Western Railroad Discussion > UP ES44s parked along side Hobart Tower

Heading home from work earlier today (Daylight Malabar Job) I noticed something unusual, worthy of a couple quick iPhone shots. A whole string (roughly 8) UP ES44ACs (AC45CCTEs) were tied down behind the old Hobart Tower on the BNSF end of the transfer track along the west end of BNSF's Hobart Yard in Los Angeles, CA. This transfer track makes a near 180° turn connecting the west extremes of BNSF's Hobart Yard with UP's East LA Yard. It is used once or twice a year for single unit power transfers and/or bare-table transfers between the UP and BNSF. In the 6+ years I've worked around Hobart I've never seen so many UP units parked on the BNSF end of the track, literally right up to our flop-over derail. The UP has temporarily parked road power on the track in the past, but much further around to the north toward their end. These units were all south of the Washington, Blvd. underpass (essentially the midpoint of the curve). I don't know the reason behind being parked at that location.

Just thought It was neat, kinda harking back to the days (not so long ago) when UP ran full stack trains down the San Pedro Sub past Hobart Tower and across the San Bernardino Sub diamonds.

Mr. MRL

---

---

Ah, my old stomping grounds. I moved from LA to Vancouver, BC nine years ago, and Hobart Tower looks about the same now as it did then. Does it serve any purpose now? Why is it still standing? Is Redondo Tower still in place?

Loleta Fernbridge

Which railroad controls the diamonds at Hobart Tower?

Thank you in advance.

loleta Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ah, my old stomping grounds. I moved from LA to
> Vancouver, BC nine years ago, and Hobart Tower
> looks about the same now as it did then. Does it
> serve any purpose now? Why is it still standing?
> Is Redondo Tower still in place?
>
> Loleta Fernbridge


Hobart Tower is essentially trashed, except for the exterior. Extensive water damage, many broken windows, interior ransacked by trespassers, vandals, and squatters, most of the electrical appears to have been gutted. It's a miracle it hasn't burned down. Occasionally at night I've seen a security light on inside the lower floor. Why it's still standing? Some one, group, or organization probably deems it worthy of preservation, but lacks the funds to do anything other than watch it slowly waste away. Redondo Tower still stands as well, but is probably no worse for wear.


CSXT_8437 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Which railroad controls the diamonds at Hobart
> Tower?
>
> Thank you in advance.

The San Pedro Jct. interlocking is controlled by BNSF's San Bernardino Sub Dispatcher (DS 15).

Mr. MRL

Outstanding!

To answer the OP's original question, my guess is maybe these units are waiting warranty work. I don't recall what it was, but a few months ago there were some posts here about defective new GE's being set aside for work.