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Passenger Trains > California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno CountyDate: 02/16/21 08:23 California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: randymac I noticed a few days ago (February 12) in the interesting CAHSR "lightweight trains" discussion this statement: "Given that they haven’t laid one stick of rail yet, they could change the spec."
As my wife and I drove home Sunday (February 14) from Easton to Kingsburg and passed through the tiny town of Bowles in Fresno County, we crossed the CAHSR right of way (next to the BNSF valley main) on Manning Avenue. Lo and behold, laid down on the grade and awaiting ballast was this brand-new track and a switch. You'll even see some "rolling stock." This is not to say that completion appears imminent. Construction of road overcrossings and other facilities seems to have a long way to go and looks to be taking forever. This suggests, however, that even though it may only ever link Merced and Bakersfield in the forseeable future, the fiasco is becoming some sort of reality. Date: 02/16/21 08:24 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: randymac By the way, Bowles is about 5 miles south of our county's big city, Fresno.
Date: 02/16/21 08:45 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: PasadenaSub Neat picture of RR infrastructure, but could it be BNSF MofW folks simply staging some track in the roomy HSR right of way before moving it over to their side?
Rich Date: 02/16/21 08:46 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: randymac Yep! Unless they are very well disguised.
Date: 02/16/21 08:47 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: cchan006 rgzfan Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Wood ties?? It's more likely BNSF is getting ready to replace a switch, or add a siding nearby? Could be optical illusion, but the angle of the diverging tracks off the switch don't scream "high speed" but it's not like I've never seen high speed tracks in Japan before. Comedy is always welcome here. :-) Date: 02/16/21 08:47 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: ExStarlightHog Doesn't look like a very high speed turnout to me. Looks like a regular switch. Probably just the BNSF doing some routine stuff.
Date: 02/16/21 08:50 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: randymac I suppose that (BNSF track work staging) is possible but on the west side of the main in Bowles BNSF has a siding often used for MW equipment, and some ground along the old Bowles depot site.
Date: 02/16/21 09:25 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: Jeff Wood ties, even very good ties, for new high speed installations? As the posters before me seem to feel, something might be wrong with the information accompanying this photo. I am not critical of the idea of a high speed system for California but the execution seems shoddy so far. Jeff
Date: 02/16/21 09:37 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: RRTom If this is for CAHSR it would be for a maintenance of way or maintenance of equipment facility.
Asking about it shows intelligence. Smug speculation that it's shoddy work does not. Date: 02/16/21 15:22 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: PHall The junction box for the electric switch lock is mounted on a buried conduit. So this should be the final location.
And last time I looked you don't see electric switch locks on yard trackage. Date: 02/16/21 16:37 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: SCAX3401 4thDistrict Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Perhaps BNSF is realigning their mainline and side > tracks eastward to make room for HSR just west of > their ROW. I rather doubt what is shown here are > actual HSR tracks. That is exactly what is happening at this location. The HSR tracks will be on the west side of the BNSF tracks in the area. The BNSF has a gentle curve at Bowles but not gentle enough for the HSR. So instead of constructing two very expensive flyover bridges, the BNSF will simply be moved to the east slighty. This is give BNSF an even gentler curve with the HSR tracks following right along on the west side. Date: 02/16/21 17:11 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: HotWater Sorry but the frog on that switch is NOT a "movable point frog", and thus is NOT suitable for "high speed" anything!
Date: 02/16/21 23:10 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: AVR3001 Brilliant planning: BNSF will not be able to site any new industries along this side of their railroad.
Date: 02/17/21 09:41 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: WP-M2051 Bowles is the home of Bowels Beef Barn, or at least it was.
Date: 02/17/21 20:13 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: Espee2019 WP-M2051 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Bowles is the home of Bowels Beef Barn, or at > least it was. That's not encouraging. Date: 02/17/21 22:07 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: wpamtk Espee2019 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > WP-M2051 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Bowles is the home of Bowels Beef Barn, or at > > least it was. > > That's not encouraging. Their advertised motto, "Custom Killing." > Date: 02/19/21 17:36 Re: California High Speed Rail Track Laid In Fresno County Author: ProAmtrak RRTom Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > If this is for CAHSR it would be for a maintenance > of way or maintenance of equipment facility. > Asking about it shows intelligence. Smug > speculation that it's shoddy work does not. I still say this HSR in my home state's a joke! Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/21 22:59 by ProAmtrak. |