Western Railroad Discussion > Modesto Today

The Southern Pacific Historcal & Technical Society is holding their annual convention this week in Modesto, CA.
At  lunch break I took a walk across the tracks and south to "I" Street.
The first image is of the century old arch sign over "I" Street just south of the former SP depot at 9th St., the former Highway 99 arterial highway before either the 99 freeway or I-5.
The second image is looking north along the former SP main showing (barely) the well preserved SP depot, now undergoing minor expansion and rehab as a part of the transportation center.  Above and to the right is the Doubletree hotel where the convention is being held.
As I began walking back to the hotel I thought I saw a headlight some miles off to the north.
So here is X5564S, a wholly intermodal train.  The green flags were to mark the limits of a 40 (?) MPH speed restriction at I Street.
I was a few minutes late returning.....oh well.
Lots of good times and friendship here.

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Nice shots!

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX

Looking at their welcome arch I wonder how much water they do have?

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Sad to see a single main track without sidings and spurs for industries that were once there.

Stan Praisewater

Stan, the music died years ago when TVG, Trii-Valley Growers, the huge grower  co-op declared bankruptcy.

Out 

railstiesballast Wrote:
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> The green flags were to mark the limits of a 40
> (?) MPH speed restriction at I Street.

Track speed is 40 mph through Modesto. The flags are for a 25 mph slow order there at CP SP113.

I have a memory of meeting my friend John Plytnick, of the BAERA, in Modesto in 1965 and driving him to Perris for an OERM Annual Meeting.
He lived in San Rafael and drove a VW. and I was stationed at McClellan AFB in the Sacramento area.

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

Lots of changes in Modesto on the old SP. All the mainline crossings had wig-wags. A long passing siding track was west of the mainline, creating an almost double track effect. As a safety feature, the wig-wags had a second light about half way up the mast aimed at motorists and within the large lens were the illuminated red words “TWO  TRAINS” when a 2nd train was in the vicinity. To get even more of the motorist’s attention, a 2nd bell rang, but not as a gong - like the wig-wag bell - but with a continuous loud ring.

They all disappeared when the crossing gates & flashers were installed around 1965. 

A steel water tank was next to the tracks at I Street. It had no spout but fed water plugs near the I Street and the K Street crossings, allowing the San Joaquin Daylights to make scheduled stops and take on water withouit blocking any crossings unless the train had expanded consists.

 

I remember wig-wags behind the Modesto sign at the SP grade crossing back in the day. Lots of wig-wags were taken out in 1965 in the Valley, but still had quite a few into the 1970's.

Larry

SP’s double track mainline through the city of Berkeley, CA still had wig-wags into the late 1970s. But they did not have the dense San Joaquin Valley fog, and perhaps that is one reason.