Walong signal bridge is no more...

[jagged ben]

  
In case you wanted to know.  Some of you probably didn't.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nabot/8561438600
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nabot/8555612209

[Philip H]

That sucks!

[GaryHinshaw]

RIP.   The solace I take in this is that business is healthy enough to justify the capital expense.  To me, that's good!

I vowed to preserve this bridge on Tehachapi BC, even though I'm otherwise trying to model 'last summer'.

-gfh

P.S. Thanks for the link to Mathieu's photostream.  Some useful angles in there, e.g.:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nabot/8561439488/in/photostream/

[C855B]

Maybe I should have said something? I was there on 3/13 on the rerouted Coast Starlight, saw that it was gone, but didn't notice the pile o' signal bits as we completed the loop. I knew they had a massive signal replacement in process and were cutting-in the new system the previous week, but the news I had mentioned no further east than Bealville.

Just more fading-away of the golden era. But if you think that's bad, BNSF is currently petitioning the FRA to allow it to use their mandated PTC system to replace lineside signals completely with interactive cab electronics. It's coming, guys.

[ednadolski]

They should reassemble the bridge at the Tehachapi Depot, and preserve it there.

Ed

[magicman_841]

They tore it down during a workblock of epic proportions on Monday March 11th, in the morning. You would not believe the number of UP employees that spent the night in Tehachapi on that Sunday night.

Basically, the only searchlights left on the Pass now are on the two ABS sections (Bakersfield-Bena and Tehachapi-Mojave). New signals and base plates are in place at many locations of those sections, though.

On the photo I took of it on a flatbed, it is actually on the late Dave Burton's ranch property. Rumor has it that it was bought by Burton's family and that it will be preserved somewhere. The Tehachapi depot would indeed be a good place for it, but I can't really see where they have room to put a structure of that size...

Mathieu Tremblay
Saint-Hyacinthe, QC

[GaryHinshaw]

Welcome to Railwire Mathieu.  There are a few Tehachapi modelers on the board here (myself included) and we're always looking for good reference shots for modeling.  Feel free to post more shots of unusual angles for our reference, especially more of the Tunnel 14-17 stretch. 

Are you a modeler?

-Gary

[magicman_841]

Thanks, Gary!

I spent a week in Tehachapi with a friend, the weather was kind and trains a-plenty (of course). Plus, we only ran into Rusty 3 times... 

I only have the following shots of the hopper tunnels. They aren't what I would call easily accessible spots...


Tunnels 16 & 17 by Mathieu Tremblay, on Flickr


Tunnel 15 by Mathieu Tremblay, on Flickr


Tunnel 14 by Mathieu Tremblay, on Flickr

[Scottl]

Mathieu,
Are you the photographer that posts shots from the Lac St. Jean sub?  If so, I'm a big fan!

[magicman_841]

Mathieu,
Are you the photographer that posts shots from the Lac St. Jean sub?  If so, I'm a big fan!

I can't claim to be the only photographer to railfan the LSJ sub, but yes, I have been there many times.

Thanks, glad you like it! 

[Scottl]

I've been meaning to visit both the Lac St. Jean and La Tuque subs.  Both look to be beautiful landscapes and the rail lines are really interesting to me.

[GaryHinshaw]

I only have the following shots of the upper tunnels. They aren't what I would call easily accessible spots...

Thanks Mathieu. That shot of Tunnel 17 is especially useful to me as I need an angle like that for a photo backdrop, and, as you indicate, this stretch is hard to access.  I'm curious where you parked to access that spot, though it's fine if you'd rather not say...

Cheers,
Gary

[magicman_841]

I'm curious where you parked to access that spot, though it's fine if you'd rather not say...

There is a place on the northbound side of 58, right before Tunnel 17, where there is a wider gravel "lot" on the shoulder where you can park far enough from traffic.

See --> http://goo.gl/maps/tgW5h

When we got there that morning, a northbound train was waiting at the north end of Cable, so we knew something was coming. We just climbed on the little hill next to the highway to get a nice view of tunnels 16 and 17.

For tunnels 14 and 15, you need to take the UP service road. Take the 58 south from Keene. The UP service road starts exactly where the milepost 144 of the 58 is. What sucks is that you will be visible to people driving down the 58, and be ready to trespass (as in most locations on Tehachapi).