posted
I rode the SW Chief two years ago and recall two (or more?) stretches of 90mph track, and a few working semaphores. A friend is taking the train from LAX to Chicago and I did not keep good notes for the speed and signals. Can you supply locations for the speed runs and signals? Any other landmarks along the way for the eastbound SWC are also appreciated.
posted
A lot of the line across Kansas and Colorado used to be 90 mph territory, but most or all of this may now be limited to 79 mph. Remember, the enabling hardware is getting very old, and for the lightly traveled old passenger main across Kansas and Colorado it is becoming increasingly expensive for BNSF to maintain. This line across Kansas, Colorado, and down to Albuquerque was the location of the semaphores, but have no idea whether they are still in place or have been replaced with lights only.
The following are the Line Speeds from a set of 2002 BNSF employee timetables: Note: these are the maximum speeds for each segment and do not include the reduced speeds for curves, junctions, towns, etc., which can be very numerous.
Chicago Subdivision mp 0.0, Chicago to mp 38.4, Aurora 70 mph Mendota Subdivision, with a little each end on Chicago Sub. and Ottumwa Sub. mp 38.4 to mp 162.4 Galesburg to CP at 169.9, 79 mph through connection from old CB&Q to old ATSF at Cameron Junction, mp 169.9 on CB&Q, mp 185.0 on ATSF, 40 mph. Have no idea how long this connection is, probably between one and two miles. Chillicothe Subdivision CP at mp 185.0 to mp 234.3, Ft.Madison 79 mph Marceline Subdivision mp 234.3 to mp 388.7, WB Jct (Carrolton MO) 90 mph mp 388.7 to mp 418.2, CA Jct 79 mph mp 418.2 to mp 425.0, Bridge 90 mph no 425.9 to mp 444.2, Congo (jct with Kansas City Terminal RR) 79 mph About 5 miles Congo to KC station, but not sure of distance or speed on KCT. Mileposts start over with 0.0 at Kansas City. BNSF trackage recommences at mp 1.7 from KC station. Emporia Subdivision mp 1.7 to mp 7.4, 30 mph with some lower mp 7.4 to mp 13.5, Holliday, 70 mph on Topeka Subdivision, which is essentially a loop off the west side of the Emporia Subdivision Emp. mp 13.5 = Top. mp 0.0 Topeka sub speed limit 79 mph with much at lower speeds Topeka Sub. mp 111.1 NR Jct = Emporia Sub. mp 111.3 NR Jct (Emporia) Emporia Sub (again) mp 111.3 NR Jct to mp 124.7 Ellinor 79 mph La Junta Subdivision mp 124.7 Ellinor to mp 242.1 (near Abbeville KS) 79 mph mp 242.1 to mp 323.3 (near Oferle KS) 90 mph mp 323.3 to mp 424.9 (near Deerfield KS) 79 mph mp 424.9 to mp 453.3 (near Syrcuse KS or CO) 90 mph mp 453.3 to mp 533.6 Las Animas Jct CO 79 mph mp 533.6 to mp 554.9 La Junta CO 90 mph Raton Subdivision mp 554.9 to mp 635.8 Trinidad CO 90 mph mp 635.8 to mp 770.1 Las Vegas NM 79 mph NOTE: mp 635.8 to mp 659.5 Raton includes the line over Raton pass and is mostly a 25 mph to 30 mph piece of railroad. Glorieta Subdivision mp 770.1 Las Vegas NM to mp 902.4 Albuquerque 79 mph Mileposts start over with 0.0 at Albuquerque for the line to Dalies where the main freight line through Amarillo TX is rejoined. We last saw this line at Ellinor KS. mp 0.0 to mp 27.4 Dalies 79 mph NOTE: in the Glorieta is Glorieta pass. Speeds between mp 824.6 and 832.9 are in the 20 mph to 25 mph range over this pass. Gallup Subdivision - busiest high-speed freight line in US mp 27.4 Dalies to mp 58.7 Marmon NM 90 mph mp 58.7 to mp 128.8 Gonzales NM 79 mph mp 128.8 to mp 284.5 Winslow AZ 90 mph (79 mph if against current of traffic) Siligman Subdivision - more of the same mp 284.5 Winslow to mp 326.7 East Darling 79 mph mp 326 7 to mp 362.5 Maine AZ 90 mph EB, 79 mph WB mp 362.5 to mp 418.3 E. Crookton 90 mph mp 418.3 to mp 467.6 Peach Springs 79 mph mp 467.6 to mp 484.0 Valentine 79 mph EB, 90 mph WB mp 484.0 to mp 513.9 Getz 90 mph mp 513.9 to mp 578.0 Needles 79 mph EB, 90 mph WB Needles Subdivision - more of the same except more because UP's LA&SL traffice comes in at Dagget mp 578.0 Needles to mp 611.6 W. Goffs 79 mph mp 611.6 to mp 646.1 (near E. Cadiz) 79 mph EB, 90 mph WB mp 646.1 to mp 669.3 Bagdad 90 mph mp 669.3 to mp 705.2 E. Pisgah 79 mph mp 705.2 to mp 737.3 Daggett 90 mph end of 90 mph mp 737.3 to 745.9 Barstow 79 mph Cajon Subdivision - super heavy freight traffic mileposts start over at Barstow 0.0 Barstow to 81.4 San Bernandino 79 mph NOTE: over Cajon Pass, Cajon at 62.8. Between mp 56.1 and 72.6 speeds are generally limited to 30 to 40 mph San Bernandino Subdivision mileposts start over at SB. mp 0.0 SB to 45.5 Fullerton Jct 90 mph Fullerton Jct is equation point in milage. Milage west thereof had zero at Barstow followed line through Pasadena and Los Angeles from San Bernandino and continues to increase toward San Diego. mp 165.5 Fullerton Jct. to 143.4 Harbor Jct. 79 mph, but with several restrictions about 2 to 3 more miles to LA station, do not know exact distance or speeds.
