Western Railroad Discussion > Ten Up, Ten Down on UP's Ione, CA Branch

In the years prior to the UP merger Southern Pacific divested itself of almost all of its network of secondary main and branch lines in California's Central Valley via either abandonment or shortline spinoff. But they retained the Ione Branch from Galt to its connection with the Amador Central(later Amador Foothills) and UP still runs the line today as its Ione Industrial Lead.

They don't make it all the way to Ione anymore with the last four miles beyond Edwin(m.p. 23) out of service. The Specialty Granules plant at Edwin accounts for all the lines' traffic with empty covered hoppers brought into the facility and loads brought back out to Galt. The branch is served twice a week--on Thursdays and Sundays--by a local based in Polk(Sacramento) on duty in the early morning. The line is made up of mainly relay welded rail and the train moves right along at 20 m.p.h.

Sunday's train(3/24) was onto the branch at Galt at 08:00 with ten empties behind GP40-2's UP1453 and UP1528. The train is seen approaching the Hwy. 104 grade crossing at Edwin in the first two photos. The now out of service spur to the old Indian Hill Quarry is seen branching off to the right from the short siding. The third view shows the train near the end of active track preparing to back their empties west into the SGI plant.

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Sunday's empties receive a roll by from the locals as they work upgrade toward the Michigan Bar Rd. grade crossing at approx. m.p. 20 in two shots. Next photo shows the train a little earlier at Rancho Seco with the disused spur into the nuclear power station in the foreground.

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Ten loads were brought back down the hill Sunday as seen first at Rancho Seco and then two miles further west at Clay. In another five miles its time to cross the ghost of the old Central California Traction Co. at Herald. The old crossing diamond is no longer in its original place but still is on site laying in the dirt just a few feet north of the UP line.

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SWEET!

Bob

ATSF100WEST......Out

The Specialty Granules Inc. plant is the sole reason for this lines' survival. Roofing granules are the commodity produced and the UP trace indicates that a customer in Famosa, CA accounts for most of the carloads shipped from this facility. SGI uses a trackmobile for switching and all UP has to do is tie onto the loads, hang the FRED, conduct an air test and go.
http://www.specialtygranules.com/

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GREAT set of pics!!!! Thanks for sharing.

Very nice photos! On Google Earth, it looks like a bridge has been removed just beyond Edwin, and it also appears a significant amount of rail is missing in that area as well. Did you happen to scout the line beyond Edwin? Thanks!

John Ford

Awesome shots!

What's the story on Indian Hill Quarry? Is it still in operation.

Also, I recall that there was a huge extraction / chemical operation south of Ione not too far off the tracks. Any information on that?

Thanks.

Z

Would be a great speeder run - if only . . .

John Gezelius
Tustin, CA

I concur, a great series of photos. I love short local trains.

Gary

Posted from iPhone

OPen range country?

Nice shots.

Love shot #9! Great chase and report.

I probably wasn't too far away from you yesterday. I was chasing a Grinstein on the point along the Fresno Sub between Sacramento and Stockton and drove up and down Hwy 99 during the day.

zephyrus Wrote:
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> What's the story on Indian Hill Quarry? Is it
> still in operation.

I'm not sure what level of production is currently taking place but the industry at Indian Hill is North American Refractories Company(clay refractory manufacturing). They're definitely not a rail customer. After a little searching this is all I could come up with:
http://www.usa.com/frs/north-american-refractories-company-indian-hill-plant.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/13 21:45 by shed47.

You know I LOVE stuff like this, but how does the mighty UP justify a branch line that generates 20 cars a week? I'm glad they do, but, y'know, just sayin'...?

It's been alomst twenty years since I railfanned the Ione Branch with Espee GP40-2s bringing 40+ car trains into Edwin and Ione. I appreciate seeing what it looks like today.

UP has a branch from Iowa Falls to Alden which has similar traffic, great
potential though.