Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Rock Train in Commerce CA on LAJ

Thanks to a heads up from a friend that the BNSF rock train that runs once a week from Victorville and Vernon was parked just north of Slauson in Commerce, I finally got a chance to shoot this operation on its southern end this past Saturday. I'm not 100% certain on the ops on this train, but I think it is basically a nocturnal run on Saturday nights normally?  Got one of it with the bridge over the 710 freeway in the background, and another with detritus that makes this so LA in the foreground. 

Anyone know does this Los Angeles Junction Railway line have any name, branch? Is this just their main? What about a location? I called this Slauson in my notes, but wonder if it has a railroad name.



 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/21 21:15 by erielackawanna.

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Where does that thing dump? Nice catch by the way. Of all the times I have driven under that overpass who would have thunk?
JB

Was just Google searching this myself. It shoves from here on the WYE towards C Yard, but just after going under the 710 (not the bridge crossing in the image, but the underpass off the WYE) there is an aggregate unloader in what looks otherwise like any empty parking lot.

3rdswitch Wrote:
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> Where does that thing dump? Nice catch by the way.
> Of all the times I have driven under that overpass
> who would have thunk?
> JB

Same here.  His photo was taken from Slauson Ave. here- https://goo.gl/maps/KxDa94YdkrEXwX2t5
The train came down to Slauson Ave. to clear the wye so that it could back up around the wye to unload at the Cemex Bell Terminal here- https://goo.gl/maps/LqNyoYESw7DDCDzt9
Sorry, Charles, don’t know any of the LAJ location names.

In June, the loaded U VVCVRN ran twice in the week of 6/1-6/7/20. It ran Tu 6/2/20 at 1726 past Lugo with 90 loads, 3x3; returned 6/3 at 1722 with 90 empties, 3x0. I’m going to guess that the 3rd Victorville brings out the power from Barstow that will become the dpu. On Saturday, 6/6 at 1357, 90 loads went by, 3x3. I did not see the return on Sunday, I may have missed it. At that time there was no server to provide ATCS to show when trains passed, but RailFanAZ has fixed that.

I watched the Cajon (Lugo) railcam in daylight (short days!), 12/18 to 12/22/20. The only one in either direction that I saw was on Saturday, 12/19 at 16:56 with 89 loads and 3x3 power. I presume there was no rear dpu when you saw it.

mapboy

When I worked the Junction hauler from the Jct Railroad to West Colton. Our crew would sign on at the Junction office. Inside the office was a map of the trackage. Two names that i remember were the Long Laguna and short Laguna leads.
I think this is the same location or nearby where Langendorf would unload their hoppers loaded with flour.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/21 15:10 by SanJoaquinEngr.

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
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> When I worked the Junction hauler from the Jct
> Railroad to West Colton. Our crew would sign at
> the Junction office. Inside the office was a map
> of the trackage. Two names that i remember were
> the Long Laguna and short Laguna leads.
>
> Posted from Android

I've also noticed sections of the LAJ track paralleling the north (east?) bank of the LA River being called the "Laguna Main" or "Laguna Lead".

~ Mr. MRL

Mapboy - no DPU on the cut.

SJE and Mr. MRL - Thanks so much for the info!

Does it actually come through the LAJ yard or take the old joint UP Santa Fe River Track on the north bank?
JB

3rdswitch Wrote:
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> Does it actually come through the LAJ yard or take
> the old joint UP Santa Fe River Track on the north
> bank?
> JB

I'm pretty sure the train stays north of the LA River Channel the entire time.

~ Mr. MRL

Is this where you "cut off your slauson?"

-------------------------------------------------------
> SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
".....Inside the office was a
> map
> > of the trackage. Two names that i remember were
> > the Long Laguna and short Laguna leads.

 and MrMRL Wrote:

> I've also noticed sections of the LAJ track
> paralleling the north (east?) bank of the LA River
> being called the "Laguna Main" or "Laguna Lead".

The current Google map for the area shows 'Laguna' still existing with what appears to be a very active
rail presence which possibly explains the existence of the 'Laguna' leads/mains. 

The name 'Laguna' has a long history in this area. Pacific Electric had a passenger station on their
Whittier line (later renamed the La Habra Branch and still later 'The Walker Line') named 'Laguna'.
In the years, following abandonment of passenger service, the PE established a new station; 
"Junction Transfer" between the UPRR San Pedro Branch crossing at Bell and Walker. I presume
this was where the LAJ and PE interchanged traffic, at least until sometime after the PE absorption
into SP in 1965. 

