Nostalgia & History > UP Glendale Branch - Gone Without A Trace

Here's a picture taken by retired Amtrak machinist / locomotive technician Victor B. D'Agostino of a Union Pacific local coming off the now-abandoned Glendale Branch, circa mid-1960s, crossing San Fernando Road and returning to its main yard in L.A. via the Southern Pacific's Taylor Yard. Also included is an old topo map and a couple of shots from what the area looks like today. All traces of the railroad have pretty much been erased. In the Google streetview pic, I figure Victor was standing about where the telephone / power pole is with the three horizontal yellow stripes.

https://goo.gl/maps/tyfKawz9vdGuAzncA

---

---

---

Wow, that's a great shot of a rarely photographed piece of railroad.

Superb photo.

The train-in-tow that the engine had that day is much bigger than any I ever saw in my occasional encounters
with UP's Glendale local. Perhaps he brought other cars from his prior or future switching chores before arriving Glendale
since he was not able to leave any cars on SP's eastward main track while he went about his business. 

The location where UP departed SP rails to gain access to Glendale was called Arroyo Jct. which is about one city block
ahead of the engine and behind where Mr. D'Agostino took this photo.
A posting by 'photobob'; https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4853813,4853813#msg-4853813
shows the location of the switch leading from the eastward main track in the medium distance, about 100 yards away.
Photobob's photo is the only one I recall seeing that shows the location of the junction. 

Arroyo Jct. was not shown in contemporary SP employee timetables after 1961 but the location name is shown in those of
the UP and their California Div. Special Rules adds that the main track switch leading to the branch was to be handled 
by a "SP switchtender"; the closest one of which would have been within walking distance from the top end of the "A Yard". 

Great photo and excellent map references.

Charlie

I worked it numerous times as a switchman in the late 70's and early 80's. The worst part of working the branch was crossing San Fernando road after coming off the mainline. It's an extremely busy road and trying to get traffic stopped was always a problem. There were only a couple of industries we served by then. We only went as far up the branch to the botom end of Forest Lawn Cemetery.-BMT

I just realized what unit number that is! I have the builders plate off of the 1083. lol-BMT

Yea that is the old Purina Chow building on the right edge.
I still remember seeing a lightening bolt hitting that building way back when and sparks flying all over the place (1963).
The motor from it's electric days is alive out at OERM (SC RR Museum), Perris CA,- operational still, I think.(Via Yakima Valley RR.)

I don't see it on the map, but I'll always remember passing our namesake street (DeLay Drive) where the UP crossed San Fernando Road on the way to the SP Taylor yard office with my dad to check on his job bids. I was always curious where that track went and thought it was an SP track until years later when I learned it was UP Glendale branch trackage. 

Don DeLay



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/20 19:08 by trackplanner.

As I recall the UP had two branches. One was the Pasadena and the Glendale. The switch for Pasadena was just West of Main St. The switch for the Glendale branch was near Van de Kamps bakery off of the 1 westward main across from Taylor yard.

Posted from Android

Don't hold me to it but I always understood the (old) UP originally the owened the east side of the LA River up to the Glendale Junction at Eagle Rock Blvd. All this was for acess to the Glendale and the Glendale & Montrose back in the day.

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

I remember hearing the switcher doing the work below the classroom windows.  I attended high school at Pater Noster.  Now the tracks are gone and my old school closed years ago too.  Thanks for the memory!

JimBaker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't hold me to it but I always understood the
> (old) UP originally the owened the east side of
> the LA River up to the Glendale Junction at Eagle
> Rock Blvd. All this was for acess to the Glendale
> and the Glendale & Montrose back in the day.

I grew up in Glendale. I remember the Glendale and Montrose R R had tracks that went up Canada Ave and turned up Verdugo Rd. Anawalt lumber received flat cars of wood products. The tracks continued up Montrose Ave to a car barn. I am not sure whether or not the purpose of the barn was for a street car system . Will research it more.

Posted from Android

You are correct.  The Anawalt Lumber barn was the Glendale & Montrose Carbarn.
Reference:  GLENDALE & MONTROSE by Jeffrey Moreau , Pacific Bookwork publiher.
We have a copy in the Collection at the Pacific Railrod Museum at San Dimas, CA.

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

JimBaker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't hold me to it but I always understood the
> (old) UP originally the owened the east side of
> the LA River up to the Glendale Junction at Eagle
> Rock Blvd. All this was for acess to the Glendale
> and the Glendale & Montrose back in the day.

Not to beat a proverbial dead horse, after re-reading my remarks it appears come clarification is in order.

The UP ownership on the East Bank Line extended from Bridge Jct., about 2 miles west of East Yard where, prior to the opening
of LAUPT in May 1939, their Pasadena branch began, running northward along the east bank of the river and continuing
on to Pasadena. 'Rock Jct.', 4.8 miles from 'Bridge Jct.' is where the Glendale branch diverged on its 5.4 mile run to Glendale. 

