Irvine Indusrial Complex

[Myfordbrowning]

I did a quick tour through the IIC today and noted about 15 bulkhead flatcars with concrete ties on them. I assume that they were for project on Metrolink's Orange Sub. Some of the cars were spotted on the main track south of Valencia and I feared that service to B. Braun at the end of the indusrial spur had ended. However I noticed two covered hoppers in the grounds at Braun.

I still hope to see boxcars at Weber Plywood again, but I don't think it will happen.



Cliff

[Myfordbrowning]

On Saturday 12-5-09 I noticed that the bulk-head flatcars of concrete ties are being unloaded and stacked south of Valencia Ave in the Irvine Industrial Complete.

Cliff

[SLOCONDR]

Cliff, where is the Irvine Ind. Complex?

V

SLOCONDR

[Myfordbrowning]

The IIC is located along the former Santa Fe Fourth District (Surfline, now Metrolink Orange Sub) southeast (RR east) of Santa Ana. SR 55, the Newport (oops Costa Mesa) Freeway runs along one side of the complex. The SP at Dyer is just across the freeway from the area.

The Espee had joint track within part of the complex for several year, but the AT&SF actually switched the area with the SP cars interchanged at Santa Ana, The SP called it their South Irvine station. There is very little traffic still in that area today and the joint track agreement was ended a long time ago.

The area was developed starting in about the late 1960s by The Irvine Company (TIC for short) and at one time had some good RR customers such as Steelcase, Container Corp, Coors, serveral lumber yards, a plastic foam company (I think it was CalFoam), a furniture company to name some of the bigger companies. Today there are onlythree regular companies that get plastic or corn syrup. The BNSF roadswitcher come down as needed during the night, I understand that it is often once a week.



Cliff

[chris_wlkr]

(Edit... what Cliff said and then some)

General vacinity of Tustin, CA and into a little bit of Irvine. Near the 55 freeway and Edinger is where the BNSF line comes off the Santa Fe (Today's Metrolink).

Chris

[jeff]

I was going to save this question for tonight, but will type it here...

You used the term "road switcher" in this post. I hear you and David use that term frequently, is that a BNSF or Santa Fe term ?? I don't recall hearing it used in relation to SP or UP operations.

Is this the same a local job ??

Could you please expound ??

~ jeff


edit:

Also, I recall the term describing a locomotive as well, correct ??

[SLOCONDR]

Jeff, below is a post I made on Dave Tousaaint's site in regard to what you have asked. It should explain what you want to know. The term "Road Switcher" was in fact used extensively on the Southern Pacific.

V

SLOCONDR

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Since I have been retired for 4 years now, maybe things have changed. GroundHog is correct in what he has posted, but in all of the years that I worked, the difference in Locals and Road Switchers was the mileage of the job. By agreement provisions, the Road Switcher was bulletined for 100 miles with a radius of 25 miles, ie, any direction from it's home terminal but not exceeding 25 miles one way. The 100 miles was not traveled miles, but hours worked before overtime started. 100 miles = 8 hours, with overtime beginning after 8 hours on duty. A local on the other hand would be bulletined for 101 miles or more, depending on where the company needed the local to operate. It is not restricted to the 25 mile rule. EXAMPLE: Blitz Local out of Mojave, CA.: Job was bulletined as follows: M-F, one trip Mojave to Tehachapi and return, one trip Mojave to Creal and return, one trip Mojave to Palmdale and return. Bulletined miles = 147 miles plus initial and final terminal switching. Dependeing on the initial and final terminal switching, the Blitz could concievably rack up around 227 miles or better. Overtime would not even factor into the above example. Then on Saturday, the 6th day of the Blitz's schedule, it would be bulletined for the round trip Mojave to Palmdale and return and also one trip Mojave to Searles and return, for a total of 178 miles, and again the addition of the initail and final terminal switching.

A hauler normally leaves his initial terminal and does not do any work enroute. A local, road switcher or "job", as you have put it does the pulling and spotting of the hauler's traffic.

One other distinct difference between the two - Once the local leaves his initial terminal and returns, he cannot depart again. If he does it constitutes a penalty, which would most likley be a 100 mile (a basic day) penalty.
On the other hand, the Road Switcher may move in and out of his initial terminal at will to complete his assigned work.
Hope this doesn't confuse you.











[user=3]jeff[/user] wrote:

Quote:I was going to save this question for tonight, but will type it here...

You used the term "road switcher" in this post. I hear you and David use that term frequently, is that a BNSF or Santa Fe term ?? I don't recall hearing it used in relation to SP or UP operations.

Is this the same a local job ??

Could you please expound ??

~ jeff


edit:

Also, I recall the term describing a locomotive as well, correct ??

[chris_wlkr]

Makes sense to me combined with what Cliff had to say last night.