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Oakland trains
Author: wsabo
Date: 04-08-2010 - 12:55
This was in Oakland Tribune....
I don't know how to create a link so I just cut and pasted it
Loft dwellers deal with freight trains' return to Oakland Estuary area
Union Pacific runs are rerouted to Glascock Street during Caltrans freeway work.
By Cecily Burt
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 04/08/2010 12:00:12 PM PDT
Updated: 04/08/2010 12:22:02 PM PDT
OAKLAND — Union Pacific started its early morning runs down Glascock Street last month with little fanfare and, so far, little disruption, giving waterfront loft dwellers a little taste of Oakland industry.
The railroad was forced to change its delivery route to ConAgra and Veronica Foods, both located near Union Point Park in an industrial hub along the Oakland Estuary, when Caltrans started seismic retrofit work on Interstate 880 at the Fifth Avenue overpass this year.
The new freeway footings left no room for the railroad spur tracks that Union Pacific had used to deliver freight cars filled with oil and grains to the two businesses since about 2006. So Union Pacific has permanently reverted to an older route that parallels Fruitvale Avenue before curving between two large warehouses to emerge on Glascock Street near Jingletown.
Once there, the freight cars rumble past hundreds of new condominiums and lofts that have replaced older industrial warehouses along the waterfront.
The tracks run down the middle of Glascock, past the Oakland Museum White Elephant warehouse, the UC Berkeley crew boat houses and several newer residential complexes before crossing busy 29th Avenue. From there, the tracks disappear into the Cemex plant.
The trains come through three times a week, usually between 2 and 5 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The conductor is required to sound the horn three times at an intersection.
Byron Harper, a board member of the area homeowners association, has lived on Glascock long enough to remember when the trains used the route in the past. He's heard them come through a couple of times recently — and heard their horns, but the noise didn't last long, and it didn't really bother him, even though his windows face the street.
"I have heard the horns, but I've also heard the trains coming down the street," Harper said. "It only lasts a minute or two."
Harper said he couldn't remember whether he had gotten any advance notice before the trains appeared, but once the tracks were upgraded, he knew it would only be a matter of time.
Caltrans has agreed to pay for safety improvements required by the California Public Utilities Commission, which are expected to cost about $1 million. The transportation agency also has agreed to pay for more than $1 million in community requested improvements to sidewalks, curbs, drainage and landscaping along the new rail route.
Although some of the safety work has been completed, there are no crossing arms to stop traffic on 29th and 23rd avenues to let the trains pass. Wlad Wlassowsky, the city's traffic engineer, said that such a stop requires coordination between the cities of Oakland and Alameda, as well as Union Pacific, the utilities commission and the Park Street Bridge operation and probably won't be completed for another year.
"The frequency of the trains is so sporadic or seldom that it didn't trigger a standard that (the crossing arms) should be installed beforehand," he said.
He also said that the city once again is talking to the owners of the Cemex plant about installing an electronic gate so the train operator can pass through without having to wait for someone from the company to unlock it. The way it is now, the longer the operator has to wait for the gate to open, the longer the train cars sit on Glascock Street and potentially impede access by residents and emergency vehicles.
"That is an issue," he said. "It would be like stopping in the street and blocking traffic while you go open your garage door."
Many residents park on the street and worried that spots would be removed once the trains started using the route. Wlassowsky said a few parking spaces have been removed from either end of Glascock Street, but no other spots will be considered for removal without first talking to the residents.
I don't know how to create a link so I just cut and pasted it
Loft dwellers deal with freight trains' return to Oakland Estuary area
Union Pacific runs are rerouted to Glascock Street during Caltrans freeway work.
By Cecily Burt
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 04/08/2010 12:00:12 PM PDT
Updated: 04/08/2010 12:22:02 PM PDT
OAKLAND — Union Pacific started its early morning runs down Glascock Street last month with little fanfare and, so far, little disruption, giving waterfront loft dwellers a little taste of Oakland industry.
The railroad was forced to change its delivery route to ConAgra and Veronica Foods, both located near Union Point Park in an industrial hub along the Oakland Estuary, when Caltrans started seismic retrofit work on Interstate 880 at the Fifth Avenue overpass this year.
The new freeway footings left no room for the railroad spur tracks that Union Pacific had used to deliver freight cars filled with oil and grains to the two businesses since about 2006. So Union Pacific has permanently reverted to an older route that parallels Fruitvale Avenue before curving between two large warehouses to emerge on Glascock Street near Jingletown.
Once there, the freight cars rumble past hundreds of new condominiums and lofts that have replaced older industrial warehouses along the waterfront.
The tracks run down the middle of Glascock, past the Oakland Museum White Elephant warehouse, the UC Berkeley crew boat houses and several newer residential complexes before crossing busy 29th Avenue. From there, the tracks disappear into the Cemex plant.
The trains come through three times a week, usually between 2 and 5 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The conductor is required to sound the horn three times at an intersection.
Byron Harper, a board member of the area homeowners association, has lived on Glascock long enough to remember when the trains used the route in the past. He's heard them come through a couple of times recently — and heard their horns, but the noise didn't last long, and it didn't really bother him, even though his windows face the street.
"I have heard the horns, but I've also heard the trains coming down the street," Harper said. "It only lasts a minute or two."
Harper said he couldn't remember whether he had gotten any advance notice before the trains appeared, but once the tracks were upgraded, he knew it would only be a matter of time.
Caltrans has agreed to pay for safety improvements required by the California Public Utilities Commission, which are expected to cost about $1 million. The transportation agency also has agreed to pay for more than $1 million in community requested improvements to sidewalks, curbs, drainage and landscaping along the new rail route.
Although some of the safety work has been completed, there are no crossing arms to stop traffic on 29th and 23rd avenues to let the trains pass. Wlad Wlassowsky, the city's traffic engineer, said that such a stop requires coordination between the cities of Oakland and Alameda, as well as Union Pacific, the utilities commission and the Park Street Bridge operation and probably won't be completed for another year.
"The frequency of the trains is so sporadic or seldom that it didn't trigger a standard that (the crossing arms) should be installed beforehand," he said.
He also said that the city once again is talking to the owners of the Cemex plant about installing an electronic gate so the train operator can pass through without having to wait for someone from the company to unlock it. The way it is now, the longer the operator has to wait for the gate to open, the longer the train cars sit on Glascock Street and potentially impede access by residents and emergency vehicles.
"That is an issue," he said. "It would be like stopping in the street and blocking traffic while you go open your garage door."
Many residents park on the street and worried that spots would be removed once the trains started using the route. Wlassowsky said a few parking spaces have been removed from either end of Glascock Street, but no other spots will be considered for removal without first talking to the residents.
| Subject | Written By | Date/Time (PST) |
|---|---|---|
 Oakland trains |
wsabo | 04-08-2010 - 12:55 |
|
Re: Oakland trains
|
Helping | 04-08-2010 - 14:00 |