use the old track but passengers will use the new track unless they meet another passenger train, then one will take the old track. A reasonably economical solution until someone finds a few billion dollars for the Sorrento-Elvira tunnel.

The proposed single track on the other side of the canyon has been abandoned because of costs. The work going on now is about a mile extension in the current alignment from CP Pines up the hill just past I-805.

Does someone have a map of the plans?

Rick