Santa Cruz & Monterey Bay RR

While this line is outside my purview of Southern California, I feel compelled to post in its defense following the recent anti-rail sentiments brewing in Santa Cruz county. Upon reading this article about how the line written by “Automotive Rights Activist” Brian Peoples, prompting me to call out his short-sighted opinion and failure to forsee the growth of his own county. In his rebuke, he knocked the railfanning community, asserting that they act in their own self-interest, as well as pulling some political tone-policing. Needless to say, this guy’s in dire need of the mass-transit equivalent of a good ol’ privilege-checking.

That exasperated rant aside, this is what’s at stake for us signal fans–Clubhouse Drive and 30th Street still have operating US&S Teardrop Bells, and Seabright Avenue still has a working MRSCO wigwag. The line also has several other crossings with working 8×20 flashers and a hodgepodge of working mechanical bells, old-school lights, and classic gate mechanisms and cantilevers. Aside from signals, it also has innumerable scenic locations and several high trestles, including this one at Capitola Beach:

Photo by Brian Bergtold

That being said, rail fans should consider it imperative to speak up about saving this branch as a rail line–not just for the interest of our hobby, but in the better interests of foresight and pragmatic urban planning.

Rancho Capistrano

I took these pictures back on June 29th, but forgot to process and upload ’em for well over two months. They are of the Rancho Capistrano crossing, which is the last non-QZ grade crossing in my “neck of the woods”.

#1: the DOT number and Metrolink mile number on the electrical cabinet.

#2: An overview of the crossing.  The gate on the south side is equipped with a Safetran S-40 gate mechanism, while a Western-Cullen Hayes Model 3590. Both setups are equipped with Trucklite LED Gate Lights, 12×24 Western-Cullen Hayes 1st-Generation LEDs, and Safetran Mechanical Bells.

Looking South, towards the Defect Detector. This is one of the few remaining detectors which give a readout regardless of defects.

Looking North, towards CP Avery. Northbound trains typically slow through this crossing from 90 to 60 MPH in order to take the crossover at Avery.

Closeup on a Safetran mechanical bell. Note how the gong is aligned with the centerline of the mast and how the rainshield covers the gong from its “equator” up. This is a key spotting feature between Safetran bells and earlier Griswold or RACO bells.

Closeup on the flashers. Several crossings in South Orange County are equipped with 1st-generation LEDs, but the vast majority utilize Safetran dialights. A key spotting feature of these LED flashers is that the lens itself is “blistered” out of its housing to accommodate the LEDs.

The gate on the north side of the crossing, equipped with three pairs of flashers to guard Camino Capistrano. Rancho Capistrano tees into this road immediately after crossing the tracks.

As the intersection between the roads is at a lower level than the grade crossing, the crossing has a high likelihood of trucks “high-centering” on it. As such, warning signs have been erected to alert drivers of this road hazard.

One final point about Rancho Capistrano – on weekends, a security guard deters people from using the crossing as a shortcut, and railfans end up being caught in the “crossfire”–thus, railfanning this crossing is not advised on weekends. This crossing sees more traffic during the week, and does not experience the same restrictions on access during the week, although this is likely subject to change.

Griswold Models, Goin’ Up!

Just a quick update as to what I’ve been working on recently–photorealistic Griswold EM crossing mechanisms, known in signal-fanning communities as “Pedestal Base” signals. 

Special thanks to a couple train-simming buddies for exporting these models for me, as my copy of TSM wasn’t letting me export.

The models come in 18′, 24′, 28′, and 32′ gate length variants with 4″ LED Gate Lights, and with mastless 18′ and 24′ models for use with cantilevers. Once the cantilever shape is exported and some minor fixes performed on the mast shape I’ll release the pack on Elvas Tower and Virtual Railfan.