Re: Valley Jct Wye
Author: Mike Lepker
Date: 09-03-2007 - 23:27

Ok, here's the scoop on West Barstow. Yes, I know and am qualified as I switched there from April 1977 through October 1999. The area on that google hybred image showing "Pierce" street was where the Valley Division bridge connected. It was removed in 1976 and sat for years in sections in San Bernardino. It connected where You can clearly see the "wye" starting (that is the topic of this thread) with the old Valley Division mainline, which, yes, ran alongside Highway 58. When the new yard was built and this section no longer in use it was named Hutt siding. I do have a slide that I took on one of Our switch moves of the Hutt station sign as We were placing mechanical reefers there for storage. The stub of the wye in the google image is defaced as there was a crusher built in that area where all of the ballast in the new yard came from. There was an overhead "bridge" that went across the tracks and that is why Barstow "B hill" has the 4 distintive terraces cut in the north face. The old mainline was very close to the river and that gives You an idea of the tremendous amount of rock taken from the north side to build the yard. If You are ever in Barstow on a weekday there used to be an older aerial photo in the Edison Electric building where I used to pay My bill. I also remember one in the Southwest Gas building but am unsure if it is still there. The large Edison photo was there 4 years ago. The mainline running to San Bernardino was for the most part where the Athol trees had been planted south of the local yard. You can still drive between the bridge underpass abutments from Main Street north onto Santa Fe Drive if You know where to look. It would be behind the large Valley lumber complex. Also, if You know where to look, You can see the original underpass that led to Grandview before 1976. A fellow railfan (now deceised) named Art Anderson showed His slides to Our W.A.R.M. monthly meeting in about 1993 or so and He had photos of the siding and signals between both of those underpass areas. If You know where to look You can still see where those signals sat on the old cement standards. This would be just south of the High Tower. West Yard tower controlled movements from the Valley Division and also the Cajon Sub. These tied together just west of where the West tower was located. The local newspaper (Desert Dispatch) ran a photo taken by Chard Walker (also in His brown cover book on page 98) of a U.P. train going by it in 1969. Also in Chard's book on page 103 is an excelent drawing by John Signor showing both of the wyes as well as the current one on page 102. I will try to post a photo here (first attempt, hope it posts)

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa40/steroid620/UPCOLVwesttower.jpg



Subject Written By Date/Time (PST)
  Valley Junction Wye Question Coleman Randall 08-28-2007 - 21:00
  Barstow viewpoint Dick Seelye 08-28-2007 - 23:22
  Re: Valley Junction Wye Question Jacques 08-29-2007 - 07:53
  Re: Valley Junction Wye Question Dmac844 08-29-2007 - 16:07
  Re: Valley Junction Wye Question--OLD Barstow Jct NO Wye Daniel3197 08-29-2007 - 16:51
  Re: Valley Junction Wye Question--OLD Barstow Jct NO Wye Ed Von Nordeck 08-29-2007 - 17:19
  Re: Valley Junction Wye Question--OLD Barstow Jct NO Wye cajon 08-29-2007 - 17:25
  Re: Valley Junction Wye Question--OLD Barstow Jct NO Wye Bobby Evans 08-29-2007 - 22:43
  Re: Valley Junction Wye Question--OLD Barstow Jct NO Wye Andy 08-30-2007 - 03:38
  Re: Valley Junction Wye Question--OLD Barstow Jct NO Wye Jacques 08-30-2007 - 07:25
  Re: Valley Junction Wye Question--OLD Barstow Jct NO Wye cajon 08-30-2007 - 11:55
  Thank you for Stories - Valley Jct Wye Q--OLD Barstow Jct NO Wye Daniel3197 08-30-2007 - 12:43
  Re: Thank you for Stories - Valley Jct Wye Q--OLD Barstow Jct NO Wye cajon 08-30-2007 - 13:08
  Valley Jct Wye cajon 08-30-2007 - 13:31
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Coleman Randall 08-30-2007 - 17:52
  Re: Valley Jct Wye cajon 08-30-2007 - 19:23
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Coleman Randall 08-30-2007 - 20:53
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Craig Tambo 08-30-2007 - 22:42
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Mark 08-31-2007 - 01:04
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Andy 08-31-2007 - 03:50
  Re: Valley Jct Wye cajon 08-31-2007 - 07:00
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Rich Hunn 08-31-2007 - 14:58
  Re: Valley Jct Wye elrojo 08-31-2007 - 22:35
  Re: Valley Jct Wye CAJON 09-02-2007 - 10:08
  Re: Valley Jct Wye elrojo 09-02-2007 - 12:12
  Re: Valley Jct Wye cajon 09-02-2007 - 12:46
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Coleman Randall 09-02-2007 - 17:05
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Mike Lepker 09-03-2007 - 23:27
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Mike Lepker 09-03-2007 - 23:33
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Andy 09-04-2007 - 12:41
  Re: Valley Jct Wye George Andrews 09-04-2007 - 23:42
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Andy 09-05-2007 - 07:33
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Rich Hunn 09-05-2007 - 09:05
  Re: Valley Jct Wye cajon 09-05-2007 - 20:29
  Re: Valley Jct Wye Mike Lepker 09-12-2007 - 17:41


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