SPRR Yuma District - The East Line SEGMENT 3: 03/14/91 Introduction The Southern
Pacific Railroad proceeds on its route southeast through the Salton
Sink, skirting the eastern edge of the Water has
also played a critical role in the shape and history of the Espee in
the Regular summer flashfloods can wipe out
whole sections of the high-bermed track.
Rainwater from intermittent storms can combine with the parched
soil and track ballast to create a highly conductive material which
plays havoc with the signaling system, causing headache to dispatcher
and trainman alike. The weather
thoughout the Coachella and The Mecca
Hills and the Orocopia and 611.0 West End Block Signal: WB
6111 Speed Limit: EB
50 MPH; WB 50 MPH Speed Limit ACOT:
EB 50-49 MPH; WB 50-49 MPH -20' AMSL; -0.3%
EB Welcome
to the Traffic
over this section of double-track main line that begins at MP609.7 and
ends at MP618.5 is left-handed; opposing trains are almost always encountered
on the left side. This means
that the south track (the one nearest Route 111/86) is generally constrained
to eastbound traffic while the north track carries the westward-moving
traffic. In fact, almost all the signals in this
stretch are visible only if a train is moving in this prescribed manner. All trains moving in the preferred direction
are considered to be "with the current of traffic". A westbound
train on the south track or an eastbound train on the north track runs
"against the current of traffic" (ACOT). Since there is a greater risk in this mode
of operation, the maximum speed limit is often substantially less. The only
action here now is the Amtrak thrice-weekly passenger train and the
occasional helper movements that use the crossover right at the signal. The yard
extends about 1.7 miles east. The
access to the eastern half of the yard is possible but not advisable
from the west end here. Speed
limit on the yard tracks (not the double-track main) is 5 MPH. 611.3 Old That 1954
timetable calls out a station point about 200 yards west of the Southern Pacific
The SP
communications facility shares space with the MCI Fiber Optic relay
station north of the tracks, west of the overpass.
The MCI site is identical in purpose to the ones at Cherry Valley
(MP561.7), Niland (MP662.4) and Gold Rock (MP716.8). The SP site augments local 161.550MHz road
channel coverage and also supports the main microwave trunk line running
from Whitewater Hill, north of MP584.0 to Salton, northeast of MP638.0.
612.0 -40' AMSL; -0.3% EB 612.3 Old As noted
in the 1954 timetable. 612.5 East End Block Signal: EB
6126 Along the
north side the east yard lead connects to the north main track. A crossover allows eastbound traffic along
the south track to move to the north track and vice-versa. I suspect that this crossover allows the
industries along the south track around MP614 to be serviced without
tying up the railroad. 612.7 Signpost EB 70-65 MPH Speed Limit: EB
70-65 MPH; WB 50 MPH Speed Limit ACOT:
EB 59-49 MPH; WB 50-49 MPH 612.9 Block Signal: WB 6129 "BLYTHE CROSSING" I've heard
this crossing acknowledged by train crews as "BLYTHE CROSSING".
A highway sign on 613.0 Leave -55' AMSL; -0.3%
EB 613.9 Block Signals: EB 6140 - WB 6139 (RIV216C5) Junction of State
Routes 111 and 86 Proceed
south on SR111 (left turn from SR86).
