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| 10/25/07 UP NB Canyon Siding UP MP 470 - 202 | 10/19/07 UP SB pass Hill 582 (3MT visible) - 203 | 10/25/07 BNSF EB (Maersk/Sealand) MP 60X - 204 |
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| 10/25/07 Retaining wall at Sullivan's Curve - 205 | 10/25/07 Manitowoc 100 Ton Crane closeup - 206 | 10/25/07 Helpers of above BNSF train (204). MP 60X is near Davis Ranch and also "home" for a new signal mast.(new ROW visible) - 207 |
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205 - 206: For more infos on this Manitowoc Crane you may check this link
below: Click here: Manitowoc Cranes > Products > Lattice Boom Crawler Cranes > Model 222 |
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| 10/26/07 First Train on 3MT w/Ballast- 208 | 10/26/07 Same Train from W. Summit Island - 209 | 10/26/07 New Ballast on 3MT w/retaining wall - 210 |
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first two (208 & 209) are of the relatively new BNSF Ballast cars (note
the solar panels) dumping on either side and in the middle of the new 3MT.
The third picture (210) shows, from the
bottom: Existing Main #1, New 3MT,
Retaining wall supporting the Silverwood Connector, The Silverwood
Connector.
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| 10/26/07 Material removal at Blue Cut - 211 | 10/26/07 New retaining wall at Blue Cut - 212 | 10/31/07 UP lite engines EB at MP 63.4 - 213 |
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| 10/26/07 Cajon Station West bridge constr. - 214 | 10/26/07 # 2 Track bridge replacement - 215 | 10/26/07 BNSF EB train pass the bridge site - 216 |
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Don sends a great sequence of bridge building/replacement at MP 62.9 ---
immediately RR West of Cajon Station. As mentioned before, the abutments
for the two existing tracks were wide and strong enough to support all
three Main Tracks. Photo 214: Note that the #2 track and
bridge have been removed. Photos
215 - 218: The #2 track bridge is being replaced. The old type bridge
can be seen supporting Track #1. Photo
219: Just a few days later, shows Main #2 back in service
and the new 3MT bridge in place. On the West side of the tracks, please
note the pre-cast spans ready to replace the existing #1 Main track bridge.
(GGG)
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| 10/26/07 Bridge element mounting - 217 | 10/26/07 Bridge is mounted - 218 | 10/31/07 New 3MT Bridge in place - 219 |
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| 11/06/07 Tunnel 1 WP, dirt removal - 220 | 11/06/07 T-2 EP, almost down at tunnel level - 221 | 11/06/07 Tunnel 2 WP, drilling for the wall - 222 |
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| 11/06/07 Reinforced hole for bridge support - 223 | 11/06/07 Wall # 6 at Sullivan's Curve - 224 | 11/06/07 Wall west of bridge photo 213 MP 63.5 225 |
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| 10/25/07 Manitowoc 100 Ton Crane - 226 | 11/06/07 Manitowoc details - 227 | 11/06/07 Manitowoc details - 228 |
| Photos
226 - 231: Specials thanks to Greg Martin, who gave us some details about
this particular machine, the Manitowoc triple deuce (222B).
This specific crane has 160 feet of boom,
three drum hoists, and the standard 230 HP Cummings Turbo Diesel engine.
The crawlers are retractable and have automatic grease points on the
rollers. It has a on board computer equipped with load cells and
anti-two block devices for each working line. Currently the front drum
is tied back, and the auxiliary drum is wound up on the drum. We
are only using the rear drum with non-spin 7/8" line. (Greg)
More infos can be found here: Click here: Manitowoc Cranes > Products > Lattice Boom Crawler Cranes > Model 222 |
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| 11/06/07 Wall construction and Manitowoc - 229 | 11/06/07 Manitowoc details - 230 | 11/06/07 Manitowoc details - 231 |
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| 11/11/07 Brdige progress RR East Cajon St. - 232 | 11/13/07 Action at Sullivans' Curve - 233 | 11/13/07 He made it on top at Sullivan's - 234 |
| Photo
232: Showing the progress of the curved
bridge just RR East of Cajon Station at MP 64.1X. One of the construction people told
me that the holes for the bridge supports are 3-5 feet wide and up to 58
feet deep with complete rebar cages. (DET) Photos 233 - 234: We had guests (R&R Scanes - NZ) this week. During our Cajon travels, we visited Sullivan's Curve where we spotted this backhoe climbing a steep and VERY NARROW hill directly across from the Sullivan's lookout. We estimated the climb at 35+ degrees and the backhoe had to use his bucket to PULL himself up the grade. We had always thought that the hill was solid sandstone but it seemed to crumble under the power of the machine --- which appeared to make life even more "interesting" for the operator. (GGG) Both photos by Robin Scanes of New Zealand. |
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| 11/09/07 Hammer Drill-Deadmen (T-1 WP) - 235 | 11/09/07 Trailer with sleepers/deadmen - 236 | 11/09/07 Shotcrete wall is growing T-2 EP - 237 |
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Photos 235 - 237: Shows "Hammer drills"
and the "sleepers/deadmen" parked between the tunnels - while
dirt is removed from above those same tunnels. We were told that the
"deadmen" were thirty feet long each -- and that at the top of
the shotcrete walls, those deadmen were inserted 100 feet laterally into
the hills.
