Western Railroad Discussion > Pasadena Sub Test train in Azusa, CA this Sunday?

My folks attended a street fair in downtown Glendora earlier this afternoon and passed along a flyer from an information table for the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension. Here's most of what it says. I wonder if the test train will be a pair of BNSF GP60's from Kaiser yard, or something else? It sounds like they will be replacing the existing gates and flashers at the crossings in Azusa:


Construction Notice

Signal and Crossing System Testing along the Railroad Corridor in Azusa, CA

WHAT

Crews will be working at the railroad street crossings along the railroad corridor to place and test the new crossing and signal system as part of the 11.5-mile Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension light rail project. On Sunday, November 18, a train will be traveling the tracks in Azusa to test the system and crossing gates.

WHEN

This work is scheduled to take place beginning Friday, 11/16/12 through Sunday, 11/18, weather permitting. Anticipated work hours are 7:00am to 7:00pm.

WHERE

Crews will be working along the railroad corridor at all railroad and street crossings throughout the city of Azusa (and into the cities of Glendora and Irwindale).

WHAT TO EXPECT

* On Friday and Saturday, 11/16-11/17, crews will be testing the system requiring the crossing gate arms to be lowered periodically.

* On Sunday afternoon, November 18, a test train will be running along the corridor to test the system and crossing gates. The train will be traveling at 40 mph, requiring the crossing gate arms to be lowered periodically.

* Flaggers will be used at each crossing to direct vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

* For your safety, do not cross the train tracks when the gates are down.

I went out today to see what was going on in Azusa. The crossing gates and flashers still look the same, but the new relay sheds at each crossing seem to be close to operational, with crews working on them. So it sounds like the new crossing equipment will just be the control circuitry for now.

Also, I noticed two new signals have gone up. The first is a westbound signal on the south side of the tracks opposite the existing Santa Fe US&S Type R2 ABS signal immediately east of Pasadena Avenue. The other new one is an eastbound signal just west of San Gabriel Avenue. There may be more to the west towards Irwindale, and probably means that 3-4 Santa Fe signals in the area will soon coming down.

I also saw several signs at grade crossings about the test train tomorrow. So maybe they'll be testing both the train and GC signals. That might explain the train needing to go into Glendora and Irwindale, to check the various indications on the new signals.

This also raises the question of what system will power these new signals. The ABS code wire in adjacent Glendora has been decimated with 4 out of the 5 signals displaying constant reds. So maybe it'll be a temporary local isolated circuit for these new signals.

1) Old and new signals looking east from Pasadena Avenue

2-3) A couple views of the new signal at San Gabriel Avenue, which seems to be replacing the Santa Fe signal seen in the distance on the other side of the bridge over Foothill Blvd. The spur to Totten Tubes is to the right.

Rich



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/12 10:48 by PasadenaSub.

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Rich, do you know why they are installing new signals on the Pasadena Subdivision (2nd District, LA Division) with just the local and the occasional "baretable" movements?

SantaFeRuss

I presume the new signals will be for the freight-only 3rd track. According to reports here on TO, the existing Santa Fe track through Azusa will be shifted about 10' to the south of its current alignment to leave room for the double-track Gold Line to be built adjacent on the north side. However - the new signal in my first picture does look like it would be a bit tight to fit another track in there, so we'll have to see how it all turns out.

I believe the baretables are probably done now, as the west end of the Irwindale siding looks pretty chopped up when I viewed it from the Irwindale Ave. overpass last week.

SantaFeRuss Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rich, do you know why they are installing new
> signals on the Pasadena Subdivision (2nd District,
> LA Division) with just the local and the
> occasional "baretable" movements?
>
> SantaFeRuss



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/12 12:08 by PasadenaSub.

Rich
Do you know if the entire WYE at Azusa is in Tact, or Just the part going into Totten Tubes ?

Looking at the Satellite view on Google maps and zooming in:

http://goo.gl/maps/43Mwx

It does appear that the wye is still intact (with a very short tail track), and with another turnout coming off the east leg and crossing the west leg for another spur.


miralomarail Wrote:
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> Rich
> Do you know if the entire WYE at Azusa is in Tact,
> or Just the part going into Totten Tubes ?

In the Early 60's there was a Customer on that Spur coming off the East part of the WYE, they made Lawn Furniture and were good for at least 5 Boxcars or more everyday of Loads going out, the Local would be on the East Leg, reaching in to Spot Cars for Loading

Although from a train fans perspective I think it's cool that SCAX is going bonkers with the signals, I have to ask too: why here? Is the new freight track going to need to be signaled? It's basically going to be a 15 or so mile dead-end branch line built to serve ONE round trip train a day with no possible conflicts with any other traffic. And for this the additional expense and effort to signal it is going to be incurred? Is it an FRA thing or is there more to it? I thought I read somewhere that the new freight track was going to be dark.