From this junction to at least Mecca (MP624), SR111 is also called
614.0 -65' AMSL; -0.4% EB 614.1 Coachella Crossover West-facing 6730
Spur The Coachella
crossover allows eastbound traffic on the #1 (north) main to move over
to the #2 (south) main track or vice-versa. A west-facing spur 6730 along the south
mainline services the businesses along 614.2 Speed Limit ACOT: WB 59-49 MPH 614.3 Avenue 50 Grade Crossing The grade
crossing employs no crossing gates, only flashing lights. Imagine what it must be like for the engineer
of the eastbound hotshot LAMFF as he comes flying east out of Note the
stop signs for trains using the south side 6730 spur; any rail traffic
using that track must come to a full stop before entering the grade
crossing. 614.4 COACHELLA Station Nuthin'
here, far as I can see... 614.7 Signpost WB 50
MPH This grade
crossing, like the one 0.4 miles west, has the flashing lights but no
crossing gates. 614.8 East-facing 6778 Spur The spur
along the north side of the right-of-way provides service to a shipping
facility along the north side of the main. Just a
bit east there was a spur that separated from the right-of-way, crossed
Grapefruit Boulevard and terminated in the pole yard at 9th and the
treeless Shady Lane, a block southwest of the tracks. The remains of the spur are still somewhat
visible. 614.9 Speed Limit ACOT: WB 30 MPH Along the
west side of 615.0 No Milepost Visible -85' AMSL; -0.3%
EB 615.4 Avenue 52 Grade Crossing (RIV226E1) 615.5 Block Signals: EB 6154 - WB 6155 West-facing 6785
Spur The spur
along the north main track provides service to Sun World Packing on
616.0 -100' AMSL; -0.3% EB 616.7 Signpost EB 50 MPH (RIV226F2) Private Grade Crossing
The grade
crossing serves the newly-created (as of 1990) 616.9 Block Signals: EB 6170 - WB 6171 (RIV226F3) 617.0 Remains of Spur -115' AMSL; -0.3%
EB Along the
north side of the tracks there was once a spur; all that is left is
the subroadbed. According
to the October 1987 SP Timetable, the siding extended about 0.3 miles
west to MP616.7. 617.3 Leave Coachella: Enter County Lands A spur
separated from the south side of the tracks and crossed SR111 immediately
south of the "Thermal" Community Limits sign. Along the mainline right-of-way there is
still some evidence of grading and subroadbed from about MP617.2 and
continuing east. Across
the highway from the mainline, the tracks still exist and continue due
south eventually paralleling 617.8 West Switch 6860 Lead The 6860
spur separates from the north main and provides rail access to the Dole
and Sun World Packing plants along the north side of the right-of-way. The 6860 spur rejoins the north track at
MP618.1. This is
one of the few industry tracks remaining in this area; even the 1987
Timetable shows more industry service than is now present. Community of Thermal The community
of Thermal dates back to at least 1891 as a station on the railroad. 618.0 Old THERMAL Station -135' AMSL; -0.2%
EB This is
the original site of the Thermal station, long before the flood and
subsequent rebuilding of the Thermal siding at its present location. The station length was 128 cars for an
approximate length of 5600'. 618.1 East Switch 6860 Lead The west
end of this spur rejoins the railroad at MP617.8. Industry track 6862 serves the Dole Thermal
Packing Plant; spur 6866 provides service for the Sun World Facility.
Both of these plants are located just west of 618.4 Speed Limit: EB 50 MPH; WB 70 MPH Speed Limit ACOT:
WB 49 MPH 618.5 End Double Track Automatic Block Signal (ABS)
(RIV227B5) Begin Single Track
Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) EB Absolute Signals
with "P" Plates Signpost EB "BEGIN
CTC" Signpost EB "END
OF DOUBLE TRACK" Signpost WB "END
CTC" Signpost WB 70
MPH This ends
the double track mainline that began at MP609.4 and begins the single
track main that will continue all the way to ARAZ Switch at MP725.8. West of here the railroad is under Automatic
Block Signal Control while to the east Centralized Traffic Control takes
over. The Protection
plates on the eastbound signal staffs indicate that the signals will
also display the status of the high-water detector on the bridge at
MP618.6. These absolute
signals control the west switch of Thermal siding, across the river
at MP618.7. 618.6 Back in
1930, the SP built a bridge over the In 1956,
the concrete piers were widened and a new, second span was added, probably
to provide a bridge for the lengthened siding track at Thermal. In 1968,
a flood came along and knocked out one of the concrete piers, the second
one from the east end of the bridge. The railroad
had to bridge this accidental gap quickly to maintain service. Through freight had to detour at Colton
onto the Santa Fe Railway, go up over the Cajon Pass, through Barstow
and then onto the Santa Fe's Cadiz and Parker lines into Phoenix, where
Espee trains could regain their own right-of-way.
