Western Railroad Discussion > New Third Main

Eighty-seven westbound ethanol tanks pass dust suppressing yellow iron at Ibis on the Needles Sub earlier this month. Evidence of the coming third main between Needles and East Goffs was abundant, and puzzling in light of current operating practices.
Be of good cheer,
—Mac
www.lowellamrine.com

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Thanks for letting us know they finally started it.  I'll have to go down and check it out.

3rd Main, more room to park anything/everything slower than a Z1....

~ Mr. MRL

Interesting, thanks.

Nice shots!

RC Lundgren

MacBeau Wrote:
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> Eighty-seven westbound ethanol tanks pass dust
> suppressing yellow iron at Ibis on the Needles Sub
> earlier this month. Evidence of the coming third
> main between Needles and East Goffs was abundant,
> and puzzling in light of current operating
> practices.
> Be of good cheer,
> —Mac
> www.lowellamrine.com

The 1.40% ruling grade westbound from Needles to Goffs is probably a good reason. Give the slower westbounds a "Truck Lane" to climb the hill without holding up everybody behind them.

Guess they're putting the third main where
the second main used to be -- they can
reuse the old double-track bridge abutments?

timz Wrote:
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> Guess they're putting the third main where
> the second main used to be -- they can
> reuse the old double-track bridge abutments?

What do you mean by "where the second main used to be"?  The Needles Sub has been double track since at least the 1920's and with the expection of a few curve realignments, the two tracks are pretty much where they were built.  Main 1 (originally ATSF North Track) between the US95 Crossing and Ibis was on a different alignment but it had very sharp curves.  Its really not feasible to reuse any of it.  The new 3rd main will go on one side or the other of the existing two main tracks.