Western Railroad Discussion > Coastal Happenings

Today is my last day of no school before we start "Distanced Learning" - Lets see how that goes! I heard rumblings about a UP Geometry Train moving North from San Luis Obispo to Newark California today. I ventured out of quarantine to see if I could catch the Hollister Local servicing Gilroy and then try to intercept the GEO train moving North. Helpful info from JMF1910 informed me that they would be testing both tracks at Watsonville Junction and Corporal Siding. I was able to get both trains!

1. Hollister Local (There is an official name for this train I will never remember) creeping down the Warm Springs Subdivision at Gish Road in North San Jose
2. Inspecting the siding at Watsonville Junction - After getting back to the main, the train will head North to Corporal Siding
3. Up close and personal with the GEO car @ Corporal

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Thought the Hollister Local was based out of Watsonville.

SP7615

Please clarify something. You referred to "Watsonville Siding" and "Corporal Siding"; I'm confused - but I also haven't been in that area in 35+ years.

The area from Watsonville to Logan was double track in SP days. The photo on the Watsonville Siding is on the old eastbound mainline. The area from Corporal to Gilroy was also double track in SP days. So are you saying UP has downgraded one of the mainlines between these locations so it's basically all single track railroad with a couple of mega sidings? I would have assumed these areas would have been multiple main track areas.

SP7615 Wrote:
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> Thought the Hollister Local was based out of
> Watsonville.
>
> SP7615

It used to be. It now operates a couple of times a week out of Warm Springs

Railbaron Wrote:
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> Please clarify something. You referred to
> "Watsonville Siding" and "Corporal Siding"; I'm
> confused - but I also haven't been in that area in
> 35+ years.
>
> The area from Watsonville to Logan was double
> track in SP days. The photo on the Watsonville
> Siding is on the old eastbound mainline. The area
> from Corporal to Gilroy was also double track in
> SP days. So are you saying UP has downgraded one
> of the mainlines between these locations so it's
> basically all single track railroad with a couple
> of mega sidings? I would have assumed these areas
> would have been multiple main track areas.


Apologies for adding to your confusion, but I am not an expert. I just take photographs and chase trains. 

LOL, OK, fair enough.

Looking at that compression photo of the Warm Springs Sub, you can see the rail is in good shape, and overall the roadbed, too.  I don't get why UP runs trains here at the very annoying 10 mph speed, holding up crossings and car traffic.  If they went 25 mph, things would be much better, with many less irritated people.

Back in the day, teh WS sub was the host of fast passenger trains....

ex-WP GP40-2 on the Hollister.  I think it is WP 3558.

Nice pix!

Z

Thanks for the pics, I saw the GEO train by accident as I was heading south on 101 this afternoon. The short train had just rolled by Sargent and Corporal heading North up the Coast Line.

Dave 

Nice shots. UP 9992 on the Hollister is former WP 3558, part of the last new WP poer and about to reach its 40th. UP 9987 (WP 3552) has been in the area as well.

Shown in Sep 1980 on the BN170 at Oroville, CA.

JIm B

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/20 21:36 by jimB.

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Unless something has changed very recently, its still double track from the south end of WJ to Logan, and Corporal to south of Gilroy.   There are no 8 mile long sidings.  I think this is all still searchlight signal territory, too......

coach Wrote:
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> Looking at that compression photo of the Warm
> Springs Sub, you can see the rail is in good
> shape, and overall the roadbed, too.  I don't get
> why UP runs trains here at the very annoying 10
> mph speed, holding up crossings and car traffic.
>  If they went 25 mph, things would be much
> better, with many less irritated people.
>
> Back in the day, teh WS sub was the host of fast
> passenger trains....

I'd have to look but I think it's excepted track, which only allows for 10 MPH speed and no passenger trains. To get things going faster, more frequent and thorough inspections would have to take place...

I like Pic 2!!

pdt Wrote:
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> Unless something has changed very recently, its
> still double track from the south end of WJ to
> Logan, and Corporal to south of Gilroy.   There
> are no 8 mile long sidings.  I think this is all
> still searchlight signal territory, too......

Yes, I think we have all figured it out. The GEO train was ordered to inspect "both lines" at Watsonville Junction, Logan, and Corporal. Up one track and down the next at three different places.