It took about two weeks to put the shoo-fly in service. What was
to be a temporary bypass ended up becoming the Southern Pacific mainline's
permanent bridge. This 250'
through-plate girder bridge was built quickly, but was only of single-track
width, so the once-longer Thermal siding was chopped down to its present
length of about 7200 feet. The once-tangent alignment of the rails crossing
over the river was also lost by this construction. Note that
the signal box that displays the Thermal sign is at the west side of
the bridge, back at 618.5, while the beginning of Thermal siding is
on the east side of the river at MP618.7.
Thermal is the shortest siding, by nearly 1300', in this section
of the railroad from Indio to Yuma; the distance between the current
west switch of Thermal and the Thermal sign is around that distance,
also. The trackwork
right here is very graceful: the high-speed alignment of the tracks
at the approach to the switch at MP618.5 provide a smooth transition
to the single-track bridge while another gentle curve eases the track
through the west switch of present Thermal, MP618.7. As for
the Coachella Storm Drain, it is really the This bridge
is equipped with a high-water detector. If tripped by a sizable runoff on the 618.7 West Switch THERMAL Siding WB Absolute Signals
with "P" Plates Signpost EB 79-65
MPH Siding Length 7088' The signals
that control eastbound movement into THERMAL are located at MP618.5,
the end of double track. The
westbound signals at this location control movement out of THERMAL and
onto the double track west. The triangular
Protection plates indicate that the signals also protect trains against
movement if the high-water detector under the bridge at MP618.6 trips
due to floodwater. 618.8 Speed Limit: EB 79-65 MPH; WB 50 MPH 618.9 West-facing 6880 Spur (RIV227B6) -145' AMSL; -0.2% EB This industry
spur provides service to the citrus packers east of the tracks. Access to the commercial area is via the
grade crossing at Avenue 58. 619.1 Avenue 58 Grade Crossing There are
no crossing gates, only flashing lights. The area is wide open, though, so that
the approaching train might have some chance of seeing and being seen... 619.5 THERMAL Station 620.0 -150' AMSL; -0.1% EB 620.2 East Switch THERMAL Siding (RIV227AC1) EB/WB Absolute
Signals 620.7 Signpost WB 50 MPH (RIV227AD2) Community of The name
"Arabia" first appears in a " 621.0 -155' AMSL; -0.1% EB 621.4 Dragging Equipment DETECTOR (RIV227AD3) Block Signals:
EB 6214 - WB 6213 621.6 Avenue 62 Grade Crossing 622.0 -160' AMSL; -0.3% EB 623.0 -175' AMSL; -0.2% EB 623.1 Block Signals: EB 6232 - WB 6231 (RIV227AF6) 623.9 Avenue 66 Grade Crossing (RIV238A1) Community of The serene,
idyllic community of Back to
the railroad: from here east to approximately MP 631 the north side
of the right-of-way is available from 624.0 -185' AMSL; -0.1% EB 624.1 Old Black Water Tank Small Grove of
Date Palms Remains of old
Buildings According
to the USGS map of 1956, this was the original The siding
was moved to its present location a mile or so south in order to reduce
the interference to the cross traffic coming and going from As early
as an 1891 map shows a station on the railroad called "Walters"
somewhere nearby. By 1910
the name "Walters" has vanished and the station of " 624.4 West Switch EB/WB Absolute
Signals Siding Length 8388' An industry
spur leads west, parallel to the mainline, for 0.2 miles toward 625.0 -195' AMSL; +0.0% EB (RIV238B2) The railroad
begins a gentle curve to the east. 625.2 When the
siding was moved from its original position to the present location,
the original Mecca Station was no longer along the siding. So this being about the middle of the new
siding, this is where the current Mecca Station has been moved. Actually, I'm sure that the folks who wanted
to regularly use the Avenue 66 grade crossing back at MP623.9 appreciated
the siding being moved east the mile it was. 625.5 Electrical Substation An electrical
