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Re: OLD WP LINE BEYOND 98TH AVE OAKLAND
Author: OPRRMS
Date: 06-27-2009 - 19:15
Rolland A. Meyers Wrote:
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> A friend of mine posted a question yesterday down
> the list pretty far and i am afraid he will not
> receive a reply to it because it is burried
> there....so i am reposting it in hopes someone
> will respond to the question.....
Hmmm. I don't see it anywhere. Can you post a link to the thread?
> CALIFORNIA, BAY AREA....DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY THE
> OLD WP MAIN LINE/UP FROM OAKLAND TO NILES HAS NO
> ACTION? fREIGHT IS USED UP TO ABOUT 98TH AVE., BUT
> THEN NOTHING. ALL SEEMS IN GOOD SHAPE, AND THE
> TARGET LIGHT IS ON RED ALWAYS IN SAN LEANDRO, BUT
> STILL THE TRACK IS NOT USED. AS A LONG TIME TRAIN
> BUFF, WILL THE LINE EVER BE USED AGAIN...EVEN FOR
> A DAILY FREIGHT?
There's been a number of discussions in the past on this very topic. Put "Oakland Sub" (in quotes) in the Search box and see what you come up with.
But briefly, the majority of the Oakland Sub between San Leandro and Union City has been out of service for a number of years. Currently there is no service from just north of 92nd. Avenue in far East Oakland all the way to south of Industrial Parkway in Union City. From time to time, cars are stored in various places on the main track; there should be some stored towards the south end currently.
The reason the line is not used for through service is long and varied, the general reason being that the Coast and Niles Subs are more than adequate to handle the volume of traffic in the area, and there is no local business from south of Oakland to north of Union City. Accordingly, the line has been placed out of service between those two areas (the exact points have varied over the years), has had it's Maximum Authorized Speed reduced to 10 MPH, due to some poor tie conditions and having only minimal track inspections done, plus Rule 6.32.2 is in effect due to rusty rail conditions affecting the operation of the crossing protection (all trains are required to approach crossings prepared to stop unless the crossing protection is seen to be working, and must provide flag protection if it's not). Lastly, the junction switch at Melrose (where the Oakland Sub connects with the Niles Sub just north of High Street) is hand operated. Trains have to line it for their movement, then return it to its normal position after using it. Afterwards, the crew member who operated the switch has to walk up to the engine. Trains of more than about 20 cars or so block crossings while waiting for the crew member, not a particularly good thing to be doing in that part of town.
As far as what's in store for the line's future, who knows? UP hopes they'll eventually be able to sell it to the Joint Powers Board for commuter service. There are several scenarios about how that would work, but none are simple, and upgrading the exisiting Niles Sub trackage south of Elmhurst would be a far cheaper and more realistic alternative. However, that's not discouraging UP, as they spent a ton of money last year to repair and relight the CTC code line that had been vandalized and/or stolen; that's why you're seeing the signal at CP F015 near Marina Boulevard in San Leandro lit up. UP Signal is convinced they solved the theft problem, but I suspect the neighbors will just consider it to be a challenge.
Currently the north end is served as far south as 92nd. Avenue by a yard job out of West Oakland called the "Long Street Job" Sunday through Thursday evenings. The south end is served on an as-needed basis by the "54 Local" out of Warm Springs, typically around mid-day to mid-afternoon.
-------------------------------------------------------
> A friend of mine posted a question yesterday down
> the list pretty far and i am afraid he will not
> receive a reply to it because it is burried
> there....so i am reposting it in hopes someone
> will respond to the question.....
Hmmm. I don't see it anywhere. Can you post a link to the thread?
> CALIFORNIA, BAY AREA....DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY THE
> OLD WP MAIN LINE/UP FROM OAKLAND TO NILES HAS NO
> ACTION? fREIGHT IS USED UP TO ABOUT 98TH AVE., BUT
> THEN NOTHING. ALL SEEMS IN GOOD SHAPE, AND THE
> TARGET LIGHT IS ON RED ALWAYS IN SAN LEANDRO, BUT
> STILL THE TRACK IS NOT USED. AS A LONG TIME TRAIN
> BUFF, WILL THE LINE EVER BE USED AGAIN...EVEN FOR
> A DAILY FREIGHT?
There's been a number of discussions in the past on this very topic. Put "Oakland Sub" (in quotes) in the Search box and see what you come up with.
But briefly, the majority of the Oakland Sub between San Leandro and Union City has been out of service for a number of years. Currently there is no service from just north of 92nd. Avenue in far East Oakland all the way to south of Industrial Parkway in Union City. From time to time, cars are stored in various places on the main track; there should be some stored towards the south end currently.
The reason the line is not used for through service is long and varied, the general reason being that the Coast and Niles Subs are more than adequate to handle the volume of traffic in the area, and there is no local business from south of Oakland to north of Union City. Accordingly, the line has been placed out of service between those two areas (the exact points have varied over the years), has had it's Maximum Authorized Speed reduced to 10 MPH, due to some poor tie conditions and having only minimal track inspections done, plus Rule 6.32.2 is in effect due to rusty rail conditions affecting the operation of the crossing protection (all trains are required to approach crossings prepared to stop unless the crossing protection is seen to be working, and must provide flag protection if it's not). Lastly, the junction switch at Melrose (where the Oakland Sub connects with the Niles Sub just north of High Street) is hand operated. Trains have to line it for their movement, then return it to its normal position after using it. Afterwards, the crew member who operated the switch has to walk up to the engine. Trains of more than about 20 cars or so block crossings while waiting for the crew member, not a particularly good thing to be doing in that part of town.
As far as what's in store for the line's future, who knows? UP hopes they'll eventually be able to sell it to the Joint Powers Board for commuter service. There are several scenarios about how that would work, but none are simple, and upgrading the exisiting Niles Sub trackage south of Elmhurst would be a far cheaper and more realistic alternative. However, that's not discouraging UP, as they spent a ton of money last year to repair and relight the CTC code line that had been vandalized and/or stolen; that's why you're seeing the signal at CP F015 near Marina Boulevard in San Leandro lit up. UP Signal is convinced they solved the theft problem, but I suspect the neighbors will just consider it to be a challenge.
Currently the north end is served as far south as 92nd. Avenue by a yard job out of West Oakland called the "Long Street Job" Sunday through Thursday evenings. The south end is served on an as-needed basis by the "54 Local" out of Warm Springs, typically around mid-day to mid-afternoon.
