Western Railroad Discussion > Chasing the Legendary Lompoc Local- Part I of IV

The Starbucks Barrista, rustl'n up my, "House Coffee, a big one..", asks,  "So where are you off to today?"
"Lompoc"
"Lompoc?!  What's going on in Lompoc?"
"Oh, well actually, I'm going to Surf'
"You surf?"
No, not to surf, to Surf"
"?!"
"Surf.  It's a place-  kinda near Lompoc....  "

"Never heard of it"
SR

Photo 1.  At 8:05am, the 774 Surfliner from SLO passes...
Photo 2.  Followed, about 20min later, by the Lompoc Local.
Photos 3-5.  Just 2 cars today.  After sweeping accumulated sand out of the derail, the crew clears Surf and is off to Lompoc...

Continued.



 

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Looks like someone was frog hunting and scored one!
Go

Gonut1 Wrote:
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> Looks like someone was frog hunting and scored
> one!
> Go

Poachers
SR

Are there many spring switches remaining on the UP system? [ Pic 2 ]
Just curious.
...Lorenzo

I've seen YouTube videos of this local in Lompoc and notice the covered hoppers do not have "nozzles" at the hopper bays, which would otherwise denote those types of cars that are seen hauling plastic pellets.  What commodity is moved in those through Lompoc? This inquiring railfan would love to know.  And, is there only one customer on that line?

Diatomaceous Earth.  It's mined in the White Hills behind Lompoc.  So these are empties going up to the mine.
I think it's pretty much the only thing still shipping on the line, but I'm not 100% sure.
SR

BoilingMan Wrote:
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> Diatomaceous Earth.  It's mined in the White
> Hills behind Lompoc.  So these are empties going
> up to the mine.
> I think it's pretty much the only thing still
> shipping on the line, but I'm not 100% sure.
> SR

Thanks for that; I'm always wondering what's in most of the freight cars I see rolling across the nation, and also on website videos such as Trainorders, YouTube and others. Ironically, I got curious and looked it up -- finding a bunch of links to the Lompoc operations.  That's one ineresting commmodity, and one that is in demand by a lot of manufacturers of a variety of types, nationwide.  Good stuff!  Here's just ONE of the links I found online:  Celite World Minerals sells for ,217 million | Local News | lompocrecord.com
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/21 18:40 by rbx551985.

One heck of a derail.

It's kinda odd in that it's seriously downhill to the branch line-  it's not like anything it going to accidentally roll out onto the Main!
SR

Well, Surf is at sea level at the pacific ocean, and from there going north, the line climbs the grade inland to the peak at Casmalia (devon siding)

I chased this local a lot circa 2005.  10 cars wasnt uncommon back in the "olden days"

Nice pix.   Nice to see something that isnt big time main line action.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/21 21:02 by pdt.

Great photo storey!

My understanding is they are the only customer left. When I was growing up it was all shipped in boxcars.

Yes, I remember the interchange tracks at Surf being full of box cars back in the 70’s.
SR

Great coverage of what's left of the Lompoc/White Hills Branch.  Up until the late 80s, the eastbound and westbound Coast peddlers (ECP and WCP in the real old days) picked up the eastbound loads and set out the westbound empties at Surf.  The so called "house track" at Surf was always full of empties and/or loads.  I think it was about 1981 or so when a westbound derailed near the east switch of the house track at Surf, hurling derailed cars into the siding where an eastbound was meeting the westbound and into the house track where the Lompoc local was waiting for the same train.  Quite a mess!  I remember the LA Division Superintendent, Mike Burke, renting a helicopter and flying to the scene along with other high ranking officials.  If I remember correctly, part of the east end of the depot was damaged in this derailment as well.  Some other former SP officials might remember this day as well.

Pete
Clio, California

Interesting history (I only vaguely remember it). Surf must have been like being a lighthouse keeper for the operators- lonely and windswept!
I remember being out there late one night in the 70’s- luminescent waves lighting up the coast! It was amazing.
SR

Zephyr Wrote:

> I think it was about 1981 or so when a westbound derailed near the east switch of the house track at Surf, hurling derailed cars into the siding where an eastbound was meeting the westbound and into the house track where the Lompoc local was waiting for the same train. 

May 22, 1981.

> If I remember correctly, part of the east end of the depot was damaged in this derailment as well.

An aerial photo I saw of the derailment showed derailed cars ending up really close to the depot but none hitting it.  In a post from 2013, "Wednesday at Work: Was the Coast Line Snake bit?", "SOB" stated that ballast came thru the depot window (lots of other info about the derailment in that thread).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/21 13:30 by johnsweetser.

Thanks for the additional details on the massive May 1981 derailment at Surf.  At least part of my memory is still intact!  Yes, Surf could be a very lonely place at times, especially on 3rd trick when there were no missle launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base.  However, the Air Force helped pay for an Assistant Trainmaster position which was headquartered at San Luis Obispo, but spent much of its time working with the Air Force in coordination of missle and later defense system launches.  Whenever a launch occurred, the railroad had to be shut down between Honda (siding east of Surf) and Tangair (siding west of Surf) and the Asst. Trainmaster was to be on site to make sure the shut down occurred.  Why the shutdown?  In case an abort occurred shortly after launch in which case pieces of missles or boosters could end up all over the right of way.  I am aware of one incident where this occurred.  I'm sure there were more.  ExSPConductor can tell many stories about Surf, the Lompoc local and missle launches. 

There must still be enough business to make it pay. In the past couple years UP has completely repaved several of the grade crossings (much needed) on the White Hills branch. I have knowledge from family that at the very least the crossings at South D and East Locust have been redone.