distribution station lies just north of the railroad right-of-way. The tracks end the gentle curve and begin
a two-mile tangent. 625.9 20' Wooden Bridge over wash (RIV238C3) 626.0 -195' AMSL; +0.1% EB 626.1 East Switch EB/WB Absolute
Signals 626.6 25' Wooden Bridge over wash (RIV238D4) Community of Flowing
Wells This is
the only grade crossing for the next 4 miles east; access to the railroad
is best along the north side of SR111 and continuing east. On the
north side of the tracks Hammond Road intersects with Avenue 70 which
continues compass east to Cleveland Street, about 3.5 miles. The Thomas
Bros. guides show the name Flowing Wells here; "Flowing Well(s)"
is also the name of a near-100-year-old community down about MP671,
just east of Niland. 627.0 20' Wooden Bridge over wash (RIV238E4) -190' AMSL; +0.0%
EB 627.3 Block Signals: EB 6274 - WB 6273 The rails
begin another gentle, sweeping turn toward the east. 628.0 -190' AMSL; +0.0% EB (RIV238F5) 628.1 30' Because
of the intense terraforming that has taken place for the last hundred
years, and especially because of the Coachella Canal project, many of
the washes that drain the rumpled and eroded, dusty, tan Mecca Hills
due north no longer flow out to the Salton Sink in separate washes.
Some of the more picturesque names are 628.4 40' The railroad
completes the gentle, sweeping turn and continues for the next three
miles on a long straightaway. 628.5 Dragging Equipment DETECTOR (RIV239A5) 628.8 Old CALEB Station 40' Wooden Bridge
over Although
the total drainage area is impressive, the wash is blocked by dikes
and banks of the Caleb station
commanded a siding approximately 5800' long. 629.0 -195' AMSL; +0.0% EB (RIV239B5) 629.4 Block Signals: EB 6294 - WB 6295 630.0 Signpost EB 70-65 MPH (RIV239C5) Community of Desert
Camp -196' AMSL; -0.1%
EB The name
"Desert Camp" shows up on several different maps of the area. 40' The bridge
over Wasteway #1 is a single span, steel though-plate girder structure
about 100 feet east of the 631.0 -200' AMSL; +0.0% EB 631.1 20' This wash
at one time carried runoff from 631.3 30' Historically,
this was also an alternate drainage for 631.5 Block Signals: EB 6316 - WB 6315 (RIV239F5) 631.6 25' 632.0 Signpost WB 79-70 MPH Speed Limit: EB
70-65 MPH; WB 79-70 MPH -200' AMSL; -0.1%
EB The railroad
begins a long, gradual curve south to follow the -200 foot contour line,
keeping about 1/2 mile from the shore of the 632.5 Community of This trailer
park community is up in the high-rent district, north and east of the
tracks. Bay Drive
provides access to North Shore Estates, immediately beyond the railroad
tracks. Crossing gates and
lights, installed in June of 1990, protect the crossing. 632.9 West Switch MORTMAR Siding (RIV240A6) EB/WB Absolute
Signals Siding Length 8483' Mortmar
Siding started out its existence on a 1903 Railway Map as "Mortmere",
which is close to meaning " 633.0 -205' AMSL; +0.1% EB (RIV240B6) 633.3 MORTMAR Station (RIV240AB1) There is
still the foundation to a section house along the south side of the
tracks, along with the ubiquitous tamarisks and scrap. 633.7 35' Concrete Box Culvert East-facing 6985
Spur The 6985
track is about 100 yards long, drooping down and to the north of the
siding track. 634.0 -200' AMSL; -0.1% EB (RIV240AC1) 634.4 80' There is
flowing water in this wash, probably seepage from the 634.7 East Switch MORTMAR Siding (RIV240AD2) EB/WB Absolute
Signals This crossing
utilizes flashing red lights with no gates to protect the intersection. Along the
south side of the right-of-way, across SR111, begins the Salton Sea
State Recreational Area (SSSRA). 635.0 -205' AMSL; +0.1% EB 635.8 Block Signals: EB 6358 - WB 6357 (RIV240AD3) 636.0 -200' AMSL; +0.1% EB (RIV240AE4) Between the Imagine
being camped here, the early evening breeze off the Salton Sea lending
a refreshing bit of coolness while you are relaxed in your lawn chair,
favorite cool beverage in hand, listening to and watching highballing
Espee freights a mere quarter-mile away.
