Espee99 Wrote:
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> Folks, I commute up the 880 corridor daily. About
> 6 months ago a number of lumber loads started
> showing up in an area adjacent to the old desert
> yard. At first a few cars, and some lumber being
> trans-loaded into containers. Now there is a
> large amount of stacked lumber and three tracks of
> loaded centerbeams, and additionally 20-30
> addition loaded cars in the Oakland yard.
>
> Does anyone have information regarding this
> operation and the volume of cars they are taking?

The inbound loads arrive West Oakland in cuts of anywhere from 10 to 30 cars on the MRVOA's on an irregular basis, then 18 are exchanged for a like number of empties as the empties are released. This work is usually handled by on the day shift by the YOA78 "Emeryville Switcher" but occasionally on the afternoon shift by the YOA82 "Long Street Job." Spotting and pulling is accomplished at the Grand Avenue end using the track inside the old Army yard that's closest to the fence that seperates it from the Desert Yard - you'll be able to see it clearly from southbound 880. Any internal switching is done by the Oakland Terminal Railway. Empties leave on the MOARV. Loads tend to stack up in the West Oakland yard (and occasionally overflow into the Desert yard) depending how how many loads come in and how quickly the contractor is able to unload the cars.

This started quite some time before the Japan earthquake. The lumber is low grade and not suitable for construction. It's being transloaded in Oakland from rail to container for shipment to China for use in furniture production.