Nostalgia & History > Recent SD&AE tunnel fire

Has the fire in Tunnel 4 been extinguished?
And if the fire is out, what was the damage. 
Mainly, is it cool enough to check the interior.

Sure hope it didn't collapse and is repairable so trains can use it once again.

Watts local

So what started it?...

With all the things that have happened to this line over the years it's dead. Dead from a thousand paper cuts.

patd3985 Wrote:
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> So what started it?...

Rumor has it that it's been burning since the worlds been turning.

Does the Tijuana cartel use this tunnel for smuggling operations?

Sp1110 Wrote:
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> Does the Tijuana cartel use this tunnel for
> smuggling operations?

Since it doesn't cross the border, probably not.

See this earlier thread:
Tunnel Fire on the San Diego and Eastern (trainorders.com)

Also see pics from Cal Fire here:
CAL FIRE/SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE on Twitter: ".@CALFIRESANDIEGO is at scene with Border Patrol of a fire in an inactive cross-border railway tunnel in Bell Valley. Heavy fire in tunnel structural components but no spread to surrounding vegetation. Firefighters will remain at scene overnight. #BorderIC [url=https://t.co/WYJDdLE0kL&quot]https://t.co/WYJDdLE0kL" / Twitter[/url]

This IS the tunnel that crosses the border.  We used to back the trains from Campo down into the tunnel.  There is a white stripe painted on the inside of the tunnel that marks the actual border.  We would stop short of that and then reverse direction.  That is no longer possible because the border patrol built and substantial fence over the east portal, complete wiht razor wire.

There was also an article about the fire in the museum's latest "Hot Scoop" newsletter.
 

PHall Wrote:
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> Sp1110 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Does the Tijuana cartel use this tunnel for
> > smuggling operations?
>
> Since it doesn't cross the border, probably not.

Tunnel 4 IS the International tunnel! You cross the border
about 45 feet in from the south end of the tunnel!

The US Border Patrol closed off the US end of the tunnel
with heavy fencing and razor wire, so walking through the tunnel
is not a good idea!

Mike

Did the Border Patrol get permission from Baja California Rail to install the razor wire?

Sp1110 Wrote:
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> Did the Border Patrol get permission from Baja
> California Rail to install the razor wire?

The BP probably informed MTS, the owner of the line.
MTS removed BJRR as the designated operator of the
Desert Line, due to non payment of the Million Dollar
a year Tribute!

The continued degradation of the SD&AE does not
bode well for it's continued existence!

Mike

2720 Wrote:

> MTS removed BJRR as the designated operator of
> the Desert Line, due to non payment of the Million
> Dollar a year Tribute!
>
> The continued degradation of the SD&AE does not
> bode well for it's continued existence!
>
> Mike

Mike, I was curious, how many dfferent operators is it now that have singed agreements to lease this line from MTS?  Some of them even made some hefty lease payments initially.  But one after another, their deals fall apart.  

 

2720 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sp1110 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Does the Tijuana cartel use this tunnel for
> > > smuggling operations?
> >
> > Since it doesn't cross the border, probably
> not.
>
> Tunnel 4 IS the International tunnel! You cross
> the border
> about 45 feet in from the south end of the
> tunnel!
>
> The US Border Patrol closed off the US end of the
> tunnel
> with heavy fencing and razor wire, so walking
> through the tunnel
> is not a good idea!
>
> Mike

thank you for this info Mike.........

66

hotrail Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 2720 Wrote:
>
> > MTS removed BJRR as the designated operator of
> > the Desert Line, due to non payment of the
> Million
> > Dollar a year Tribute!
> >
> > The continued degradation of the SD&AE does not
> > bode well for it's continued existence!
> >
> > Mike
>
> Mike, I was curious, how many dfferent operators
> is it now that have singed agreements to lease
> this line from MTS?  Some of them even made some
> hefty lease payments initially.  But one after
> another, their deals fall apart.  
>
>  

Pacific Imperial Railroad(PIR) and Baja Rail are the only 2 companies
who paid the Million Dollar a year Tribute to MTS. Previous operators
paid a percentage of their Gross Revenue to MTS and that money went
into a fund that was supposed to go back into the railroad! When the fee
went up to a million dollars, MTS removed the SD&AE Fund and allowed
the money to go anywhere within MTS/SD Trolley with no reporting of
where those monies were spent!

Mike