Western Railroad Discussion > SearchLights - Arizona on 06/17/2018 - Milepost973

SearchLights still standing their Ground on the UP Phoenix Sub.   This is one of the Intermediates between Control Point PX962 Coolidge and Control Point PX979 on the Phoenix Sub.  PX979 is the last CTC signal heading North (Timetable West) on the Phoenix Sub.  PX962 Coolidge starts the CTC Trackage heading South (Timetable East).

*Changed to Milepost 973, not to be confused with Milepost 973 on the Gila Sub.

SouthWest RailCams
CA, NM, CO, TX, AZ
https://SouthWestRailCams.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/18 18:35 by RailFanAZ.

---

Thanks for the update. Glad they are still looking good. I wonder if the searchlights between Tacna and Wellton, AZ are still there?

Larry

Ritzville Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the update. Glad they are still looking
> good. I wonder if the searchlights between Tacna
> and Wellton, AZ are still there?
>
> Larry

You are welcome, Larry.  Yes, they are still standing, unfortunately, some of the replacements are in, just waiting to be placed in service.

SouthWest RailCams
CA, NM, CO, TX, AZ
https://SouthWestRailCams.com

What a wonderful image ! Thanks for sharing your talent with us.

Just curious what nowadays the demand and monetary value is for the typical "extremely heavy signal head" of such a vanishing searchlight.

Evidently not worth much to anyone or nobody knows the value. No responses up to posting by ble692 6-19-18 at 21:14.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/18 20:28 by rrman6.

You have a close road location for these as well as the others. The line parallels several roads and was just wondering to save time on locating them.

Small correction. Those signals are intermediates, signals 9729 and 9730. They are not a control point (CP), therefore they would not have a CP xxx assigned to them. In this case PX973 does not exist. At signal locations where it is a control point, there is a sign placed to indicate such. Instead, you just see the signal number plates on the signals here, designating an intermediate signal.

I should also add that those particular signals are the first searchlights on the Phoenix Sub one would encounter when coming westbound off the Gila Sub at Picacho.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/18 18:30 by ble692.

ble692 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Small correction. Those signals are intermediates,
> signals 9729 and 9730. They are not a control
> point (CP), therefore they would not have a CP xxx
> assigned to them. In this case PX973 does not
> exist. At signal locations where it is a control
> point, there is a sign placed to indicate such.
> Instead, you just see the signal number plates on
> the signals here, designating an intermediate
> signal.
>

I just changed it whereis says "Milepost" to be more specific and not to get confused with Milepost 973 on the Gila Sub which is probably near another set of Intermediates for the Gila Sub.  I did mention "intermediates" in my post just I have heard it called by train crew "PX973" when talking to dispatch when the signal was dark when approching it (Maybe so they don't get confused,  they never mentioned the "Sub Name" in the conversation).  This was a few months back and I noted that from the radio.

> I should also add that those particular signals
> are the first searchlights on the Phoenix Sub one
> would encounter when coming westbound off the Gila
> Sub at Picacho.

That is good know, I could not remember if there was one between this one and CP PX977, if there is, I believe it is a "hooded signal"

SouthWest RailCams
CA, NM, CO, TX, AZ
https://SouthWestRailCams.com



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/18 18:53 by RailFanAZ.

RailFanAZ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just changed it where is says "Milepost" to be more specific and not to get confused with Milepost 973 on the Gila Sub.

That's closer to accurate, and now I'm going to be extremely nit picky, but they aren't even mileposts, just signal numbers. The numbers on intermediate signals for the SP were normally close to the milepost where the signal was located, but not necessarily exactly it. At locations with 2 main tracks signaled in both directions, you could have 4 signals all located at the exact same milepost location, yet each signal had it's own signal number. Check this Google Maps link for an example.

https://goo.gl/maps/U6aNbN71juo

Note the 2 signals visible. Signal 707 on track 1 and signal 709 on track 2. You can't see the numbers on the other side of the signals, but they are signal 708 on track 1 and signal 710 on track 2. Now all 4 signals are at the exact same milepost location, yet there are 4 different signal numbers. The crossing pictured is Robben Rd at milepost 70.93 on the UP's Martinez Sub between Dixon and Davis, CA (former SP, Cal-P trackage). Sorry this may just be kind of useless little nit picky railroad knowledge, but hey, why not share it.

ble692 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RailFanAZ Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I just changed it where is says "Milepost" to be
> more specific and not to get confused with
> Milepost 973 on the Gila Sub.
>
> That's closer to accurate, and now I'm going to be
> extremely nit picky, but they aren't even
> mileposts, just signal numbers. The numbers on
> intermediate signals for the SP were normally
> close to the milepost where the signal was
> located, but not necessarily exactly it. At
> locations with 2 main tracks signaled in both
> directions, you could have 4 signals all located
> at the exact same milepost location, yet each
> signal had it's own signal number. Check this
> Google Maps link for an example.
>
> https://goo.gl/maps/U6aNbN71juo
>
> Note the 2 signals visible. Signal 707 on track 1
> and signal 709 on track 2. You can't see the
> numbers on the other side of the signals, but they
> are signal 708 on track 1 and signal 710 on track
> 2. Now all 4 signals are at the exact same
> milepost location, yet there are 4 different
> signal numbers. The crossing pictured is Robben Rd
> at milepost 70.93 on the UP's Martinez Sub between
> Dixon and Davis, CA (former SP, Cal-P trackage).
> Sorry this may just be kind of useless little nit
> picky railroad knowledge, but hey, why not share
> it.

I am happy that you share your knowledge, (definitely not nit picky at all in my reading, more like learning more), I have noticed that too between signal numbers and mileposts.  Gets confusing at times.  Then when UP changes out the Signal, the number plate changes too.  (As it did when the Searchlights came down in Queen Creek.)

SouthWest RailCams
CA, NM, CO, TX, AZ
https://SouthWestRailCams.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/18 18:58 by RailFanAZ.

RailFanAZ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am happy that you share your knowledge, (definitely not nit picky at all in my reading,
> more like learning more), I have noticed that too between signal numbers and mileposts.  Gets
> confusing at times.  Then when UP changes out the Signal, the number plate changes too.  (As it did
> when the Searchlights came down in Queen Creek.)

The UP has different theories than the SP did on signals (and pretty much everything else it seems!), plus the signal locations are likely changing, so it comes as no surprise that a lot of the new signals have different numbers than the SP signals did.