Western Railroad Discussion > Burbank-Glendale Double Track History

Here is a picture from the early 1950s that shows the same double track main line from the old Taylor Yard to Burbank Junction crossing problem. Here the Daylight train had hit a car at Alameda Street. The inbound Lark has stopped short of the accident. This guy lived, but maybe a bit more careful about crossing the tracks.

The this part of the line has crossing accidents for as long as it has been there. Back in the late 1950s, the city of Burbank had another big worry of Espee's slow freight trains tying up crossings, one would pass one way, and here comes another freight the other. So the city fathers decided to bridge over the problem with Olive, Magnolia and the Burbank Blvd. over crossings, and Alameda underpass. The city fathers were ahead of their time! This was also about the same time that I-5 was being built. The only underpass built in Glendale at the time was where the old PE tracks once crossed SP on Glendale Blvd. Remember, these were built because of complaints about SLOW FREIGHT TRAINS.

Now that we have HIGH SPEED rail traffic on this double track main line. Not many of the street crossings have not been upgraded in Glendale.

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You heard the Glendale Mayor...It's George Bush's fault.

I say K-rail all the crossings in Glendale...and Burbank for that matter.

Steamco: great photo -- glad it documented a happier ending.

Ignoring history and trying to obtain safety on the cheap helped contribute to this tragedy. There are less costly approaches to safety than full grade separation between streets and tracks which could have prevented this disaster: for example, the crash-resistant full gating commonly used in Europe prevents ingress to the rails from the street (when no trains are approaching) but then swings to prevent autos from crossing the tracks (when trains are going past) could have prevented this unnecessary loss of innocent lives.

I suppose UP could have installed such secure gating on its own initiative, but it didn't. Likewise, Metrorail. Likewise, the City of Glendale, the County of Los Angeles, the State of California, and the Federal government. Unless or until a public law mandates such installations, and fully secured rights-of-way (at least on commuter lines in urban areas) these sad events will unfortunately continue, by accident or design.

Karl: will you ever stop maligning your president?

pravihrvat: I agree that Europe has better protection devices. A friend pointed out that for very little money, people type crossing guards (or lookouts), with two way radio communication could be used during rush hour (Morning and Afternoon) at commute train times in areas were heavy rail traffic occurs. It would employ people part time too. Maybe some of those many railfans that would like to get paid to watch trains.

> I suppose UP could have installed such secure
> gating on its own initiative, but it didn't.

Note that UP no longer owns this section. It's owned by SCRRA (and operated by Metrolink).

steamco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pravihrvat: I agree that Europe has better
> protection devices. A friend pointed out that for
> very little money, people type crossing guards (or
> lookouts), with two way radio communication could
> be used during rush hour (Morning and Afternoon)
> at commute train times in areas were heavy rail
> traffic occurs. It would employ people part time
> too. Maybe some of those many railfans that would
> like to get paid to watch trains.


Great, now hire someone part time for minimum wage who barely speaks english to protect my a** at a crossing, BULLSH**!!! Let's take 1 giant leap backwards, should go back to wooden beams and iron straps for rails??????????????????

jmonier Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > I suppose UP could have installed such
> secure
> > gating on its own initiative, but it didn't.
>
> Note that UP no longer owns this section. It's
> owned by SCRRA (and operated by Metrolink).
>
>
Don't confuse people with facts, if they can't blame it on Bush or on the UP most of the posters here will pop in frustration.

pravihrvat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Steamco: great photo -- glad it documented a
> happier ending.
>
> Ignoring history and trying to obtain safety on
> the cheap helped contribute to this tragedy. There
> are less costly approaches to safety than full
> grade separation between streets and tracks which
> could have prevented this disaster: for example,
> the crash-resistant full gating commonly used in
> Europe prevents ingress to the rails from the
> street (when no trains are approaching) but then
> swings to prevent autos from crossing the tracks
> (when trains are going past) could have prevented
> this unnecessary loss of innocent lives.
>
> I suppose UP could have installed such secure
> gating on its own initiative, but it didn't.
> Likewise, Metrorail. Likewise, the City of
> Glendale, the County of Los Angeles, the State of
> California, and the Federal government. Unless or
> until a public law mandates such installations,
> and fully secured rights-of-way (at least on
> commuter lines in urban areas) these sad events
> will unfortunately continue, by accident or
> design.
>
> Karl: will you ever stop maligning your president?


