Western Railroad Discussion > How Heavily Used Is The Western End of UP's Alhambra Sub?

I rode a L.A.-to-San Bernardino Metrolink train last Saturday.  Near the flyover between El Monte and Bassett, it looked like the rails on UP's Alhambra Sub had a hint of rust on them.  Since the absorption of SP by UP, how heavily is this line used now on its western end between the Los Angeles Transportaion Center (LATC or "Shops") and Pomona?  Does the majority, or all, of the traffic going to and from the Alameda Corridor use the Los Angeles Sub (former LA&SL) to and from Pomona where a connecton is made between the ex-SP and ex-LA&SL lines?  I'm wondering if the only trains that travel through Alhambra are Amtrak 1 and 2 and just intermodal trains originating and terminating at LATC, plus a local or two. 

What are Aurant and Marne yards used for these days? 

Back before the merger mania, SP had a transfer track west of Marne Yard that allowed SP trains coming up from Los Nietos to return to their home rails after having a short stretch of trackage rights on the UP between Bartolo and City of Industry.  Is this transfer track still used for anything? 

It seems almost cruel irony that they spent all that money lowering the tracks into a trench through San Gabriel and Alhambra and now the line may not be all that busy due to post-merger traffic pattern changes.  I would think routing the Alameda Corridor traffic on the LA&SL route (Los Angeles Sub) might be preferred because they wouldn't have to use Metrolink trackage rights along the LA River on the River Sub and they would avoid the congestion of having to run around the western and northern sides of LATC.       



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/19 00:54 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

I think there are probably 5 or more freights through there per day, and I believe Ardent is mainly used as baretable storage, and easy access by the LATC yard crews.

First I am not a rail but live and work in and around City of Industry.

The track between the LA and Alhambra subs is indeeded used at least a few times per week. I am guessing by the locals.

• All the locals off the Alhambra sub between at least El Monte on the west and Walnut on the east are out of City of Industry yard. They may go further than that.
• All the locals off the LA sub between Whittier on the west and Walnut on the east are out of City of Industry yard. They may go further than that.
• In the past the Anahiem and Los Nietos haulers would use the Alhambra sub to City of Industry then use the track to the LA sub to contine from there. One or both of them used to make drops and pickups at City of Industry but I do not know if that is still true.
• I belive the Cabazon rock train occasionally uses the Alhamabra sub, but not sure if that pattern has changed.

I would guess that there are 4-6 through trains on the Alhambra sub between LA and Industry each direction each day plus Amtrak 1 & 2 plus locals.