After June 30, 1934, (Signor's LA&SL version says June 30, 1931), a joint operating agreement
between SP and UP became effective which involved the closing of the rail gap between Humboldt St. (Avenue 18), where
the Pasadena branch curved away from the L.A. river, and Dayton Ave.Tower on SP's existing line. 
SP trains began using UP's East Bank Line from the new connection at the Humboldt St./Avenue 18 location, down the river to
the vicinity of Santa Fe's Redondo Junction where they crossed to the west bank and through SP's Butte St. yard to gain access
to their San Pedro branch thereby bypassing heavy operations on Alameda St.

When LAUPT opened in May, 1939 things changed. Union Pacific passenger trains began using that portion of the Pasadena branch, 
(which now began at a new location called 'Pasadena Jct.', the 'old' east bank line now being elevated to main track status); made a left
hand turn, crossed the river and entered the new station after crossing Santa Fe's tracks on the west bank.
 
Besides losing mileage the 'new and improved' Pasadena branch also lost the station where the 'old' Glendale branch originated, 'Rock Jct.',
and gained a station; 'Glendale Jct.' where the 'new' Glendale branch began. As to the timetable information regarding the 'new and improved'
Glendale branch; from the very first issuance until the branch went away there was a notation: "Stations between Avenue 18 and Delay Drive
for information only. Trains and engines are governed by S.P. Co. timetable and rules while using S.P. Co. tracks between Avenue 18
and Delay Drive". Later editions changed the second location to 'Arroyo Jct'.

Here's two links from Ed Gipson's wx4.org site: http://wx4.org/to/foam/sp/maps/zukasETT/1937-11-21LA%26SL13-TimZukas.pdf
                                                                            http://wx4.org/to/foam/sp/maps/zukasETT/1939-05-17UP_LA16-TimZukas.pdf

The 1937 is prior to May 1939, the second is post opening of LAUPT. Relevant info is on page 18 of each.

There, that's all I had to say.
 
Charlie


 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/20 16:25 by cewherry.

JimBaker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You are correct.  The Anawalt Lumber barn was the
> Glendale & Montrose Carbarn.
> Reference:  GLENDALE & MONTROSE by Jeffrey Moreau
> , Pacific Bookwork publiher.
> We have a copy in the Collection at the Pacific
> Railrod Museum at San Dimas, CA.


Thanks Jim for the clarification. The barn is still standing today !

Posted from Android

cewherry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JimBaker Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Don't hold me to it but I always understood the
> > (old) UP originally the owened the east side of
> > the LA River up to the Glendale Junction at
> Eagle
> > Rock Blvd. All this was for acess to the
> Glendale
> > and the Glendale & Montrose back in the day.
>
> The UP ownership on the East Bank Line extended
> from their trackage down around Bridge Jct, (think
> Soto St.-Redondo Tower)
> northward across SP's Sunset route at Alhambra
> Ave. (the shops or today's LATC) a distance of 3.1
> miles and an additional 0.4 miles to 
> Glendale Jct., (so named after May 1939), where
> the trackage left the banks of the river for the
> higher elevations of Rock. Jct.,
> (where the Glendale branch diverged), and their
> Pasadena branch. I think.
>
> After June 30, 1934, a joint operating agreement
> between SP and UP became effective with the
> closing of the gap
> between Humboldt St. (Avenue 18) and Dayton Tower
> and SP trains began using the UP to gain access to
> SP's line
> to San Pedro thereby bypassing heavy operations on
> Alameda St. between Naud Jct. and Clement Jct-SP
> Butte St.
> Of course SP passenger trains continued to use
> Central Station until LAUPT opened in May, 1939
> but UP ownership on 
> the East Bank Line never extended north of the
> above mentioned Humboldt St./Avenue 18. I think.
>
> With the closing of the gap between Ave. 18 and
> Dayton Ave, UP began using SP rails to attain
> their Glendale branch and
> as long as the branch remained in operation UP
> employee timetables carried the notation: "Trains
> and engines are governed
> by S.P. Co. timetable and rules while using S.P.
> Co. tracks between Avenue 18 and Delay Drive".
> Later timetables
> changed the last location to "...Arroyo Jct."
> which was where the shortened branch made its new
> connection with
> the outside world. I know.
>
> Charlie
>
>
>  
Great description Charlie. I remember the UP Pasadena branch started right by Main St off of the number 1 track by Carnation creamer and extended up past the old jail and connected with the SantaFe second district. I know the UP had tracks in Altadena near JPL. The Glendale branch was a complete separate branch.

I was at the top end of A yard one day awaiting departure from the yard. The UP Glendale job entered their branch and lined back the main track switch. 30 minutes later the local reappeared and the brakeman lined the main track switch and the local headed east on the number one track. There was a train headed westward by Dayton tower on number one track. The signal went red in the trains face. The operator at Dayton was called by an irritated engineer why did you throw a red in my face ? The operator called the UP local and asked if they had entered the main track? The crew said yes...The operator said Stop! Do not move your train until a trainmaster contacts you in person. Never knew the outcome but I bet it wasn't pretty!

Posted from Android