Western Railroad Discussion > Monterey Branch Photos from today

We signed our lease and now we have insurance for our handcar enterprise on the Monterey Branch Line. My wife and I made a one day voyage to check out what we committed to. I hadn't seen the line in almost two years so I was a bit worried about what I would find.   The good news is the transients that were all over the line last time I was there were one. It looks like State Parks has been keeping them on the move.  There was a lot of trash though that will need to be picked up.  But in two years nature has reclaimed more of the branch line.  In two weeks we plan to return to start the process of clearing the line.  In all we are taking on 3.5 miles of tracks.  

1. There is lots and lots of iceplant.  My plan is to cut it with a flat head shovel and leave it by the tracks in hopes it will dry out between now and July.
2. This is our crossing we need to deal with.  While it would be quite easy to uncover the crossing, the agency did not want to entertain this.  We have to build a removeable bridge over the walkway that is inserted each time our handcars pass.  The grade is 1% here and we need to get the tracks up 4 inches higher than they are.  Mason is planning on welding in a 90 foot approach ramp using light gauge square tube.
3.  This section is perhaps the worst grown over segment.  It is only a half mile long and most of it low growing that a brush cutter should take care of.  There is also some real woody ground cover that may need to be chain sawed.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

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Ocean did a number on joint bars in the grown over section.  Something must be different about the carbon content of these bars as the rails are fine. Just a bunch of bars on one side rotted away.

At the former station platform that I don't think was ever used has been taken over by the landscaping that was planted at the station some 50 years ago.

it is not all bad as once you get past the first mile from our terminal in Marina we have over a mile of welded rail to pass over. Beautiful track.



 

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

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1. But the welded rail comes with its own issue, frogs that are not compatible with handcars.  We'll have to come up with a way to modify these without replacing the frog.

2. At the balloon loop we come across a nice smelling Christmas tree forest.  These are Monterey Pines, the same variety that are commonly planted at cut it yourself Christmas tree farms.  We have a handful of trees to cut up. Thankfully they are not huge.

3.  Just beyond these trees and bushes the balloon loop opens to an ocean view with only iceplant to deal with. I hate iceplant.  

All in all we have to cut maybe a dozen small trees that took root in and near the tracks.  If it had been a couple more years it would be a much greater project to remove these trees.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

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finally, I found this and don't know how long it had been there. 

Last shot of the view from the balloon loop.

We will have no problem filling these excursions with the fantastic scenery, perfect weather, and interesting machines people will tour the rails over.

 

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

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Wow. Interesting.

Posted from Android

I just added something to my railfan bucket list.   Now all I need is airlines flying between here and CA.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/21 12:04 by masterphots.

Best of luck!!!

I hope you are successful in your efforts.

Posted from iPhone

Your devotion to this project and in addition, adherence to bureaucratic edicts and whims, is most admirable.

TJY
 

Seems silly not to allow a groove cut in the asphalt, especially as it would be easy to
cover it back after the contract is over.  Some folks just go out of their way to make things difficult.
 

WrongWayMurphy Wrote:
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> Seems silly not to allow a groove cut in the
> asphalt, especially as it would be easy to
> cover it back after the contract is over.  Some
> folks just go out of their way to make things
> difficult.
>  
It's all the lawyers out there.  They live in FEAR--fear of anything that could happen.  It prevents them from making good decisions at times.  I know, I've dealt with a Board full of lawyers.  I finally left them, as their fears were too great for me to live with.

WrongWayMurphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Seems silly not to allow a groove cut in the
> asphalt, especially as it would be easy to
> cover it back after the contract is over.  Some
> folks just go out of their way to make things
> difficult.
>  

We suggested this and it did not go over well.  It would be a lot safer than blocking the trail with barricades and then putting the cuts in and covering. I don't think the political leaders have a problem with it, but I am not out to make waves with the agency. They say jump, I say how high?  If the agency really wanted to kill the proposal they could have, but they are tolerating the concept.  The politicians on the other hand went to their constituents and showed our demo video in Ely and the feedback they got was overwelmingly positive.

 

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

Todd, spring frogs are an easy fix for your handcars. Pry them open with a couple of bars and drive a wedge into it keeping it gapped open. You can use a piece of 2" square tube for your wedge and that should be sufficient spacing..

Which route are you going to be using at the Spring Rail Frog?
If you are going on the straight side, you cars will be fine.
Only if you are on the diverging side will you need to pry open the wing rail as described above.
All that 119 lb CWR was installed when the highway department displaced the line to widen Highway 1 in 1971 when I was General Track Foreman at Watsonville Jct..
There used to be a passenger stop at Ft. Ord, that I used when in Advanced Infantry Training there in 1967, I'd fly to SFO on Sunday afternoon and catch the eastbound (south) Del Monte to get to Ft. Ord.
All the other guys took one bus to downtown San Francisco and a second one back to the base.  Each to their own comfort zone I guess..
But by the time the line change and new platform were done Amtrak had taken over and the Del Monte no longer ran.

Great photo essay, beautiful shots, but, seeing the condition of the line, like many others, just broke my heart.

Best of Luck, I know this will be a postive and enjoyable endeavor for the area and you.

Larry

Can't wait!! Congratulations.

We have two switches to pry open for the balloon loop.  We are not going to be using the siding this year so that is not needed.

Mike, do you recall if the relocated Ord station platform from the track relocation project was ever used?  It seems it was completed after the Del Monte was discontinued.  This would be a good tidbit of trivia for the participants. 

Also, we found 3 or 4 of these plates fastened to ties around the balloon loop.  What is their purpose?

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

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Cool project Todd. Best wishes to you and your family on this endeavour. 

Todd how wide is the walking/bike trail path it would be a great candidate for a concrete crossing panel set as they are 8 feet wide and there some contractors I know that have used panels and you then get rubber inserts for the flange area that would still allow passage of the hand cars , if you would like the information let me know.
Good luck

Midnight Railroad Contractors will remove just the right amount of the asphalt from that crossing..............

But the concrete pad is a good idea but the cost?