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| 11/09/07 NEW Silverwood Connector - 238 | 11/09/07 BNSF EB out of T-2 EP - 239 | 11/09/07 UP SB above tunnels on UP tracks - 240 |
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On 11/09/07, there was one
cold, gloomy, and humid day on Cajon --- but still no real rain. Photos
were taken in the late afternoon by Gary.
Photo 238: It shows the connection from the UP/SP Palmdale Cutoff to the BNSF's new 3MT and existing BNSF #1 track.
From left to right: 1) The Silverwood
connector (I'm standing on the UP/SP Palmdale Cutoff), 2) BNSF
new 3MT (hopefully BNSF will straighten the 3MT track), 3) BNSF
existing #1 track, 4) BNSF existing #2 track (GGG)
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| 11/07/07 Curved Bridge construction - 241 | 11/07/07 Close up site details - 242 | 11/07/07 BNSF EB on Main # 1 - 243 |
| Photos
241 - 242 show the equipment and
supplies necessary to complete the new 3MT "curved bridge" at MP
64.1X (East Cajon Station) Photo 243 shows a BNSF freight over the existing #1 curved bridge headed up to Sullivan's curve. (GGG) |
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| A few words to the correct MP numbers on MT # 1 (north main): The MP's on this track are referred to the X track in the time table and all bridges also have an X designation. It is just between Cajon Station and Summit and the X tells us it is the # 1 track and not # 2 track (which is shorter). As the main construction, we are documenting, is located between the segment of Cajon Station and Summit, we did not always add the X on the MP settings ! ! This is because the 3MT is being built along the MT # 1. Hopefully it does avoid any MP confusion ! ! | ||
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| 11/04/07 Replacing Track # 1 Bridge - 244 | 11/07/07 New 3MT Bridge - 245 | 11/07/07 NS engines pass the new bridge - 246 |
| Photo
244 shows work completed on the new 3MT and existing #2 track. The track #
1 bridge is being replaced. (RR West of Cajon Station). Photos 245 - 246 shows all three completed bridges --- with the new # 3 MT without ballast and track. (same location) |
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| 10/30/07 Swarthout Cyn Rd widened - 247 | 10/30/07 Swarthout Cyn Rd relocation - 248 | 10/30/07 Hammer Drill above Swarthout Rd - 249 |
| Photos
247 - 248: The Swarthout Canyon Road was moved 70 feet North to
accommodate the 3MT. Photos 249 - 250: Hammer Drills are removing the rock hills for the new BNSF 3MT. It requires much more effort to cut the rocks compared to dirt removal. |
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| 11/07/07 Twin Hammer drills in action - 250 | 11/21/07 T-2 WP Dirt removal - 251 | 11/21/07 T-2 EP Portal extension with rebar - 252 |
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| 11/23/07 T-2 EP (2 days later) - 253 | 11/23/07 T-2 EP (looks RR East) - 254 | 11/23/07 T-2 EP crack in the portal crown - 255 |
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Photos 251 - 257: Last week, the 3MT
construction got really interesting. As
we were told: ----
While Ames Construction was uncovering Tunnel 2, a crack in the
barrel of the tunnel was discovered. Evidently, falling debris was
reported and the decision was made to remove the un-reinforced roof of
the tunnel barrel. The Sunlight has not been great for photography, but
here are the pictures from Don and me. (GGG)
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| 11/23/07 T-2 View of barrel and WP - 256 | 11/23/07 T-2 WP as seen from the inside - 257 | 11/15/07 Bridge Construction at MP 61.5X - 258 |
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| 11/15/07 Inserting a bridge element MP 61.5X - 259 | 11/15/07 View from above, unfinished bridge - 260 | 11/16/06 Nearly completed bridge (1 day later) - 261 |
| Photos 258 - 262: The new bridge is located at MP 61.5X, near Highway 138. This location is also called Mormon Rocks, Stein's Hill and Pine Lodge. | ||
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| 11/23/07 Completed bridge and ready for track - 262 | 11/16/07 BNSF EB T-1 EP still activities on top 263 | 11/23/07 T-1 WP - Last days of this Tunnel - 264 |
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| 11/13/07 As seen from Sullivan's Overlook - 265 | 11/23/07 Sullivan's Curve, hill w/o backhoe - 266 | 11/23/07 Hill removal at Swarthout Cyn Rd - 267 |
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| 11/12/07 New curved bridge at MP 64.1X - 268 | 11/12/07 Bridge construction MP 63.4 - 269 | 11/12/07 Bridge supports MP 63.4 W. Cajon - 270 |
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| 11/28/07 Huge Ames Drill Bit for Backhoe - 271 | 11/28/07 CAT D-10 Dozer, Swarthout Cyn Rd - 272 | 11/28/07 Ballast Regulator, Track Equipt. - 273 |
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Photo 271: First is the rock drill which fits on the large backhoes.
