Western Railroad Discussion > Santee, CA Question

I was driving through Santee and El Cajon recently and I saw some boxcars spotted to a building off of the light rail line. Is this an active customer? If so, who runs the cars out there and where do they get on the light rail tracks?

Thanks!

What street was it on?

That would most likely be the former San Diego & Arizona Eastern now the San Diego & Imperial Valley shortline operation.

The freight operates a few hours at night, when the light rail is not operating.

The original light rail line to the boarder and east toward Santee was all built on former freight trackage.

From your description it's probably near Bradley Avenue by the airfield. There is a group of industrial buildings there and the one you mention used to get paper rolls for making paper plates. Nearby was Toro irrigation that got covered hoppers for irrigation pipe. That is the end of the original freight line, the trolley that continues to Santee is new track that does not run freight on it. When I lived by there in the 80/90's the line had a bunch of varied freight customers but that's about it now, somebody chime in if there is any other customers left on the branch...

My guess is you were here, if so that was old Fleetwood Pacific, don't know if it's the same now. We would deliver up to 3 spots of boxcars with rolls of paper to make paper plates, etc. This was an industry that the cars needed to be turned a certain way, so these cars went around the turntable often. I just looked at Google Earth and the next customer down the line was Hardie Irrigation, but now the building looks to be labeled for Toro, but they take in lots of covered hoppers full of plastic pellets to make irrigation supplies. There are a few other spots out here, that don't seem to get service anymore. The building to the right used to be a Big Bear grocery store local distribution center I believe, since the trolley went out there, they don't have a track anymore. I think I spotted cars there just 1 time in several years. There is also a small spur that used to be for a company that made cold air balloons (big ones that companies use to advertise) it was called Bigger Than Life. I can't remember ever delivering cars there, it seems vacant now. Back towards San Diego there use to be Petrolane which would get tank cars of propane most nights, the track and I believe switch is still there, but looks like new car storage for one of the many car dealers in the area.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/17 07:14 by 6088.

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6088 Wrote:
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> My guess is you were here, if so that was old
> Fleetwood Pacific,


That's exactly where I was. You guys all nailed it and thank you for the replies. Does the shortline run out of San Diego then? All the way on the light rail line at night? Interesting operation!

Yes out of downtown San Diego, right between the trolley and BNSF yards. I am not really current on their operations, but last I heard SDT was going to have to make some major changes for the freights to continue running when trolley service was still running, and they weren't willing to, so due to time, I think they run east 1 night, and west the next night. When I ran out there (early 90s), we could take the main as soon as the trolleys went to 30 min headways, which was around 9pm. We would then run between trolleys at least out to El Cajon. If you had a heavy train, quite often the trolley following you would start to see your yellow signals, possibly even reds, but most of the time, the trains were short enough that wasn't a problem. Most of the time I ran the 5911 which was an ex Rio Grande GP 9, that was a BEAST!

Interesting operation? You should have seen it when the SP ran it!!

Out

The old SD&AE shop and Yard May 1979

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There were also a few other industries out there, but I think they are long gone. On the east main just past Euclid Ave was Butler Mills, track still there, but I think it's only use for MOW equipment now. Then in La Mesa there was a lumber yard that you switched across the busy Spring Street, then around the curve was Handyman. Coming back out on the west main there was a team track known as Green Siding, but I don't know if it was really ever used. There was a lot more in the SP days. There was Dan McKinney on the west main just east of Euclid that was a beer distributor, then just above the grave yard there was a tile place. Then on Imperial Ave you would find Vitagold which is now a Walmart. If you would like, I can try to get some Google Earth photos and post later of all industry locations that at least were there when I ran out there in the 90s.

Back in the early 80s was there not a Montgomery Ward warehouse out there that was rail served?

Yup and once in a blue moon Carpenter Steel would take a car, not directly but off loaded near
downtown.

Out

Once was a big Lumber yard right near Main St. in El Cajon that disappeared around the 80's, plus another industry in La Mesa that's now gone was Whittaker who made those spaceship looking oil rig rescue floating capsules. I think a picture of those was posted once on TO...

There is also an El Toro Irrigation plant at the other end of the block that has several plastic pellet covered hoppers.

EricSP Wrote:
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> There is also an El Toro Irrigation plant at the
> other end of the block that has several plastic
> pellet covered hoppers.

The Toro plant was already mention. No such thing as El Toro Irrigation.

6088 Wrote:
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> Yes out of downtown San Diego, right between the
> trolley and BNSF yards. I am not really current
> on their operations, but last I heard SDT was
> going to have to make some major changes for the
> freights to continue running when trolley service
> was still running, and they weren't willing to, so
> due to time, I think they run east 1 night, and
> west the next night. When I ran out there (early
> 90s), we could take the main as soon as the
> trolleys went to 30 min headways, which was around
> 9pm. We would then run between trolleys at least
> out to El Cajon. If you had a heavy train, quite
> often the trolley following you would start to see
> your yellow signals, possibly even reds, but most
> of the time, the trains were short enough that
> wasn't a problem. Most of the time I ran the 5911
> which was an ex Rio Grande GP 9, that was a BEAST!

Awesome! Thank you for the info and story.

callum_out Wrote:
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> Interesting operation? You should have seen it
> when the SP ran it!!
>
> Out


I bet! How long has it been a shared trolley line?

portlander Wrote:
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> callum_out Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Interesting operation? You should have seen it
> > when the SP ran it!!
> >
> > Out
>
>
> I bet! How long has it been a shared trolley line?

About 30 years or so.

They typically run out to El Cajon on Sunday nights/Monday mornings. The train generally arrives at El Cajon between 12:30am-1:00am. Depending on the amount of work to be done the westbound train will depart El Cajon between 1:30am-2:00am. The few trolleys left on the line are required to shut down at a station and be protected on either end by a lined crossover.

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