There is a welded rail train just down the street from my office dumping rail on the HB Line. Very interesting operation to watch.. if only I had my camera..
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Well there is welded rail on the ground all the way down Hoover Street in Westminster. Thats about all I can tell you. As soon as I get a little more time to investigate I will.
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Does this correspond with where new ties were installed a few months ago? Thanks for details.
Posts: 216 | From: San Carlos, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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This does. They had a fairly goodsized train out there today. Power was 2 GP units. I wonder if the speeds will increase significantly along this line now since the rail has been replaced. I know they installed new ties pretty much all the way down into Huntington Beach. The rail appears to have been laid all the way down into HB as well.
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It seems a little unusual that UP would go through the trouble of laying CWR on such a light-traffic line. The HB branch doesn't have that much traffic. The tracks are ancient, sure, but I would think there are other upgrades that could be done to extend their life. I suppose it's all good. It means UP isn't planning to abandon the HB branch anytime soon.
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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Density of traffic may not be as significant to UP's decision as stability of track, vulnerability to weather impacts, and peak loading. The track along Hoover is beyond the Garden Grove industrial park where, I suspect, most of the volume of traffic on this line originates or terminates. The Hoover stretch is, however, where the junctions are for the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Depot (munitions and such dangerous cargo, plus seasonal tonnage of sand for local beach replenishment), and for the Southern California Edison heavy service facility, where multi-ton transformers are brought periodically for maintenance(some on Schnaebel cars), using the original NWD connection. More local observers than I will have to offer car counts. Don, when you say the rail has been "laid" well into HB, do you mean just dropped(as you first described it along Hoover) or actually already spiked?
Posts: 216 | From: San Carlos, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Seal Beach NWS and So Cal Edison won't be seeing any car loads for a little while. The rail is laying along the main branch across both of their spurs. The local to the lumber company in HB did go down the line this morning. Only had a couple of cars.
Posts: 14 | Registered: Apr 2003
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CWR has been laid the entire length of the HB branch up to Stanton Jct. It looks like they have laid the rail right over some of the industial spurs, so the locals might be temporarily curtailed or very short as chipsca suggests. I didn't see any sign of MOW activity and no work trains or other equipment between Stanton Jct. and Edinger. They might be farther down, but it IS Saturday, so perhaps they're not working. I'll try to keep my eye on it though.
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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No, there is ribbon rail on both sides of the track, but it hasn't been put in place yet.
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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Went by Anaheim today (Sunday) around 11:30 AM and noted about 5or6 boxcars on the line to Stanton. I wounder if they were left by the HB switcher and when or were they yhe cars that the Sunday morning "Marlboro brought to town?
Posts: 50 | From: Orange Calif | Registered: Oct 2002
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I just hope the CWR means more traffic. It would be nice to see the HB Local grow in size again. I also wonder with the new rail, if there will be any speed increases on the branch. I know it was always neat to see that heavy sand train running on the old track. I guess they won't have to work on the branch again for another 75 years or so..
Posts: 14 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Not that anybody asked, but here's a little history of the track now being relaid. The portion south of Smeltzer(Edinger Ave.) was originally 56# rail laid w/o tie plates by SA&NRy in 1897, followed by 62# rail laid by S.P. between Smeltzer and Stanton in 1907. A mile of 60# rail was sebsequently installed between Wiebling(Ellis Ave.) and Wintersburg(Warner Ave.), still in place when P.E. acquired the line in 1948 altho washed out and silted in since S.P. had officially abandoned it six years previous. The whole line was relaid with 90# rail by P.E. in 1952, including treated pine and gum ties. My question to you field observers is what is the weight of the CWR being dropped for installation now?
[This message has been edited by SteveD (edited 04-28-2003).]
Posts: 216 | From: San Carlos, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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I haven't had time to get out and look at the rail, but it looks about as heavy as the stuff at the road crossings.
Posts: 14 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Steve, to answer your question, the new rail looks like it's probably either 100lb or 115lb CWS.
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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Depressed Center flatcar reported on SCE spur. Question is, did it hop over CWR across switch described above or was it already inside, unloaded and pushed out after rail dropped?
Posts: 216 | From: San Carlos, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Does anyone know the schedule for trains on the HB line? I remember seeing activity on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays in the late afternoon, but haven't seen anything in a while. I wanted to get some shots on the "old rail" before the new CWR gets placed.
Thanks, Rick
Posts: 3 | From: Fountain Valley CA | Registered: May 2003
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The HB local seems to be able to get it switching chores done quite fast not that it doesn't have to go down to Paramount. It has been returning to Anaheim right around noon
Posts: 202 | From: Yorba Linda, CA USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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When I head out to one of our schools in that direction I will let you know about the car reported at SCE.
Posts: 14 | Registered: Apr 2003
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It appears that work crews have either cut the rails in the locations of the switches so the spurs can be accessed, or they just moved the rail all together. Trains can now access the Seal Beach Weapons Depot and also SCE. There is a flat car at SCE. The HB Local also comes through Westminster usually between 9-10AM.
