Sunset Route Two-Tracking Updates

A few weeks ago a contact advised that multiple ballast trains were coming down south from northern California, routed via the Palmdale Cutoff to West Colton Yard, with the final destination unknown, but the source suggested the Los Angeles basin. On Sunday, January 27, 2019 K.P. had a rare Sunday dispatch, this time to Corona, and he passed over the Sunset Route in Ontario twice, the second time traveling over Loop Road by the Ontario-Fontana border, in the M.P. 527 area. There was NO two-tracking or ballasting of the single-track line track there! So, where those ballast trains were being used has not become apparent yet. If anyone knows please speak up …

There is a major tie replacement project on the Los Angeles Subdivision between East Los Angeles and Riverside. Both midday Metrolink trains are annulled until March with bus substitute. Usually when you do a major tie project, resurfacing also occurs along with ballast renewal many times as well. All this ballast could be for this project.

Hey, KP. Just stumbled across this thread. Glad to see you've kept your excellent "reporting" despite the issues at that other forum.

Maybe some big news buried in a press release about UP closing yards in Chicago....

https://www.up.com/customers/announceme ... 19-28.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Santa Theresa functionality changes, and there's definitely going to be longer sidings on the Gila and Yuma subs... With PTC out of the way, maybe we'll finally see double-track aside from the Colorado River bridge...

Believe this was the planned 2nd phase at Santa Theresa NM,there are reports that the El Paso Engine Facility has been closed as well.
Was viewable from I-10 and had an active turntable. Local Media have reported on the Expansion project in El Paso and ABQ.
BNSF still mulling over a plan to build a branch off their El Paso Sub to connect with UP at Santa Theresa.