Ahhh - It makes me long to be away from this word processor... 636.6 Dragging Equipment DETECTOR 637.0 -195' AMSL; -0.2% EB (RIV240AF5) 637.4 Block Signals: EB 6376 - WB 6375 (RIV240AF6) Between
the highway and the sea begins the 637.8 Old SALTON Station The siding,
mentioned in the 1954 timetable, had a capacity of 98 cars, plus the
engine and caboose. Now
its name lives on as the communications facility, as described under
the listing at MP638.0. 638.0 Southern Pacific Salton Communications Facility -205' AMSL; +0.0%
EB (RIV241AA6) Look about
due compass east and you will see two high communications towers, one
of which supports the Espee's radio communications system. The Salton facility relays microwave radio
communications from 638.8 West Switch FERRUM Siding (CAL116A3) EB/WB Absolute
Signals with "P" Plates Siding Length 8269' Two switches
branch off the mainline; the westernmost separates to the south and
is the entry to Ferrum siding; the second switch provides access to
the lead track to the interchange yard for the Kaiser Industries Railroad. There is
a switch at the west end of the interchange lead, just before the switch
that connects the mining railroad to the Espee.
That switch leads to a derail to prevent runaway cars in the
yard from fouling the mainline.
Note the sensor that detects the runaway equipment as it rolls
off the end of the derail spur; another giant "soldering gun"
tip, just like the one back at MP539.6 at the east end of old Colton
Yard. The Timetable describes this as the detector
for indicating "movements over end of derailing spur". Both the
east- and westbound signals at this location are also controlled by
the status of this detector; if tripped, all the signals at this location
will be forced to a "Stop" indication. This ends
the medium resolution coverage of the 639.0 -200' AMSL; +0.0% EB 639.6 FERRUM Station The currently
shut-down Kaiser Industries Railroad "Eagle Mountain Line"
joins the Southern Pacific mainline at the interchange yard along the
north side of Ferrum. The
KIR serviced the Kaiser Corporations' Eagle Mountain Open Pit Iron Mine,
located about 40 miles northeast in the The Espee
uses the yard tracks for storage right now, with several strings of
empty auto-racks or reefers usually taking up space here. A wye is located just east of the tracks
with the tail track buried in the hillside. There are
60'-long drainage culverts that pass under the tracks at MP639.6 and
MP639.8. These are large
enough inside to allow passage to the other side of the yard. But be careful and duck low. And don't use them if there's much water
in them, either. 640.0 -200' AMSL; +0.1% EB 640.1 Several 25' Concrete Culverts This and
the next two culverts at MP640.2 and MP640.4 handle drainage from the
slope above the Ferrum siding and interchange yard. The runoff from that slope has been diverted
with earthen dikes just north of the tracks to prevent damage to the
railroad during stormy weather. 640.6 East Switch FERRUM Siding (CAL116A3) EB/WB Absolute
Signals (EB signals display "P" Plate) The The protection
plates attached to the EB signal masts indicate that the signals are
also under the control of the high-water detector on the This ends
the medium resolution coverage of the 640.7 Remote Seismic Sensor on Eastern Bluff A California
Institute of Technology Seismometer and Strain gauge station is located
just east of the tracks. This
solar-powered transmitter monitors lateral movement across the Mission
Creek Fault which parallels the railroad. The information thus collected is relayed
to a satellite four times a day for analysis back at Cal Tech in The Mission
Creek Fault is the major member of the San Andreas Fault System along
the eastern edge of the Salton Sink.
