The UP Anaheim branches today make up what was once part of SP's vast California branch line network. SP originally built into Orange County in the 1870's, and by 1900, had an extensive network of branches that stretched from Los Alamitos to Newport Beach. In addition to SP, the Pacific Electric also had several of its own lines out to Orange County. Today, the Anaheim branches still make up one of UP's busiest feeder lines in Southern California. Operations are based out of West Anahiem at the Broadway Wye, and all cars for the branches and the daily locals are stored in lenthy sidings that are visible along the 5 freeway between Buena Park and Anaheim.
There are several daily local jobs operating out of Anaheim that each serve different branches. The most famous branch on this line is the Santa Ana Branch, so named because the tracks once went directly to downtown Santa Ana via a street of the same name. The redesigning of the I-5 freeway required that the branch be severed at Katella Ave. There was once an impressive truss bridge across the Santa Ana River prior to the widening of the freeway. The branch begins where the tracks make an abrupt left turn from Anaheim Junction and cross I-5, immediately entering a 1.5 mile stretch of street running that takes the train first down Santa Ana St. and then Olive St. Much of the line appears as it did over 50 years ago, with ancient wooden crossbucks that are still lettered "Southern Pacific" or "Look Out For the Cars." The biggest attraction is the still-operational wig-wag signal located at the corner of Santa Ana St. and Lemon St., the very last one standing in Orange County. Two trains, the Costa Mesa Local and the Marlboro Local use this line daily to reach their respective switching duties.
The Marlboro Local leaves Anaheim between 2:30 and 3:00 PM, running down Santa Ana St. and performing switching on at all industries on the Santa Ana Branch which starts on Santa Ana St. and terminates at the "Katella Stubs," a small yard that dead-ends at Katella. From there, it crosses a diamond over BNSF's San Diego Sub onto the Tustin Branch where it switches a number of other customers that make up the Marlboro industrial complex. The train then typically returns to Anaheim in the late afternoon or early evening.
The Costa Mesa Local has the longest run of any of the locals on this line. It typically leaves Anaheim around 6:00 to 6:30 AM and heads down the Santa Ana Branch. It enters BNSF's San Diego Sub and proceeds via trackage rights several miles down BNSF's line until just past the Amtrak station in Santa Ana. From there, it enters its own line, the Costa Mesa Branch, and performs switching at various industries between Santa Ana and the lines terminus in Costa Mesa. At the end of the line in Costa Mesa is the main customer, LA Times Orange County, which receives daily loads of newsprint. The train typically returns to Anaheim in the late morning hours.
The Huntington Beach Local's duties have changed significantly in recent days. Until recently, the train typically left Anaheim around 12 noon, but it now leaves closer to 8:00 or 9:00 AM. The train turns right on the wye, heading west through Anaheim and then turning north towards Stanton. After it crosses Beach Blvd, the line splits at Stanton Junction. At one time, there were three other branches here, one going to Orange, one to Los Alamitos, and one to Paramount in addition to the line to Huntington Beach. All of these lines have since been abandoned, most recently the Paramount Branch, a former Pacific Electric line, which operated up until 3/28/03. A new connection built in Paramount no longer requires the lenthy run from Anaheim. From Stanton Junction, the Huntington Beach Local again turns west towards the beach, switching industries in Garden Grove and Huntington Beach.
The Buena Park Switcher is a daily job switching the extensive industrial complexes in Buena Park, Santa Fe Springs, and La Mirada. The local usually goes on duty between 1:30 and 2:00 PM. Power for all locals typically consists of various ex-SP and ex-MoPac switchers, especially SW1500's, GP15-1's, MP15's, and GP38's.
In addition to the local operations, a road train services the branch, delivering long cuts of cars to the sidings in Buena Park and Anaheim. This train is called the Anaheim Hauler and typically runs with six axle power still painted for SP. The train primarily runs late at night, although occasionally during the day, depending on what traffic patterns dictate. The road power ties up at the Anaheim wye, and is easily accessible to photograph. The power is typically SP SD40-2M's and SD40T-2's.
