Nostalgia & History > Lousiana World's Fair Daylight Photo Run-By Location

I'm trying to pinpoint, with as much exactness as possible, where a photo-runby was performed on May 12, 1984 involving the Louisiana World's Fair Daylight.  It was when the train was running on the eastbound journey from Fresno to L.A. and we had a run-by at what I believe is the current siding between CP Honby and CP Humphreys on Metrolink's Valley Subdivision.  On GOOGLE maps, I'm pretty sure the photo line was established somewhere near the approximate location of what is now Canyon Park Blvd. and Jason Drive.  

What throws me is that, if my theory is correct, you should be able to see the 14 Freeway somewhere in the background of the photo.    

The guy who took this photo theorizes that the location is the curve just east (railroad timetable direction west) of the Santa Clarita Metrolink station.  

Is there anyone here who was a passenger on that train or was at that that photo runby location?  The area has "urbanized" itself since 1984 to a point where it's hardly recognizable.   

https://goo.gl/maps/sXucTtd3eMP2



 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/17 09:10 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

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Location is Lang.  I was on the train, and I recall that 4449 slipped her drivers a few times while backing up for the runby.

Stephanie Ann

Also note that there is no auxiliary water tender. Right out of San Francisco, the aux tank developed a hot box (at 70 MPH), and had to be set-out into the lumber yard siding at Mountain View. 

If the location is Lang, where is the siding? 

I think you're here, just RR west of the west switch at Humphreys, east of the 14 fwy and west of Sand Canyon Rd. As a matter of fact, I can even seen the culvert under the track as well as the dirt road climbing up the hill above the track, in the left margin of your photo, in this google earth snapshot.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/17 14:12 by crackerjackhoghead.

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crackerjackhoghead Wrote:
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> I think you're here, just RR west of the west switch at Humphreys, east of the 14 fwy and west of Sand Canyon Rd. As a matter of fact, I can even see the culvert under the track as well as the dirt road climbing up the hill above the track, in the left margin of your photo, in this google earth snapshot.

I think you've nailed it!  
 

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
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> I think you've nailed it!  
 
  I wasn't on the train but, growing up in Canyon Country, I walked every inch of that railroad, From Newhall to Acton, many, many times.

Guys

I was also part of the discussion off of Train Orders about the location and I agree that the location mentioned above seems to be spot on. The first photo is a distant shot of the train before it enters the curve, and hopefully that is consistent with the proposed location.
However after the train passed us, I took several shots of the hill upon which the photo line was located (second photo). One can clearly see a four lane highway and the dry river bed right next to the tracks. But this doesn't seem to the case for the location proposed by crackerjackhoghead (designated by the arrow), as the location appears to be inland from the river and there is no road.
I'm hoping one of you guys might be able to explain what appears to be a discrepancy

Thanks
WP17


CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
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> crackerjackhoghead Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I think you're here, just RR west of the
> west switch at Humphreys, east of the 14 fwy and
> west of Sand Canyon Rd. As a matter of fact, I
> can even see the culvert under the track as well
> as the dirt road climbing up the hill above the
> track, in the left margin of your photo, in this
> google earth snapshot.
>
> I think you've nailed it!  
>  

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I went to historicaerials.com and looked at the 1977 aerial photographs of this area.  It appears that the curve where the photo runby was staged has now been completely by-passed by a line relocation done by SP in about 1990.  Here's the current scene today, and you can see where a bunch of houses have been built in a curved swath along the original right-of-way.  

I don't know how to reproduce aerials from historicaerials.com, but if you check out the website, all the pieces of this puzzle plainly fall into place.

I remember hearing where Metrolink also did several line relocations in that area to reduce curvature.  

Fascinating!  

https://goo.gl/maps/LgD2xzCh5MM2



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/17 22:44 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

Wp17 is probably right. That area would have been my second guess. I do remember them doing runbys there as I watched them from my house. And, yes, the was a realignment doe there. Check out my post here:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3939217,3939597#msg-3939597  The last photo is looking west, towards the hill in WP17's photo.

I followed CA_Sou_MA_Agent's suggestion to consult old aerial photos. I was able to locate the hill from which we shot based om my photo of the photo line which shows the road and river, I then found the same spot on the current satellite imagery -- note where the arrow points -- and guess what -- it's about a mile railroad east of what was proposed a few posts above. There has been a line location but more importantly the imagery shows what sure darn looks like the orignal right of way and its a curve that matches that in our train photos.

WP17





CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I went to historicaerials.com and looked at the
> 1977 aerial photographs of this area.  It appears
> that the curve where the photo runby was staged
> has now been completely by-passed by a line
> relocation done by Metrolink.  Here's the current
> scene today, and you can see where a bunch of
> houses have been built in a curved swath along the
> original right-of-way.  
>
> I don't know how to reproduce aerials from
> historicaerials.com, but if you check out the
> website, all the pieces of this puzzle plainly
> fall into place.
>
> I remember hearing where Metrolink did several
> line relocations in that area to reduce
> curvature.  
>
> Fascinating!  
>
> https://goo.gl/maps/LgD2xzCh5MM2

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