It extends from Mission Creek, near Mount San Gorgonio, most
of the way to the Mexican Border, mainly remaining hidden under the
shifting sands at the eastern end of the 640.8 240' This bridge
is the highest, second most-bridgelike bridge in the Yuma Subdivision
(the first most-bridgelike bridge is, of course, the arch span over
the Colorado River at The steel
girders that make up the underdeck, beneath the ties, are held in place
with three spindly box bents that rise perhaps 40' from the floor of
the creek. There is
an access road that separates from SR111 at about MP640.7 and drops
down onto a dirt path that crosses under the Salt Creek Bridge adjacent
to the west bank of the creek.
The road allows vehicular access to the north side of the railroad
at Ferrum and some access to the Kaiser Industries Railroad. NOTE: the
last time I checked this road it was very overgrown. Without a big four-wheel drive and/or a
machete, it would be difficult to make it through the narrows directly
under the bridge. Also,
the path on the north of the railroad climbing west out of the creekbed
is very sandy and loose. I might try it but I can't recommend it
to you. (Of course, some
folks would just say "Go for it!!"; not I.) Salt Creek
channels the bulk of the drainage from the south slopes of the At its
northwest end the bridge is outfitted with a high-water detector that
also controls the EB absolutes at the east end of Ferrum (MP640.6) and
the westbound 6417 block signal. The 640.9 Signpost EB 79-65 MPH Speed Limit: EB
79-65 MPH; WB 70 MPH 641.0 -195' AMSL; +0.0% EB 641.7 Block Signals: EB 6418 - WB 6417P The westbound
signal 6417 carries a protection (P) plate; the high-water detector
on the bridge at MP640.8 can also control the aspect of this signal. 641.8 Old DURMID Station Sidings
come and go in the desert; Durmid siding was around for probably fifty
years, but vanished sometime in the late Fifties or early Sixties, most
likely because the siding length of about 2700 feet was just a wee bit
too short for modern trains. However,
the name and the siding live on as shown in the local maps: the USGS
topo map for this area is called Durmid; the Delorme and the Thomas
Bros. books both still erroneously show the Durmid Siding. Durmid
may have been once called "Dos Palmas" (Two Palms); according
to David Myrick in his book, Railroads of 642.0 -195' AMSL; -0.1% EB Due east
are the Bat Cave Buttes; this desolate, craggy formation lies about
0.5 miles from the tracks and has a maximum height of about 45 feet,
making it the highest point locally. 642.4 The Thomas
Bros. guides show a path called 642.8 Signpost WB 70 MPH There's
not too much out here to recommend.
Across the highway from the railroad lies the Al & Chris
RV Park and Midway Bait concession, a fine place to pick up some cool
drinks (or some bait; mmmm, love those anchovies!) if you're so inclined. 643.0 -200' AMSL; +0.2% EB 643.2 Block Signals: EB 6434 - WB 6433 643.8 Dragging Equipment / Hot Box DETECTOR - Speedometer 644.0 -190' AMSL; -0.1% EB 644.7 Block Signals: EB 6448 - WB 6447 645.0 -195' AMSL; +0.0% EB 645.5 Bridge over wash The wash
is wide enough and the clearance under the bridge is high enough that
a reasonably-sized vehicle can drive under the right-of-way. Unfortunately, the path leads nowhere in
particluar on the other side. But
the walls of this narrow wash are studded with magnificent crystals
of gypsum. 645.8 Bridge over A dirt
road passes underneath the trestle bridge with scant headroom. Immediately on the east side of the tracks,
the road climbs up out of the wash and proceeds generally due east to
the "residential" area about a half-mile east of the railroad. Wandering around on the unpaved, rarely-graded
roads in this subdivision will eventually get the intrepid traveller
to 646.0 West Switch BERTRAM Siding (CAL116A3) EB/WB Absolute
Signals Siding Length 8372' -195' AMSL; 0.0% EB 646.5 West-facing 7135 Spur This lonely
100-yard-long spur lays along the south side of the siding; occasionally
a piece of maintenance equipment finds its way onto this track. 646.8 BERTRAM Station (CAL116B3) Signpost WB "BERTRAM" One of
the few places left along the line where the station site is still indicated
with a signpost. It is,
however, a very small sign. All
the others have been stolen and or lost over time; don't make this one
fall to the same fate! 647.0 -195' AMSL; +0.0% EB 647.2 Signpost EB 70-65 MPH 647.8 East Switch BERTRAM Siding EB/WB Absolute
Signals Several
maps show an unpaved path going due north about four miles, leading
past a few ranchos along the way to the high-tension power lines that
run in a more-or-less parallel path with the railroad. The road is well-graded and the railroad
grade crossing is in good condition. This crossing
has no lights or crossing gates, but visibility is very good with no
obstacles near the intersection. 648.0 No Mileboard Visible -195' AMSL; -0.1%
EB The railroad
has begun a gradual, sweeping curve to the east and north; the right-of-way
ends up pointing toward compass northeast. 649.0 -200' AMSL; +0.1% EB (CAL116B4) 649.2 Block Signals: EB 6492 - WB 6491 649.3 Speed Limit: EB 70-65 MPH; WB 79-70 MPH Signpost WB 79-70
MPH 650.0 -195' AMSL; -0.2% EB 650.1 Dragging Equipment DETECTOR Friendly Community
of Thirsty?
