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An intersting History of this Newhall Interchange
Author: Coleman Randall, Jr
Date: 10-14-2007 - 16:57
The freeway interchange where the 1-5 Inferno occured early on Saturday, October 13th is known as the Newhall Interchange and it has an extensive history of mishaps:
On Tuesday, February 9, 1971 when the Newhall Interchange was under construction it was damaged by the Sylmar Earthquake. Did railroad movements get affected back then like the old SP San Jaoquin Daylight Train as it was months away from discontinuance from the start of Amtrak on Saturday, May 1st (May Day) of that same year? Right?
Then on Monday, January 17, 1994 {The Martin Luther King Holiday) the Northridge Earthquake struck causing the partial collapse of one of its overcrossing and a Los Angeles Motorcycle Police Officer inadvertantly drove off the collapsed section and fell some 50 feet to his death. This incident played a crucial role in Metrolink establishing extended service to that has lasted to today on the UP Saugus Line to the north to the Antelope Valley which a commuter rail service which again will prove invaluable to provide transportation to those inconvienienced by this mishap as well.
It should be noted that this interchange is among the most famouse in the LA area as it was profiled in the move "Duel" starring Dennis Weaver as well as other locations along the then SP Saugus line in Soledad Canyon and many others movies as well.
I would assume that the railroads actively send out inspection crews when an event such as this has occured as well even when the railroad right away isn't overtly damaged? Right?
The response to this event just indicates the usefulness of mass transit systems (inclusive of commuter rail service) to move the public around when other thoroughfares such as when highways are damaged.
To follow the status of this incident, the California Highway Patrol "CHIPS" has a webpage that monitors the response to traffic incidents, to look this one up, please click on the "HOT SPOTS" webpage link on the website (see below):
[cad.chp.ca.gov]
On Tuesday, February 9, 1971 when the Newhall Interchange was under construction it was damaged by the Sylmar Earthquake. Did railroad movements get affected back then like the old SP San Jaoquin Daylight Train as it was months away from discontinuance from the start of Amtrak on Saturday, May 1st (May Day) of that same year? Right?
Then on Monday, January 17, 1994 {The Martin Luther King Holiday) the Northridge Earthquake struck causing the partial collapse of one of its overcrossing and a Los Angeles Motorcycle Police Officer inadvertantly drove off the collapsed section and fell some 50 feet to his death. This incident played a crucial role in Metrolink establishing extended service to that has lasted to today on the UP Saugus Line to the north to the Antelope Valley which a commuter rail service which again will prove invaluable to provide transportation to those inconvienienced by this mishap as well.
It should be noted that this interchange is among the most famouse in the LA area as it was profiled in the move "Duel" starring Dennis Weaver as well as other locations along the then SP Saugus line in Soledad Canyon and many others movies as well.
I would assume that the railroads actively send out inspection crews when an event such as this has occured as well even when the railroad right away isn't overtly damaged? Right?
The response to this event just indicates the usefulness of mass transit systems (inclusive of commuter rail service) to move the public around when other thoroughfares such as when highways are damaged.
To follow the status of this incident, the California Highway Patrol "CHIPS" has a webpage that monitors the response to traffic incidents, to look this one up, please click on the "HOT SPOTS" webpage link on the website (see below):
[cad.chp.ca.gov]
