Tehachapi Double-Track Project

[kc9jts]

Back in the office and looking at dates; I can't say an exact date but I will say that it is around some of your guesses.

[ednadolski]

Looks like there was just a derailment near Caliente: http://www.turnto23.com/news/breaking-news/train-hauling-beer-derails-near-tehachapi-loop

Thankfully no one was injured.   Hope this won't delay the new track work.

Ed

[jagged ben]

Looks like there was just a derailment near Caliente: http://www.turnto23.com/news/breaking-news/train-hauling-beer-derails-near-tehachapi-loop

Thankfully no one was injured.   Hope this won't delay the new track work.

Ed

Noooooo.  Not the beer!! 

[GaryHinshaw]

As it happens, I'm in LA visiting my daughter and I managed to steal half a day yesterday to visit the Hill.  Much to my surprise, I came across this wreckage around milepost 350, just below Tunnel 9.  There was a substantial Hulcher crew on site cleaning up and I noticed many palettes full of Corona stacked up at their work camp.    As reported in the posted story, there were indeed 5 centerbeam flats and 5 boxcars on their side - as well as many 70T and 100T trucks strewn about. I'm trying to imagine the noise this made when it happened.

A bit further up the hill, the second track around Tunnel 10 is now laid, but it has yet to be ballasted or be put in final alignment, nor has it been tied in to the existing track at either end.  There was very little construction activity at that location.  (No way this will be done by my guess of June 15!)  There was a much bigger presence at Cameron with crews upgrading the drainage following the big flood of last fall.  Traffic was being single-tracked through there in the morning and was under slow orders in the afternoon.

Overall a pretty light day, but things were picking up about 4 pm when I had to leave.  Sorry no pics.

[kc9jts]

Current schedule should be in the early fall for it to be placed 100% in service.  There will likely be some cutovers/tie-ins prior to that.

[ednadolski]

As it happens, I'm in LA visiting my daughter and I managed to steal half a day yesterday to visit the Hill.  Much to my surprise, I came across this wreckage around milepost 350, just below Tunnel 9.  There was a substantial Hulcher crew on site cleaning up and I noticed many palettes full of Corona stacked up at their work camp.    As reported in the posted story, there were indeed 5 centerbeam flats and 5 boxcars on their side - as well as many 70T and 100T trucks strewn about. I'm trying to imagine the noise this made when it happened.

This makes it look like some kind of stringline:

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff19/kpharrier/Tehachapi/_DSC8084-N_zpst4rd3ipr.jpg

Perhaps a problem with the DPU(s)?

Ed

[GaryHinshaw]

Definitely a string-line: all 10 cars were lying on their sides on the inside of the curve.  Here are the last two center-beams (taken with my $35 flip phone  ):



I have not heard any reporting about the cause.  At least when it happens on our layouts, it's a 5-10 min cleanup instead of a 5-10 day one.

[kc9jts]

As info the main at Walong is currently out of service and CP SP352 (East/South Walong) is out of service.  The siding is now connected to the main at what used to be south Walong.  Also the north/westbound signals at CP SP351 (right at the tunnel) have been moved further south/west away from the tunnel for visibility/clearance reasons.

[GaryHinshaw]

Thanks for the update.  I thought I heard a lot of chatter about Walong this morning on the radio.

[ednadolski]

From http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/212889.aspx?page=10, dated 6/22/2016  11:05pm:

Walong Report

K.P. has received a report, and as he understands the report, that the SOUTH end of Walong is gone, no dual control switch and no signals; and that the old Walong siding is now the ONLY track in use, acting as the Main.

[jpwisc]

There was a ballast regulator running up from Tehachapi yesterday, not a train to be seen. MOW crews were standing on the tracks at Keene, I will take a closer look as I swing back through on Thursday.

[ednadolski]

Aerial drone view of the derailment:

Ed

[C855B]

"Derailed train with beer..."

Can't think of a better way to view a derailed train.

[ednadolski]

In this vid you can finally see where the East Walong switch has been removed, and the former Walong main has been tied into the new track:

So is it now time to rename "Walong" as "Walonger"?   


Ed

[chuck geiger]

Love that Loop.