Make the turn onto the paved road leading due south from SR111
into 650.7 Dikes along North Side of Tracks 651.0 Block Signals: EB 6510P - WB 6511 -205' AMSL; +0.0%
EB The eastbound
block signal 6510 wears a protection plate, indicating that it also
is controlled by the disposition of the high-water detector on the bridge
at MP651.9. An access
road parallels the railroad right-of-way immediately north of the tracks
and continues east. The
road provides a path for wheeled vehicles to get to the water treatment
plant at MP650.7. 651.1 Old POPE Station Pope was
about 4200' (96 cars) long. 651.9 70' Bridge over major wash Alas, one
of these washes with no name but one that plays an important part in
the drainage of several dozen square miles of desert floor, from the
eastern slopes of the Bat Cave Buttes to the southwest portion of the
Chocolate Mountains, or at least for what little water that makes it
across the siphons on the Coachella Canal. The Espee
Timetable indicates that this bridge is at MP652.0, and the bridge abutment
has "651.99" stenciled upon it. The wash
also is infiltrated with outflow from the Hot Mineral Spa, a natural
hot spring and now commercial establishment about three miles up the
On its
northeast end the bridge is equipped with a high-water detector that,
if tripped, causes the signals 6510 and 6531 to display red aspects. At the west end a dirt raod passes under
the bridge, with sufficient headroom for a moderate truck; this path
leads to 652.0 -205' AMSL; +0.1% EB 652.2 15' Bridge over flowing creek This wash drains a few square miles of desert floor
immediately northeast of the tracks.
Water dropped on the 652.4 Dragging Equipment DETECTOR 652.5 25' Bridge over wash 652.9 Hot Southern Pacific
Pipeline Station Honey The paved
road provides access to the north; there are several Hot Mineral Springs
and commercial spas just a few miles up the road, just the thing to
soothe those aching muscles at the end of a long, hot day of railfanning. This road
also leads up to the Honey 653.0 -200' AMSL; +0.0% EB 653.1 Block Signals: EB 6530 - WB 6531P The Protection plate on the staff of the westward signal
6531 indicates that the signal is also under the control of the high-water
detector on the bridge at MP651.9. If this detector is tripped, the signal
here will display a red aspect. 653.5 50' Bridge over unnamed creek 653.6 Pacific 654.0 -200' AMSL; +0.1% EB 654.3 West Switch FRINK Siding (CAL116B4) EB/WB Absolute
Signals Siding Length 8387' 654.7 60' Bridge over A road
from the south intersects SR111. 655.0 35' Bridge over -195' AMSL; +0.3%
EB 655.3 35' Bridge over 655.4 50' Bridge over Frink Wash
Overflow is just that; beginning more or less at the same place, this
creek handles water also from the Frink Spring area, but with a little
more gusto. 655.6 FRINK Station Who Frink
is I don't know; the name first appears as "Frink's" on an
1891 map. 655.7 East-facing 7165 Spur This is
a 150-yard long spur along the north side of the siding, which itself
lies along the north side of the mainline. 655.8 656.0 -180' AMSL; -0.3% EB 656.1 East Switch FRINK Siding (CAL116B4) EB/WB Absolute
Signals 657.0 -195' AMSL; -0.1% EB 657.1 35' Bridge over 657.2 Block Signals: EB 6572 - WB 6573 Dragging Equipment
DETECTOR 657.3 30' Bridge over Ray Wash (CAL117B5) 657.7 30' Bridge over 658.0 -200' AMSL; +0.0% EB 658.1 Clam 658.4 30' Bridge over 658.5 Block Signals: EB 6586 - WB 6587 658.6 Sy 658.7 20' Bridge over Ed Wash Yep, I
know; it's real lonely out here, the soil is gray, the sky is hazy,
and it's probably blazing hot.