This piece is about 10 feet long. Location: Swarthout Canyon Road.
Photo 272: Second is the largest Bulldozer (D-10T) I've seen although I
am told that there is an even larger D-11 Cat.
Photo 273: Third is the track ballast equipment waiting on the new 3MT
near MP 58. (GGG)
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| 12/03 Remains of Tunnel 2 - 274 | 12/03 Work continues for the shotcrete wall - 275 | 12/03 BNSF WB enters T-2 EP - 276 |
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Last Monday (12/03/07), Don Toles, Marc
Fournier and I were told that the remaining portions of the
"NORTH" wall of T-2 would be removed. So, from above the
tunnels on the UP/SP, Marc & Don grabed cameras and hiked even
farther up the hill. Marc got two fine photographs of the exposed "north"
wall. The "south" wall was left in-place to provide access for
completion of the shotcrete wall. (GGG)
Photos
274 - 275: T-2 Exposed North wall - photography by Marc Fournier.
Photos 276 - 277: T-2 EP with BNSF 4174 WB
by GGG
Photos
278 - 279: Pictures of the actual destruction of the "north
wall" by my friend Dave Gosney. Photography by Dave Gosney.
(A big thank you to Marc and Dave for sharing their photos with us - it is greatly appreciated) WM |
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| 12/03 Remains of Tunnel 2 (EP) - 277 | 12/03 Removal of North Wall - 278 | 12/03 BNSF Track # 1 is currently shut down - 279 |
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| 11/26/07 Hydraulic Vibrator MP 61.5X - 280 | 11/26/07 Pile Removal - 281 | 11/27/07 UP 4269 WB passing construction 0.75 miles west of blue cut - 282 |
| At the Pine Lodge/MP 61.5X Bridge, Ames Construction had to place pilings, before 3MT construction, to support the existing # 1 Main Track. Those pilings were removed using a huge hydraulic vibrator attached to the Terex crane. | ||
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| 11/29/07 BNSF EB curved Bridge MP 64.1X - 283 | 11/29/07 BNSF EB at MP 64.1X - 284 | 11/29/07 Bridge construction detail MP 64.1X - 285 |
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| 11/29/07 BNSF 4557 EB into Sullivan's Curve (same train as on photo 283 going uphill) - 286 | 11/27/07 Sperry Rail Detector EB passing East End of Sullivan's Curve - 287 | 12/03/07 UP NB on UP track from Hill 582 (note: first snow of the Season) - 288 |
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| 12/05/07 BNSF WB heads into T-2 EP - 289 | 12/03/07 T-2 WP North side removal - 290 | 12/14/07 Tunnel 1 WP - 291 |
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| 12/14/07 BNSF WB approaching T-2 EP - 292 | 12/14/07 Same WB train pass T-2 remainings - 293 | 12/14/07 Same WB train pass thru T-2 WP - 294 |
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| 12/14/07 Same WB train toward I-15 - 295 | 12/14/07 ShotCrete Wall above T-2 - 296 | 12/04/07 Hill Grading at Sullivan's Curve - 297 |
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| 12/04/07 Same place with WB BNSF - 298 | 12/10/07 Heavy work to remove the rock - 299 | 12/10/07 This hill will soon be gone - 300 |
| Photos 297 - 300: Here are four of the hill North of the Sullivan's Curve 'overlook'. You may remember the previous discussion stating that the hill appeared to be very narrow and steep. See also photos 233 and 234 with the beginning of this hills' demise. | ||
