03-21-2014, 11:24 AM
Another point to be made is that two trains actually run out of Malabar Yard, not just one. The other one, according to Charles Freericks, is Y-LAC2042, or the 204 Job or Yard Hopper. This works around BNSF's Commerce Yard, the Los Angeles Junction C Yard, Malabar Yard, and some industries on the BNSF. Among other things, it's the transfer that sets out and picks up cars from Malabar. Because it shoves south from the Alameda Corridor main and goes over several crossings, it uses a shoving platform. Here is a photo of an outbound cut.
It appears to be sitting on track 2704, which suggests that the exact purpose of the tracks in the diagram shown in the first post is not longer followed.
A big point to make is that the usual thinking about ISLs is that there's just one train involved, the switcher that spots the cars at the final industry location. The cars actually come from someplace else. If any sort of space is available, it seems to me that a small local yard, like Malabar Yard, ought to be added and operated something like the real thing, handling a transfer out of staging. This doubles the interest and operating opportunity.
It appears to be sitting on track 2704, which suggests that the exact purpose of the tracks in the diagram shown in the first post is not longer followed.
A big point to make is that the usual thinking about ISLs is that there's just one train involved, the switcher that spots the cars at the final industry location. The cars actually come from someplace else. If any sort of space is available, it seems to me that a small local yard, like Malabar Yard, ought to be added and operated something like the real thing, handling a transfer out of staging. This doubles the interest and operating opportunity.