Huntington Beach:....The city of Huntington Beach holds a place in my heart a bit closer than most since it is my home town. There is but one customer that is serviced by the railroad as of 2006. I have organized the images here by location of each grade crossing. There are 7 in Huntington Beach. You can jump right to a specific street by selecting from the list below. You can also scroll down the page to follow the line South.
There are area's which have significant historical interest which you will find information on through out the tour.
TALBERT AVE ... SLATER AVE ... WARNER AVE ... HEIL AVE ... EDINGER AVE ... CENTER DR. ... MCFADDEN AVE

TALBERT AVE ... Talbert Ave is the last grade crossing on the south end of the row. Just to the south of the grade is Reliable Lumber which is the Union Pacific's last and only customer on the line which gets 4 centerbeams every other day. The grade crossing itself is equipped with only flashing lights. Each edge of the ROW has a Stop sign directing the local to stop and protect the crossing before entering with their train. Further south passed the spur for Reliable lumber is the end of the ROW. It ends just north of a concrete bridge that was built by the city of Huntington Beach so that Ellis Ave could be seperated from the grade. The ROW continued over and passed this bridge at one time. Historical information on the line can be found on using the other link from the HB main page.

The LOA32 makes a quick stop to check for the cars approaching the grade crossing. Despite the lights flashing and the train rolling out across the grade moments later they were nearly broadsided by a lady in a BMW.

The brakeman for the LOA32 rides a boxcar as the LOA32 shoves down the grade towards Talbert Ave.

Here we see the brakeman hanging on the side as the local prepares to stop so they can throw the switch and shove in to grab the empties off the spur for Reliable Lumber seen on the left.

On another day the LOA32 had two empty tank cars from another customer in Garden Grove on the shoving end of the train.

The brakeman reaches the switch and they prepare to shove into Reliable Lumber as the conductor stands on the steps of the switcher for the next part of the move.

Here the brakeman radio's the engineer.. two more cars 32. Referring to the remaining car lengths until the grade crossing at Talbert Ave.

After the empties are pulled out and set back beyond the switch, the conductor radio's the engineer to shove back with the loaded centerbeams.

He then hops on so he can keep in radio contact for stopping distance to the engineer.

The engineer pulls the train forward as the cuductor waits to throw the switch for movement back onto the customer spur.

The LOA32 pulls forward after setting out the loads for Reliable Lumber and picking up the empty centerbeams and the rest of the empty cars. The brakeman walks back to the train.

The conductor sets the switch as the engineer of the LOA32 sits waiting for them to complete and hop back onto the train for departure back to Anaheim.

UPY 1069 pulls up to the stop sign at Talbert Ave as they shove empty centerbeams back south of the switch for Reliable Lumber.

Final frame of this section for now shows the local next to the signal relay box that id's the crossing number BAA 521.59 C which can be used to report accidents or stalled cars at the hotline.

The LOA32 pulling across Talbert Ave before shoving the loaded centerbeams back on to the Reliable Lumber spur track.

The conductor rides at the mid point of the set of 4 centerbeams being shoved on the spur for Reliable Lumber by the LOA32.

SLATER AVE ... there is less action at this grade crossing. The crossing itself is protected by signal flashers, no gates here either.

The LOA32 led by UPY 1212 climbs the grade as they approach Slater Ave with the empty cars from Reliable Lumber.

UPY 1212 crosses the grade at Slater Ave heading north back to the West Anaheim yard.

WARNER AVE ... the next grade crossing to the north is again a typical grade crossing. Just to the south of the crossing however is the Wintersburg runaround track. This track is used by the local to run the power around the train so they do not have to shove the train all the way from Los Alamitos Juction.

The brakeman watches as the engineer reverses back and around the cars using the Wintersburg runaround track.

UPY 1069 crawling across Warner Ave preparing to stop and uncouple their string of cars. This series of photos taken from Slater Ave.

Now stopped the brakeman gets off to throw the switch as the engineer pulls the engines forward

The brakeman sets to throw the switch as the UPY 1069 passes alongside him.

The brakeman finally throws the switch as the engines head for the north end of the runaround track and then back across Warner.

Here is the Wintersburg runaround track from the Warner Ave. grade crossing as the UPY 1069 heads toward the Warner.

UPY 1069 pulls back onto the main branchline and off the Wintersburg runaround track from the north

Here is the LOA32 crossing Warner Ave so they can shove back against their train and then continue shoving down to Reliable Lumber.

HEIL AVE ... this is a simple grade crossing. There was a customer's spur to the south of Heil, but the customer is no longer there or getting rail service

UP 754 takes the LOA32 south across the grade.

And they continue south with boxcars loaded with bails of recycled newsprint from a Stanton customer

EDINGER AVE ... Edinger Ave is probably the grade crossing with the most history to it. Originally it was the end of the line built by the Santa Ana & Newport Railroad. The line was named the Smeltzer Branch at that time due to it ending at the Smeltzer Celery Farm once located at Edinger Ave. Now the ROW runs alongside the remenants of the Huntington Center which is under re-development. The Smetzer siding still exsist although it is missing portions of it's rail. This siding use to be used by the local to run around their train with the power by utilizing the south sloping grade A story wich you can read about in one ot the documents available in the Historical Documents section.

Another image of the same train, this time crossing over Edinger Ave. You can see a section of the rail is missing from the Smeltzer siding at the bottom of the image.

Here is the LOA32 running south down the line just about to cross over Edinger Ave. The Smeltzer siding can be seen to the left of the mainline. The south decending grade can be seen in the photo which was used by the local to run around their train in past years.

One more image as the local makes it's way passed me. This series as well as the following image were taken from the parking lot right behind the Taco Bell near the tracks.

UP 754 brings up the rear of the engine power. The Smeltzer siding is now overrun by that bush in the photo. The track veers left towards the main, right at the bush and continues a ways up the line.

CENTER DR... Again, just a standard grade crossing on the right of way. South of the grade crossing are 2 abandoned sidings and the start of the Smeltzer siding mentioned above.

The LOA32 crosses Center Drive enroute back to do additional switching in Garden Grove.