What none of you are understanding is this moron drove down the right of way and was NOT hit at the crossing. Is this so hard for you all to pound in your heads?

maintainer'd --

Please read people's post's more carefully before you start calling them names or demeaning their cognitive abilities. What was described is a fence-style gate system which is ACROSS the tracks (and trackside maintenance roads) when the xing is open to auto traffic, but swings PARALLEL to the tracks (thus closing the xing to autos) upon the approach of a train. In the past many of this type of xing protection system in Europe were operated manually, but now such safety systems can be operated by electric motors and actuated automatically just like other signaling and xing protection systems.

In conjunction with appropriately fencing off the tracks from all other street or other access points, this would prevent unauthorized auto access atop or immediately adjacent to (aka, "up, down, atop or alongside the tracks") the tracks. In urban and suburban areas in the USA auto access to the tracks and trackside maintenance roads is most typically obtained via a xing open to auto traffic (n.b.: xings are the most common access points to the tracks for hyrailers, too).

-----------

n6nvr --

I didn't "blame" anyone for the lack of effective gating. You are free to assign blame as you deem it applicable, but I did not do so: I merely cataloged who had failed to apply a truly effective gate system to this xing. I suppose that I should have also mentioned SP failed to effectively gate this crossing (or eliminate it) when SP owned the right of way, just as its successor UP failed to effectively gate it during the time it owned the right of way. My point was that nobody effectively gated it, or mandated it be so gated; nor for that matter have I heard or read of any administrative executive, agency manager, or legislative body firmly committing to fence and effectively gate this xing or any such xings of urban and suburban commuter rail lines at any jurisdictional level -- federal, state or local. Up to this time it seems that the cost in human lives and wrecked equipment has been deemed more acceptable than paying what it costs to install effective xing protection systems and fence urban/suburban commuter lines. Will this tragedy change that approach? The jury is out ...

pravihrvat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> maintainer'd --
>
> Please read people's post's more carefully before
> you start calling them names or demeaning their
> cognitive abilities. What was described is a
> fence-style gate system which is ACROSS the tracks
> (and trackside maintenance roads) when the xing is
> open to auto traffic, but swings PARALLEL to the
> tracks (thus closing the xing to autos) upon the
> approach of a train. In the past many of this type
> of xing protection system in Europe were operated
> manually, but now such safety systems can be
> operated by electric motors and actuated
> automatically just like other signaling and xing
> protection systems.
>
> In conjunction with appropriately fencing off the
> tracks from all other street or other access
> points, this would prevent unauthorized auto
> access atop or immediately adjacent to (aka, "up,
> down, atop or alongside the tracks") the tracks.
> In urban and suburban areas in the USA auto access
> to the tracks and trackside maintenance roads is
> most typically obtained via a xing open to auto
> traffic (n.b.: xings are the most common access
> points to the tracks for hyrailers, too).
>
> -----------
>
> n6nvr --
>
> I didn't "blame" anyone for the lack of effective
> gating. You are free to assign blame as you deem
> it applicable, but I did not do so: I merely
> cataloged who had failed to apply a truly
> effective gate system to this xing. I suppose that
> I should have also mentioned SP failed to
> effectively gate this crossing (or eliminate it)
> when SP owned the right of way, just as its
> successor UP failed to effectively gate it during
> the time it owned the right of way. My point was
> that nobody effectively gated it, or mandated it
> be so gated; nor for that matter have I heard or
> read of any administrative executive, agency
> manager, or legislative body firmly committing to
> fence and effectively gate this xing or any such
> xings of urban and suburban commuter rail lines at
> any jurisdictional level -- federal, state or
> local. Up to this time it seems that the cost in
> human lives and wrecked equipment has been deemed
> more acceptable than paying what it costs to
> install effective xing protection systems and
> fence urban/suburban commuter lines. Will this
> tragedy change that approach? The jury is out ...


A little insight.
Up in Soledad Canyon we have a big problem with people driving on the right of way. There are 2 bridges in which they are up against the rail and scraping their mirrors on the handrail. Herzog put up rails and cable gates, the same day they were ripped out of the ground. Herzog set in place 4000 pound enviro blocks in the middle of the road. Now these jerkoffs climb the rail, drive down the middle of the track. As I said, you can't stop the MORON, he will find a way.

Welll, way back before the flame started...one factor in getting the grade separations installed in Burbank may have been the sugar beet trains. In the mid-50's they were looong and oh-so-slow. Then there was the fire dept ladder truck vs. train accident. We were told about that one while on a school field trip to the FD.
...Lorenzo

That car in the pic looks like an old Studebaker business coupe. My first car was a 1941 Studebaker President 2 door. Them's was the days.

Jim
​Hatboro, PA