Lambert

[Myfordbrowning]

Recently there was a question about an abandoned spur off the San Berdoo Sub in the Atwood area that once served the Lambert Labs facility (and another building). There was a little talk about the mainline connection and I thought that I might add some info.

The connection was at the eastend of two main tracks at Atwood and formed a short industrial siding before curving to the south and the shippers. Originally the location was just called Atwood in the timetable. The Santa Fe was in the habit of not listing all control point seperately in the employee timetable. Atwood included the Olive Dist. junction as well as the two track junction despite the fact that they were some distance apart. Other examples were the UP crossing at Basta was not listed in the Station List in the times, just as the SP crossing on the Olive District and the Fourth (San Diego Sub) Dist. The pair of cross overs east of Santa Ana were not shown in the station list on the schedule page either. In the special Insructions so of these location were listed as so many miles from a listed station. For example the SP crossing was on the Olive Dist. was 1.7 mile west of Olive.

In about 1984, the Sante Fe decided or was mandated to name each control point, so Basta returned, East Santa was create and the SP Xings were listed on the station list. The two track junction at Atwood was named Lambert for the spur that was located there. Lambert existed until the second main track was added between Lambert anf Esperanza in about 1994.

Attached are some photo of the area.
1. The east bound Desert Wind passes the Lambert station sign.

2. Looking to the east, a westbound TOFC train (a big deal then) passes the industrial track. note that the industrial siding connects to the mainline at the east end.


3. Another view to the east. Note the hopper cars on the spur curving to the right (south).

4. A eastbound freight has passed the cantilever signal at the end of two main track. The industrial track is to the left.

[davidstyffe]

Great stuff Cliff. Thanks for sharing it.

DS

[jeff]

jeff agrees with DS. Thanks for sharing those sweet photos, the one with the Lambert sign is a keeper.
And more importantly, thanks for adding your knowledge to your posts !!

Cliff, I know you down play your photographic skills, but I just want to go on record as saying that I really
enjoy all of your photos. Your accompanying historical background and factoids add a dimension to the
photos. Good stuff.

~ jeff

[TC Smith]

It doesn't look like the crossing at Kellogg was there back then, or am I missing it in the pics ?
I remember the signal but not the spur.
I do have instamatic prints of a dress blue GP-35 switching charcoal hoppers (for the Deimer plant) on the wye at Atwood.


TCS - I miss the cattle ramp and jumping our bikes at Esparanza.

[Myfordbrowning]

(08-19-2010 12:08 PM)TC Smith Wrote:  It doesn't look like the crossing at Kellogg was there back then, or am I missing it in the pics ?
I remember the signal but not the spur.
I do have instamatic prints of a dress blue GP-35 switching charcoal hoppers (for the Deimer plant) on the wye at Atwood.


TCS - I miss the cattle ramp and jumping our bikes at Esparanza.

I was standing at the Kellogg crossing in each of the photo and that is why it is not scene in the photos.
Interesting about the charcoal for the water treatment plant. The big problem with its location on the top of the hill was rail access.

I don't recall many other mainline cattle chutes.

Cliff aka CTBRD

[TC Smith]

Ok, I see it now BRD, especially in pic 4. Thanks.
They had a pair of 3-bay open top hoppers and were unloading 'em into semis for the drive up.
I once cleared the siding on my Schwinn stingray, that was enough.


TCS - orange groves ?

[erielackawanna]

Let me add my voice to DS and JB... Cliff, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your photos and your knowledge... thank you so much for sharing both.

Charles Freericks

[UP951]

Things sure have changed even more so in the last 5 years.

UP951

[SPCM Local]

I concur with Charles & pic 4 is cool. Is that a Chessie cat loco in pic 3 I see ?? Sweetness!
Me like this old school stuff

Gerry

[Myfordbrowning]

(08-21-2010 07:57 AM)SPCM Local Wrote:  I concur with Charles & pic 4 is cool. Is that a Chessie cat loco in pic 3 I see ?? Sweetness!
Me like this old school stuff

Gerry

In the late 70s the Santa Fe was short of power and leased B&O/C&O and N&W power. Until then it was uncommom to see other roads power on the Santa Fe in So Cal (except the UP/DRGW coal power to Kaiser).

Cliff