UP Cima, CA
Climbing Cima Hill is simple. Descending Cima Hill is demanding.
Eastbound trains on the Union Pacific Los Angeles and Salt Lake route (LA&SL) leave the decending path of the dry Mojave River after leaving Afton Canyon and begin a 50 mile climb to Cima Summit. The grade stiffens to 2.2% at Kelso. Slow steady progress at full throttle brings a train to the edge of the Joshua Tree forest on Cima dome.
Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) was implemented on the single-track LA&SL during World War II to manage the surge in traffic. Sidings were placed both on the north and on the south of the main track at Cima. Implementation of Two Main Track (CTC 2MT) control of the summit area at Cima allowed flexibility and eliminated the need for traditional train orders. Today, the UP dispatcher in Omaha often plans meets at Cima holding a westbound train draped over the summit on the two main track, while an eastbound grinds up the grade. This strategy avoids difficult train handling on the steep grade.
This is the last view of Cima an engineer on an eastbound sees at the east end of 2MT at MP 254.6 (miles from Los Angeles) looking east at dawn. Both the north and south sidings join the main track before it vanishes into the distance.
For more about Cima Hill see: flic.kr/p/2qzv5GP
For more about Cima Hill see:flic.kr/p/2oy1JX6
UP Cima, CA
Climbing Cima Hill is simple. Descending Cima Hill is demanding.
Eastbound trains on the Union Pacific Los Angeles and Salt Lake route (LA&SL) leave the decending path of the dry Mojave River after leaving Afton Canyon and begin a 50 mile climb to Cima Summit. The grade stiffens to 2.2% at Kelso. Slow steady progress at full throttle brings a train to the edge of the Joshua Tree forest on Cima dome.
Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) was implemented on the single-track LA&SL during World War II to manage the surge in traffic. Sidings were placed both on the north and on the south of the main track at Cima. Implementation of Two Main Track (CTC 2MT) control of the summit area at Cima allowed flexibility and eliminated the need for traditional train orders. Today, the UP dispatcher in Omaha often plans meets at Cima holding a westbound train draped over the summit on the two main track, while an eastbound grinds up the grade. This strategy avoids difficult train handling on the steep grade.
This is the last view of Cima an engineer on an eastbound sees at the east end of 2MT at MP 254.6 (miles from Los Angeles) looking east at dawn. Both the north and south sidings join the main track before it vanishes into the distance.
For more about Cima Hill see: flic.kr/p/2qzv5GP
For more about Cima Hill see:flic.kr/p/2oy1JX6