Charlie




 

erielackawanna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Was just Google searching this myself. It shoves
> from here on the WYE towards C Yard, but just
> after going under the 710 (not the bridge crossing
> in the image, but the underpass off the WYE) there
> is an aggregate unloader in what looks otherwise
> like any empty parking lot.
The aggregate unloader is in the same place as the Swift Roadrailer trains were made-up or disassembled when they ran on BNSF.
The otherwise empty parking lot was used by BNSF as an offsite intermodal trailer lot (Bell Lot) supporting Hobart after it was no longer used for the roadrailers until  developed for the CEMEX aggregate operation.

cewherry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> ".....Inside the office was a
> > map
> > > of the trackage. Two names that i remember
> were
> > > the Long Laguna and short Laguna leads.
>
>  and MrMRL Wrote:
>
> > I've also noticed sections of the LAJ track
> > paralleling the north (east?) bank of the LA
> River
> > being called the "Laguna Main" or "Laguna
> Lead".
>
> The current Google map for the area shows 'Laguna'
> still existing with what appears to be a very
> active
> rail presence which possibly explains the
> existence of the 'Laguna' leads/mains. 
>
> The name 'Laguna' has a long history in this area.
> Pacific Electric had a passenger station on their
> Whittier line (later renamed the La Habra Branch
> and still later 'The Walker Line') named
> 'Laguna'.
> In the years, following abandonment of passenger
> service, the PE established a new station; 
> "Junction Transfer" between the UPRR San Pedro
> Branch crossing at Bell and Walker. I presume
> this was where the LAJ and PE interchanged
> traffic, at least until sometime after the PE
> absorption
> into SP in 1965. 
>
> Charlie
>
>
>
>
>  
Great details and explanation for the Long Laguna Lead name. 

Long ago the U.P. furnished interchange clerks and freight house clerks for the L.A.J.  It must have been sometime during 1956 I was sent to the L.AJ. for about a month from the U.P. clerks Los Angeles extra board. 

I went to Walker Ave. a few times to chalk the consignees on cars the P.E. setout for the L.A.J.  Since the cars in effect made a "U" turn going to the L.A.J. you had to remember to chalk the information on the north side of the cars. 

Google's satellite view still shows traces of the L.A.J.  There is a long curving "alley" now where the track curved to the west and crossed Randolph St. near Walker Ave. in Maywood, CA.  There are some indications of the tracks along Randolph that were used by the L.A.J. 

All L.A.J. trackage south of Slauson was removed many years ago. 

As I remember it, almost everything was delivered to "A" yard which was adjacent to the L.A.J. yard office.  A few cuts of "hot" forwarder cars were pulled from "A" yard.  Otherwise all else was pulled from "B" yard.  I think Chrysler was handled through "C" yard, which was east of Eastern Ave.  I only went out there once. 

At that time the U.P. used IBM machines for all the car records.  The L.A.J. still used a real "jumbo" book for car records. 

Eugene Crowner

Shafty Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Long ago the U.P. furnished interchange clerks and
> freight house clerks for the L.A.J.  It must have
> been sometime during 1956 I was sent to the L.AJ.
> for about a month from the U.P. clerks Los Angeles
> extra board.
 
Interesting, I wouldn't have guessed that UP had any hand in what went on at the LAJ.

My understanding has always been that the LAJ was an arm of the Santa Fe especially since, 
in the 'Guide', they list their president as being located at 80 E. Jackson Blvd. in Chicago; the same
address of Santa Fe's general offices. 

Thanks Eugene, for your comments.

Charlie
 

cewherry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shafty Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Long ago the U.P. furnished interchange clerks
> and
> > freight house clerks for the L.A.J.  It must
> have
> > been sometime during 1956 I was sent to the
> L.AJ.
> > for about a month from the U.P. clerks Los
> Angeles
> > extra board.
>  
> Interesting, I wouldn't have guessed that UP had
> any hand in what went on at the LAJ.
>
> My understanding has always been that the LAJ was
> an arm of the Santa Fe especially since, 
> in the 'Guide', they list their president as being
> located at 80 E. Jackson Blvd. in Chicago; the
> same
> address of Santa Fe's general offices. 
>
> Thanks Eugene, for your comments.
>
> Charlie
>  

Years ago the LAJ railroad was known as the Rule G railroad. When a crew member was fired from the SP the person usually was hired by the J while serving out there dismissal .

Posted from Android

The van picks up the crew at Slauson then the LAJ pulls the train back to the Bell yard for unloading. The DP power is cut off and parked in the C-yard to go back to the house later.                                                                                                                                                                                      The carmen work the train in the Bell yard. This train is very bad on brakes.  Every time the train comes in they have to change a lot of brake shoes. The turn around time unload to departure is about 36 hours
TMBubba

TMBubba Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The van picks up the crew at Slauson then the LAJ
> pulls the train back to the Bell yard for
> unloading. The DP power is cut off and parked in
> the C-yard to go back to the house later.     
>                                  
>                                  
>                                  
>                                  
>                                  
>       The carmen work the train in the Bell
> yard. This train is very bad on brakes.  Every
> time the train comes in they have to change a lot
> of brake shoes. The turn around time unload to
> departure is about 36 hours
> TMBubba

Thanks so much.