Western Railroad Discussion > sunset route double track question

anybody know how much of the u.p.'s sunset route between mecca (indio),ca and tucson, az is currently double tracked or currently under construction?

i am aware of the double track sections at yuma, wellton, and stanwix/sentinel.

thanks for any info.......

66

I don't know the answer to your specific question about the Indio-Tucson section,however when I was in Southern California last week I did note that a number of street crossings between Ontario and Montclair on the Alhambra Sub were closed off by UP for second track laying. Work at the crossings appeared pretty well along and extened east of Ontario but did not include the Vineyard Ave crossing (a major throughfare).

kalthoff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know the answer to your specific question
> about the Indio-Tucson section,however when I was
> in Southern California last week I did note that a
> number of street crossings between Ontario and
> Montclair on the Alhambra Sub were closed off by
> UP for second track laying. Work at the crossings
> appeared pretty well along and extened east of
> Ontario but did not include the Vineyard Ave
> crossing (a major throughfare).

that's interesting, i wonder how much of the alhambra sub is getting double tracked?

66

goneon66 Wrote:
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>
> that's interesting, i wonder how much of the
> alhambra sub is getting double tracked?
>
> 66


So far, West Colton to West Pomona. At this time traffic doesn't warrant double tracking Pomona to Yuma Junction.
As to the track project at Spadra, it's on hold for the moment (it's been over 5 years since they started it).-BMT

I think the UP looks at the Alhambra sub as a westbound and the LA&SL as an eastbound track, and go slow with double tracking either line over some of the bridges and other constraints.
The Alhambra has a constraint in that it requires a trip on the east bank line along the L. A. River, now owned by Metrolink, to get to the Alameda Corridor or the UP East L. A. yard.

But all the new grade separations are being built as two tracks, so it may come here eventually.

An expensive part of double track to Yuma will be another bridge across the Colorado River at Yuma.

goneon66 Wrote:
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> anybody know how much of the u.p.'s sunset route
> between mecca (indio),ca and tucson, az is
> currently double tracked or currently under
> construction?

Double track is under construction from a new station named SALTON (about 2 miles west of Ferrum) east towards Niland and ending at Iris (first siding east of Niland). Double track was constructed from Cactus to Araz a few years ago. Existing SP double track from Araz Jct (about two miles east of Araz) to Winterhaven and again thru Yuma, around Wellton and Sentinel to Stanwix (done around 2000 by UP). New double track resumes at Estrella and is complete eastward to at least Red Rock while additional work continuing from Red Rock to Tucson. There are CTC sidings in the double track territory at Mobile, Picacho, Red Rock, and possibly at one or two other locations, giving UP plenty of capacity and flexibility in the new double track.

BNSF6400 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> goneon66 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > anybody know how much of the u.p.'s sunset
> route
> > between mecca (indio),ca and tucson, az is
> > currently double tracked or currently under
> > construction?
>
> Double track is under construction from a new
> station named SALTON (about 2 miles west of
> Ferrum) east towards Niland and ending at Iris
> (first siding east of Niland). Double track was
> constructed from Cactus to Araz a few years ago.
> Existing SP double track from Araz Jct (about two
> miles east of Araz) to Winterhaven and again thru
> Yuma, around Wellton and Sentinel to Stanwix (done
> around 2000 by UP). New double track resumes at
> Estrella and is complete eastward to at least Red
> Rock while additional work continuing from Red
> Rock to Tucson. There are CTC sidings in the
> double track territory at Mobile, Picacho, Red
> Rock, and possibly at one or two other locations,
> giving UP plenty of capacity and flexibility in
> the new double track.

wow, thanks for the info......

66

Its been reported that carload freight traffic will be moved from City of Industry to Montclair.

So double west to Montclair yards, allow trains to move west on either the LA Sub or Alhambra Sub.

Expect little need for more double track on the Alhambra sub under cuurent traffic conditions.

My recent photos of the Milliken overpass project http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2918269,2918271#msg-2918271 seemed like the line up and overpass were being built to accommodate 3 tracks, though I'm not sure and haven't seen plans. The grain trains that build/break down at Vina Vista stretch up the grade and over the overpass, so a third track for building of these trains would make sense for as far as necessary to keep them off of the new double track mains. Anyone know for sure?

railstiesballast Wrote, in part:
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>
> An expensive part of double track to Yuma will be
> another bridge across the Colorado River at Yuma.

Owing to that expense, there's a pretty good chance that this (the second track bridge over the Colorado River at Yuma) will be the absolute last segment of line between West Colton and El Paso to receive a second track, and further, that when it eventually comes, the construction could easilt lag behind the rest of the work by years, even decades. my tow bits.

Cheers!

billio Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> railstiesballast Wrote, in part:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > An expensive part of double track to Yuma will
> be
> > another bridge across the Colorado River at
> Yuma.
>
> Owing to that expense, there's a pretty good
> chance that this (the second track bridge over the
> Colorado River at Yuma) will be the absolute last
> segment of line between West Colton and El Paso to
> receive a second track, and further, that when it
> eventually comes, the construction could easilt
> lag behind the rest of the work by years, even
> decades. my tow bits.
>
> Cheers!

I'll call your two-bit bet! 8>)
I'll bet that due to the proximity to the Yuma crew change, that it will speed things up enough to increase the payoff and that this segment will move up in priority. But I'm not confident enough to raise your bet.

mapboy

mapboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> billio Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > railstiesballast Wrote, in part:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > >
> > > An expensive part of double track to Yuma
> will
> > be
> > > another bridge across the Colorado River at
> > Yuma.
> >
> > Owing to that expense, there's a pretty good
> > chance that this (the second track bridge over
> the
> > Colorado River at Yuma) will be the absolute
> last
> > segment of line between West Colton and El Paso
> to
> > receive a second track, and further, that when
> it
> > eventually comes, the construction could easilt
> > lag behind the rest of the work by years, even
> > decades. my tow bits.
> >
> > Cheers!
>
> I'll call your two-bit bet! 8>)
> I'll bet that due to the proximity to the Yuma
> crew change, that it will speed things up enough
> to increase the payoff and that this segment will
> move up in priority. But I'm not confident enough
> to raise your bet.
>
> mapboy

i agree. when i dispatched that territory, a double tracked bridge into yuma would have been nice.......

66