Western Railroad Discussion > Random San Bernardino (Southern California)

Here are some video clips from a quick visit to SoCal earlier this month.

UP's Sunset Route can be slow midday. so once I heard the westbound Robertson Rock Train on the radio calling signals near Colton, I went over to the BNSF, knowing that the Rock Train is usually the end of the westbound parade until the late afternoon.

I ended up on the overpass near the San Bernardino Depot and saw a good number of trains in a short period of time in the baking sun. Interesting stuff seen were Metrolink F59PH in Go Transit paint scheme, some slippery Tier 4 Pumpkin ET44C4s, CitiRail GEVOs (not leading), a westbound coil train taking the Metrolink San Gabriel Sub, and an eastbound UP stacker borrowing BNSF power.

Enjoy.

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WOW! I haven't been to San Berdoo in probably 25 years or more!!

Mike

I enjoyed the video!!

Outstanding footage Mr C!

Nice video!

2 questions:

--why was the overpass built, and what line does it serve?

--where is that loaded or unloaded coil train going?

Thanks for any answers!

Thanks for posting this!..Were you there at 5pm, when the big restored shop whistle goes off? Not sure if it's still operating, but if your up on that Mt.Vernon street overpass, it can really give you a jolt when it goes off!, even if your inside a vehicle with the windows rolled down. It did that to me a few times when I used to work in that area!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

coach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice video!
>
> 2 questions:
>
> --why was the overpass built, and what line does
> it serve?
>
> --where is that loaded or unloaded coil train
> going?
>
> Thanks for any answers!

The RR Flyover was built so that Metrolink Commuter trains could get to/from the main from the station. How, when or why freight trains use it I do not know.

That is most likely the loaded unit steel coil train from USS Posco in Pittsburgh CA to the transload yard on the CSI property for local distribution.

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> coach Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Nice video!
> >
> > 2 questions:
> >
> > --why was the overpass built, and what line
> does
> > it serve?
> >
> > --where is that loaded or unloaded coil train
> > going?
> >
> > Thanks for any answers!
>
> The RR Flyover was built so that Metrolink
> Commuter trains could get to/from the main from
> the station. How, when or why freight trains use
> it I do not know.
>
> That is most likely the loaded unit steel coil
> train from USS Posco in Pittsburgh CA to the
> transload yard on the CSI property for local
> distribution.


The BNSF uses the flyover in order to expedite the Kaiser Haulers and the coil trains thru San Bdno. The coil trains are delivered to Budway Trucking which is located adjacent to the CSI North Yard.

Chico43 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The BNSF uses the flyover in order to expedite the
> Kaiser Haulers and the coil trains thru San Bdno.
> The coil trains are delivered to Budway Trucking
> which is located adjacent to the CSI North Yard.

The only reason that train goes to Budway instead of a more favorable company is that when USS Posco first put the idea out to bid, an 11th hour behind the scenes bedroom meeting between some one at Budway and some one at at ATSF (this occured between 1998-1991) ATSF pushed USS Posco to accept the Budway proposal, even though the other 2 proposals by other companies were more favored by and for USS Posco. In fact, only within I think the last 5 years, the number 3 bidder has now merged with Budway who was the number 2 bidder.

Like everything else, the number of trucking companies in Southern California that haul steel is today 1/3 the number 20 years ago.

I should know. I was working for the number 1 perferred bidder by USS Posco. In fact, conincidently on other thread being dicussed on AP about Adams Steel, if we had won the contact, that location would have been the terminus of the USS Posco coiled steel train.

Great video, my son and I liked the two stack trains passing. I need to spend time in San Bernardino again, haven't been there in a very long time.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone