interesting switching

[trisonic]

I imagine CSX were REALLY, REALLY poular at rush hour!

 

Did you jiggle the Sat/View due east and spot the two car floats? Also there is what looks like a SW 1200/1500 at the landside of the pier sporting what looks like familiar colours - but I can't quite put my finger on it....

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

 

[shortliner]

I hadn't worked my way around the area - had to pop out, but now you mention them........

[Prof Klyzlr]

Dear Jack, US switching archaeologists,

 

I've located the GoogleMaps/Bing locations for the first 2 TerraServer locations Jack pointed out.

Unfortunately, as suggested, time has not been kind to either locations, with scant little evidence visible from the "current day" imagery

 

Location 1 : Potrero basin

 

Google

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=san+francisco+potrero&safe=off&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Potrero,+San+Francisco,+California&ei=fS60TJWLDYfBcb_kncgI&sqi=2&ved=0CBYQ8gEwAA&ll=37.760876,-122.385228&spn=0.01006,0.017874&t=h&z=16

 

Bing

 

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&cp=37.76175742347966~-122.38702610135078&lvl=16&sty=h&where1=San%20Francisco%2C%20CA&ss=yp.potrero~pg.1

 

In both cases, start your exploration by locating the tracks to the East of Illinois St, opposite the 19th St T intersection.

 

Evidence of 2 Track/road grade crossings can be found on 20th St, East of Illinois St. One of which previously punched thru a building via a high arched accessway.

 

Most of the trackage between 20th and 22nd St has been paved over, but the curve in 22nd St is a dead hint that there 'used to be something here'

 

 

 

Location 2 ; between Bayshore Fwy/Bayshore Blvd and 3rd Ave, north of Paul Ave

 

Google

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=jennings+st+san+francisco&sll=37.775888,-122.400849&sspn=0.010058,0.017874&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Jennings+St,+San+Francisco,+California&ll=37.725855,-122.397652&spn=0.010064,0.017874&t=h&z=16

 

Bing

 

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&cp=37.72583502277758~-122.39601523467769&lvl=16&sty=h

 

 

There is a dbl-track "mainline" heading north of Paul Ave. According to TerraServer there _should_ be at least 2 major switching districts branching off a secondary passing siding to the Left/West. However, the Google/Bing imagery shows a relatively new housing development, with may of the "traces" such as bent/curved buildings and roads obliterated.

 

Between Egbert/Carrol Aves and Williams Ave, there is what appears to be an active spur on the right-hand/Eastern side. It runs SE along the centre of Carroll Ave,

(track in the street!), and literally "Y spilts" right in the middle of the Carroll Ave/Ingalls St intersection.

 

Heading North, the "mainline" tunnels underground between Williams Ave and Oaksale Ave,

(switch to "Map" view to keep track of it),

 

and opposite Newcomb Ave, we find a switching branch which curves East (to the left)

 

follow it, and you'll be parallelling the Main north beyond Jerold Ave.

The track then

- runs roughly NE along Rankin St

- crosses Evan and davidson Ave (nice S-bend!)

- and runs NE along Quinn St

 

At the Northern end of Quinn, the track we're following crosses 3rd St, and what the map view says is a dbl-track mainline?!?!?!

(follow this dbl-track south along/under 3rd st, and we end up back around where we started??!?)

 

and we head into a industrial switching area covering a fair bit of bround and a multi-track classifiication yard NE of Cargo Way

 

Interestingly,

- come back to the N<>S 3rd Ave

- switch to Map view

- head north along 3rd Ave accross the "creek"/body of water

 

and check the knot of trackage in the block immediately to the East, bounded by

- 25th St

- Illinois Ave

- and Cesar Chavez St

 

sat view suggests it's a trolley terminal, (traction fans anyone?),

which may also explain those dbl-tracks we saw running the length of 3rd Ave???

 

 

 

All in all, maybe not as easy to locate as some other examples,

but if you've got the time and the inclination, it's worth "taking a (virtual) walk along the line..."

 

Happy Modelling,

Aim to Improve,

Prof Klyzlr

[F-UnitMad]

Re "Buildings with curved walls"...

 

There was something similar in Gloucester, UK, on the High Orchard Branch to Gloucester Docks.

 

in this Google view:-

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Southgate+Street,+Gloucester&sll=53.800651,1.362305&sspn=11.927509,28.212891&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Southgate+St,+Gloucester,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.859618,-2.252283&spn=0.003041,0.006888&t=h&z=17

 

There used to be a big yard ("High Orchard") where St Ann Way is now - Trier way is built on the old trackbed that accessed the yard. Halfway along Baker Street, two tracks curved round to the north between a load of factories, which still exist, and the curved gap in between them is clearly visible in the centre of this picture. Some of the track is still extant in the Docks area, although some was put back in "cosmetically" during renovation of the area in the '90s with scant regard for how it should be... the area around the Council Offices at the north end of the Docks, for instance.!!

On the whole, I think Gloucester Docks came as close as anywhere in the UK to the sort of rail network we're looking at across the pond here; a great pity it's all gone long ago, but it's a fascinating area to study.