George
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
In Sept. 2003 there were a few semaphores (blades) still functioning. These were observed between Springer, NM and Watrous, NM, a distance of about 40 miles. There were a few new searchlight signals within these limits also. The best way to see these is in the dome car and since they cannot be viewed straight ahead you shoud look ahead as the train traverses a curve. Also, they may be seen as the train passes by them, which is a very quick sighting.
Springer is about 40 miles south of Raton and Watrous is about 20 miles north of Las Vegas. Please post here after your trip to advise if you were able to see them.
Posts: 467 | From: Prescott, AZ USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
The semaphores are still there, in fact, I think some of the them are closer to Lamy (Santa Fe). I know there's one near Glorieta Pass. I was out in that area inspecting some Forest Service roads recently and I remember seeing at least one.
What's even more interesting along the Southwest Chief route is to identify the original roadbed. You can see how much more the tacks curved around to arrive at the flattest grade.
-------------------- Kiernan Posts: 155 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
George, a quick Thank You for your long, detailed post with speeds and MP numbers of practically the whole historic ATSF route! I know it took a while to type it all in. Hope all is well in Taipei. BTW, big pro-Taiwan anti-China demonstration at the PRC Consulate in Los Angeles last week on Shatto Street...coincided with the Pope story.
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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For a while you could find BNSF and UP employee timetables on the web. Since I collect thost things, I spent a while downloading. BNSF had theirs Division size, so it did not take too long. They also have thier division maps, which are very detailed, and I believe are still there. UP had their ETT's line by line, so there were over 100 subdivisions,and there may still be some gaps. These also now require password access.
I consider the restrictions on these things more of looking like you are doing something for security than really doing something, because the information is out there no matter what you do now. In fact, I ran across a study done on the coal lines that had large chunks of both BNSF and UP eTT's in teh appendix. Besides, you don't need an ETT to help you find the RR.
As to Taiwan, picture living in a country of 23 million people that most of the would tries to pretend does not exist because the biggest dictatorship does not like to admit that they do. Seems like a logic problem for the "Western Democracies" to me. But then, what is the big international issue concerning a country where you can go to jail for a long time for saying the wrong things about the people in power or by being part of a religious or a lot of other associations that the governmetn does not approve of? Copying videos without paying royalties! What can I say? And our imitation US embassy here pretends to not be an embassy at all and does nto even have a flag on it.
Where are our guts as a nation?
Of course the PRC's boys in Beijing like to think that everybody here is longing seriously to be "reunified" with the mainland. Not so! The "reunification sentiment" is less than 1% when opinion polls have been done. Funny term, "reunification." This area has NEVER been ruled by the PRC government.
George
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
Hi George- RE: your "guts" question; I guess the quick answer is we don't want to lose the $9.99 sneakers on the racks at the Sprawlmart. (Hint- they use a yellow smily face in their ads.) It's interesting that if you removed all the mainland Chinese-made stuff from Sprawlmart and other big and small box stores, there wouldn't be much for Americans to buy. Even the beautiful highend Macintosh computers are PRC-made now. I've got a Powerbook G4 from there. I guess the Economic Gods have issued an edict to "just forget" about the Taiwan issue and not pull the tail of the Dragon...
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
I've ridden the SW Chief eastbound twice in the past 5 months, and the most recent time (February), made a conscious effort to look for semaphores in New Mexico.
I seem to recall that they appear between Glorieta and Las Vegas, but maybe as far back as Lamy or north of Albuquerque... I do definitely recall seeing at least 10 or 12 in service from there to past Springer, when it became too dark to tell what types the signals were.
Posts: 19 | Registered: Mar 2003
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