Western Railroad Discussion > The Last Wigwag in So Cal

While I believe there are still wigwags in Central California, only one remains in Southern California. As recently as ten years ago I was aware of eight that you could luck out and find swinging. Now the only one left is at Malabar Yard in Vernon. Shot it last Friday. Unfortunately, althought there was a job working the yard, it was never on the main and didn't have a long enough cut to reach the grade crossing even if it did.

 

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This link shows The BNSF Malabar Wigwag 10 years ago and response post of other wigwags at the time in Southern California.https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1863818,1864586#msg-1864586    
That wigwag has indeed stood the test of time.

SantaFeRuss

Let's hope you didn't jinx this wig-wag by posting about it.
Murphy's Law can be a mother...

Ten years ago this wigwag protected nine tracks now just eight tracks. Interesting!

SantaFeRuss

Actually the wigwag only protects the main. The cross buck protects the eight tracks. Pretty confusing if you ask me.

erielackawanna Wrote:
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> Actually the wigwag only protects the main. The
> cross buck protects the eight tracks. Pretty
> confusing if you ask me.

erielackawanna you are right. I fogot that confusing little feature!

SantaFeRuss

Another problem for the surviving wid-wags is finding someone to repair and maintain them. The signal maintainers that used to fix these have long since retired! The Late Don Bowen told me that when the SJVR needed to have its wig-wags maintained they had to send for a gentleman who drove there from Texas!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/19 12:33 by TomPlatten.

TomPlatten Wrote:
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> Another problem for the surviving wid-wags is
> finding someone to repair and maintain them. The
> signal maintainers that used to fix these have
> long since retired! The Late Don Bowen told me
> that when the SJVR needed to have its wig-wags
> maintained they had to send for a genrleman who
> drove there from Texas!

They should have called one of the local railroad museums. They probably have somebody who could do the job!

PHall Wrote:
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> TomPlatten Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Another problem for the surviving wid-wags is
> > finding someone to repair and maintain them.
> The
> > signal maintainers that used to fix these have
> > long since retired! The Late Don Bowen told me
> > that when the SJVR needed to have its wig-wags
> > maintained they had to send for a genrleman who
> > drove there from Texas!
>
> They should have called one of the local railroad
> museums. They probably have somebody who could do
> the job!

There's an engineer that works out of West Colton who used to work for the signal department. He set up the one at the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands (Ca.) and added a push button so that people could activate it.
By the way, the American flags that were on this locomotive, I gave to Ed Dickens when we move the Big Boy from Pomona and he installed them on the 4014 which ran with them all the way from Covina (Ca.) to Cheyenne.-BMT

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SJVR was owned by "Trail  America" at that time. I doubt they would hire a private citizen to service a wig-wag. They would simply contact one of Rail America's affiliate railroads for help!

TomPlatten Wrote:
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> SJVR was owned by "Trail  America" at that time.
> I doubt they would hire a private citizen to
> service a wig-wag. They would simply contact one
> of Rail America's affiliate railroads for help!

Which is why they were Fail America. They would rather pay someone to come from Texas rather then hire someone local.
And people wonder why they had to sell...

Not reintroduce a sad subject---namely the destruction of the old SP Porterville Sub by SJVR/Rail America--but Genesee and Wyoming is not much better when it comes to their lines in Tulare County. They have allowed the old SF line to Lindsay to deteriorate to the point that it is obvious it is destined to be scrapped. It has been years since anyone connected to SJVR has made any attempt to "market" their operation in that area. Hence, it has only scrap value by now!

TomPlatten Wrote:
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> Not reintroduce a sad subject---namely the
> destruction of the old SP Porterville Sub by
> SJVR/Rail America--but Genesee and Wyoming is not
> much better when it comes to their lines in Tulare
> County. They have allowed the old SF line to
> Lindsay to deteriorate to the point that it is
> obvious it is destined to be scrapped. It has been
> years since anyone connected to SJVR has made any
> attempt to "market" their operation in that area.
> Hence, it has only scrap value by now!

Are there any "real" potential customers on the line or is this just railfan fantasies?

Well. for starters, There is a huge Walmart distribution warehouse right in the middle of Porterville. I e-mailed the mayor of Porterville back in 2008 and pointed out that the warehouse was right beside the ROW of the Porterville Sub. If the SJVR would put a siding in there, the warehouse could have in-coming freight brought in by rail instead of countess trucks running through the town. No answer from the Mayor! So now not only are there countless large trucks in the streets of Porterville bringing in goods for the warehouse, but countless trucks loading up to take items out to surrounding Walmarts I get this information from a long time acquitance that lives in the town! The tracks have been gone now for about 10 years!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/19 16:44 by TomPlatten.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> TomPlatten Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Not reintroduce a sad subject---namely the
> > destruction of the old SP Porterville Sub by
> > SJVR/Rail America--but Genesee and Wyoming is
> not
> > much better when it comes to their lines in
> Tulare
> > County. They have allowed the old SF line to
> > Lindsay to deteriorate to the point that it is
> > obvious it is destined to be scrapped. It has
> been
> > years since anyone connected to SJVR has made
> any
> > attempt to "market" their operation in that
> area.
> > Hence, it has only scrap value by now!
>
> Are there any "real" potential customers on the
> line or is this just railfan fantasies?

There are Harvest Container (box plant) just north of Lindsay and NDS (plastic irrigation components) in Lindsay. Both used to be customers.

The rest of the potential customers won't return to rail until railroads convert back to steam locomotives (fueled by whale oil and yak fat).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/19 05:39 by EricSP.