But that's why I came out here and wrote down what I saw, just
so you don't have to. 658.9 Cedar 659.0 -200' AMSL; +0.0% EB
659.3 Fly 659.4 40' Bridge over Butter 659.5 20' Bridge over 659.6 West Switch WISTER Siding (CAL117B5) EB/WB Absolute
Signals Siding Length 8333' 659.8 40' Bridge over 660.0 West-facing 7185 Spur -202' AMSL; +0.0%
EB The equipment
spur lies to the north of the siding and is, as always, around one hundred
yards long and in fairly poor repair. 660.1 WISTER Station Border Patrol Facility
on SR111 The Border
Patrol generally only stops vehicles headed northbound along SR111. Sometimes, however, they also stop northbound
trains and check them for illegals (undocumented workers). I've seen them stopping trains as far north
as Bertram and as far south as Niland. You can almost always recognize them by
their pale green full-sized Jimmy/Bronco/Blazer/Ramcharger vehicles. And they don't particularly seem to have
much of a sense of humor. 660.4 Two Bridges over The grade
crossing is marked as "Private". There is
a flashing "arrow" sign that the Border Patrol sets out on
the highway to slow northbound traffic and let everyone know that something's
up just ahead. 660.7 The Hatchery buildings are located along the west side
of SR111 on 660.8 80' Bridge over 661.0 -200' AMSL; +0.0% EB 661.1 30' Bridge over 661.4 East Switch WISTER Siding (CAL117B5) EB/WB Absolute
Signals 661.9 15' Bridge over 662.0 -195' AMSL; +0.0% EB 662.1 15' Bridge over Salt 662.3 Powerlines Cross Railroad 662.4 90' Bridge over Niland Creek Niland MCI Facility Niland
Creek lies immediately west of the MCI facility. The Niland
MCI Facility resides in the fenced compound just west of the grade crossing
along the north side of the line.
MCI leases a portion of the Espee right-of-way and runs buried
fiber-optic cable carrying telephone communications across the country
along this line. Similar
MCI facilities are located at Cherry Valley (MP561.7), Indio (MP611.4)
and Gold Rock (MP716.8). 662.6 40' Bridge over 662.7 Block Signals: EB 6628 - WB 6627 662.9 40' Bridge over 663.0 -195' AMSL; +0.0% EB 663.1 40' Bridge over Z Drain 663.3 25' Bridge over Cat 663.5 Old MUNDO Station Mundo was
another terrifically short siding that last appeared on the maps back
in the late Fifties. The
total length was about 2700 feet, just over a half-mile. Barely enough room to fit the locomotive
set from a modern SP train, pert near... 663.6 Dragging Equipment DETECTOR The railroad
begins a steady curve to the east. 664.0 -195' AMSL; +0.3% EB 664.4 Block Signals: EB 6644 - WB 6645 After leaving
the curve, the rails now continue southeast on a tangent for the next
fifteen miles, all the way to MP680 at Mammoth Wash. 664.5 40' Bridge over Phil Wash 664.7 20' Bridge over 665.0 -180' AMSL; +0.3% EB 665.4 35' Bridge over 665.5 West Switch NILAND Siding (CAL117B5) See the
next section for details. |