Posts: 14 | Registered: Apr 2003
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The train runs down the branch every weekday, Monday through Friday with Sunday service "as needed."
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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I went pass Anaheim Friday evenning and the hualer power was on the wye and there were 5 units on the engine track. There was a string of cars on the line to Stanton. I know that the Huntington Beach switcher would often leave it train there on return to Anaheim. It seemed that there were more cars than I would expect with the reduced area served by this local. My question is: Are the other locals spotting their outbound cars on this track, since the HB works early and would be back to Anaheim when the others returned or was this just a day when the Huntington Beach had a large number of cars?
Posts: 50 | From: Orange Calif | Registered: Oct 2002
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The Huntington Beach Local returned to Anaheim today with 34 cars. Almost half were empty center beam lumber cars.
Posts: 202 | From: Yorba Linda, CA USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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I am kind of bummed that I missed the local today. I ususally can catch it as it goes down along Hoover by my work.
Posts: 14 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Originally posted by bsme25: The Huntington Beach Local returned to Anaheim today with 34 cars. Almost half were empty center beam lumber cars.
I bet the flanges were singing on the curves at Los Alamitos Jnctn. and just s/o Anaheim--that's a long train for that line, but nice testimony to the significance of lumber traffic thereabouts, on a line originally built mostly by a RR affiliate of one of Orange County's large pioneer lumber companies. Posts: 216 | From: San Carlos, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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They have been doing work on some of the signal boxes out here. There is also a truck with a spool of cable on a trailer. Any ideas what they might be doing? Re-timing the signals for higher speeds?? Not that the local job here needs to go any faster or anything, but I was just wondering. Any idea on since the branch is being refurbished if they will run ammo trains out of Seal Beach again??
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CWR has been laid up to the Beach Blvd. crossing in Stanton. The rails are laid over the now-closed Paramount Branch. I wonder if they will cut the track here when they put the CWR in?
quote:Originally posted by atsf3751: CWR has been laid up to the Beach Blvd. crossing in Stanton. The rails are laid over the now-closed Paramount Branch. I wonder if they will cut the track here when they put the CWR in?
My bet is both junctions in Stanton will be eliminated on this go 'round. Posts: 216 | From: San Carlos, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Speeds Through Stanton to be gradually increased to 60MPH!,Recent track improvements will will permit higher speeds"--per U.P. News Release Stanton, Texas, that is. Sorry, just couldn't resist the temptation. Superelevation coming to Los AlJct. curve?
Posts: 216 | From: San Carlos, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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hahaha, until I read that last part, I was a little incredulous. When they get those track improvements done through Stanton (Calif, that is), I'll bet they'll be able to run the HB local at a "blistering" 25mph!
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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U.P. appears to be laying the CWR right NOW on the line. All crossings in HB are being monitored by safety personnel and equipment is on the tracks from Slater to McFadden and beyond.
Rick
Posts: 3 | From: Fountain Valley CA | Registered: May 2003
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There has been a lot of activity down at Stanton Jct. in the past couple of days. It looks like the MOW crews have set up "camp" there, as there are quite a few vehicles parked there, and it looks like there are several pieced of heavy track equipment parked on the wye. They should be installing the CWR any time now...
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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The old jointed rail is ripped out from Hazard to Westminster Ave.. I haven't checked south of Hazard yet. The new rails are awating installation this morning. Very interesting operation to watch indeed. At the rate the HB branch sees work.. it'll be at least 50 years until we see anything like this again on the branch.
Posts: 14 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I went on an HB Local chase today. Departing out of Anaheim the local had 7 cars. Gray skies helped with the photos that would have otherwise been straight into the sun. Power was UP 1579 and UP 1069. After passing Beach Blvd., they had to stop and flag every crossing all the way down to Huntington Beach, as the gates weren't working since the new CWR has just been installed. Apparently, the electronics for the crossing signals haven't been reconnected. All the MOW equipment for the upgrade is currently stored on the siding near the Garden Grove industrial complex. It didn't look like they would be working today. I did see one welding crew working in Huntington Beach. The train proceeded until just past Warner Ave. and dropped off two loads of lumber before heading back. I am wondering, how often does the local service the industries west of there?
Posts: 246 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Apr 2002
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If the CWR has been installed all through Stanton, can you confirm if both junctions were maintained or discontinued(i.e., Los Al wye and Paramount connection). Thanks for scoping info.
Posts: 216 | From: San Carlos, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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I must say it is interesting to see the different rail sizes on the branch. I was looking at the switch for the SCE facility this morning as I was driving down the street and the rail for the switch is smaller than the new rail that was installed. I hope that with all this work, we'll see more traffic on the line, as it would be neat to watch some monster trains (for this branch) like the Sand Trains. Hopefully all this new work is a sign...
Posts: 14 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Los Al is a go... it is still operational, but weeds and scrub have grown over the rail in spots. Ballast hoppers and a m-o-w gondola are stowed there, west of the wye.
Paramount junction is no more. It was dark when I was there last night, so no photographs yet.
I will post a link to images at RRF.com once I get them on-line.
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