SERVICE DATE – OCTOBER 3, 2008 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [STB Finance Docket No. 35173] Pacific Sun Railroad, L.L.C.—Lease and Operation Exemption—BNSF Railway Company Pacific Sun Railroad, L.L.C. (PSRR), a noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire, by lease, and to operate approximately 21.5 miles of BNSF Railway Company’s (BNSF) rail lines and freight rail easement in California.[1] PSRR will lease BNSF’s approximately 21.2-mile reserved rail freight service easement over the Escondido Subdivision rail corridor between milepost 0.0, at Oceanside Junction, CA, and milepost 21.2, at the end of the corridor, in Escondido, CA. PSRR will also lease BNSF’s approximately 0.3-mile (not including the yard tracks) Miramar Spur and rail yard located east of milepost 252.9 on BNSF’s San Diego Subdivision. BNSF will also grant PSRR incidental trackage rights to provide local service over BNSF’s approximately 45.49-mile reserved rail freight service easement on the San Diego Subdivision between milepost 252.9, near San Diego, CA, and milepost 207.41, at the San Diego County and Orange County border, including the Stuart Mesa Yard. This transaction is related to a concurrently filed verified notice of exemption in STB Finance Docket No. 35174, Watco Companies, Inc.—Continuance in Control Exemption—Pacific Sun Railroad, L.L.C.. In that proceeding, Watco Companies, Inc., has filed a verified notice of exemption to continue in control of PSRR upon PSRR’s becoming a Class III rail carrier. PSRR certifies that its projected annual revenues as a result of the transaction will not result in PSRR becoming a Class II or Class I rail carrier and further certifies that its projected annual revenues will not exceed $5 million. The transaction is expected to be consummated on or about October 24, 2008, and hence after the October 17, 2008 effective date of the exemption. Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-161, § 193, 121 Stat. 1844 (2007), nothing in this decision authorizes the following activities at any solid waste rail transfer facility: collecting, storing or transferring solid waste outside of its original shipping container; or separating or processing solid waste (including baling, crushing, compacting and shredding). The term “solid waste” is defined in section 1004 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, 42 U.S.C. 6903. If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, the exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of a petition to revoke will not automatically stay the effectiveness of the exemption. Petitions for stay must be filed no later than October 10, 2008 (at least 7 days before the exemption becomes effective). An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, referring to STB Finance Docket No. 35173, must be filed with the Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be served on Karl Morell, Of Counsel, Ball Janik LLP, Suite 225, 1455 F Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20005. Board decisions and notices are available on our website at “http://WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.” Decided: September 26, 2008. By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of Proceedings. ------------------------------------------------------------------ [1] PSRR states that it has been negotiating an agreement with BNSF and expects to finalize the agreement in the very near future. According to PSRR, the agreement will not contain any provision that prohibits PSRR from interchanging traffic with a third party.
So, the once a night Escondido local is no longer a BNSF train. I must say I'm surprised it took this long. Where is that yard though? That's not New Fallbrook yard is it? Cause that's not on the boarder.
So, I answered my own question, Stuart Mesa Yard is what I call New Fallbrook yard. I don't know if I just made that up or if they are different things. Maybe one of the other SoCal folks can correct me. I went through the yard on Metrolink today and there were two Pacific Sun painted engines in the yard. We went by fast, but based on a quick glance at the radiator fans, they appeared to be GP-35s. Nice paint scheme. BNSF had a lot of units in the yard too. Including some freshly washed Cub scouts a GP60 in particular. One curious thing and if nobody responds, I may post it in the Passenger area. There's been a lot of work just north of the Oceanside train station around the wye that used to go to fallbrook and currently holds a US Marine corp GP. There's now a whole yard here and it looks like Metrolink is staging trains in it. Anyone know more? Also, anyone know when Pacific Sun runs? I live right near pointsettia Station, so I could get a quick night time photo on the way to Miramar.
I'd love to see what they are using for motive power, and what their paint scheme is if they have one.
On the way back I could see them from the 5, but couldn't catch model. They are in a PAc Sun paint scheme. I really like it. We went by fast, so I may be wrong, but I think it's black and yellow. The logo is an oval.
Pacific Sun Geeps I witnessed 4 Pacific Sun GPxx units in the yard alongside the 5 on Friday around 2PM. Yes, they are definitely black with bright yellow ends and logo on the sides of the long hoods. Logo has palm trees and other details that I forget. Can anyone suggest a good location for photographing these newly painted units??? New member. Pete H.
Saw them again yesterday. At least some of them appear to be 50s. at least, they have 3 equal sized radiator fans.
Well, it's a bad spot to try and fake a tire blowout and I've yet to find a time table to see if they're ever running during daylight hours. I do have a few marine friends though, so I might be able to get near the yard.
So are they at the Yard where the Coaster is just North of Oceanside. Right next to the base??? The overpass goes over the Yard correct? If so yeah hard to get photos right there.
That is exactly where they are. I'm sure if you wanted to wait into the wee hours of the night you might catch them running. I've heard some different Airhorns lately that aren't BNSF or Amtrak/Coaster, so those may be them.
