Out of the Lake: Old Highway 178 and the town of Isabella

Long before the Isabella Reservoir was built in the 1950’s, State Highway 178 passed through the Kern River Valley on an alignment much different than it is today.

With the current drought, Lake Isabella is a puddle of what it used to be…but it’s amazing what the lake has hidden all these years.  The lake has not been this low since 1977 and is the second lowest level since the dams were finished in 1953.

In April, I took two trips back to the areas near where the original towns of Isabella and Kernville stood before the lake covered them and their history.  Unfortunately during my visit, the actual townsite of Isabella was still under several feet of water but the remains of the trees that use to shade the town are clearly visable sticking out of the lake in several photos.

Map to April 2014 photos

Pre-Lake Isabella Alignment 2.1_Page_1b

IMG_0467a
location 1
IMG_0469a
Location 1

 

Location 2 – Notice the high water mark
location 2
location 3

 

Location 3 - Kissack Cove
Location 4 – Kissack Cove

 

Location 4 - Paradise Cove
Location 5

 

Location 6
Location 6

 

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Location 7 – 1940
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Location 7 – 2014

 

Location 8 - 1940
Location 8 – 1940
Location 8 - 2014
Location 8 – 2014
Location 8 -2014

 

A sign of the times.
A sign of the times…very dry indeed.
Isabella Auxiliary Dam 2014. Eerie to drive at the base of the dam when there should be 50 feet deep water here!

 

Thanks to Joel Windmiller for his assistance and historical photos of Old Isabella.

 

North Burbank UP – Videos

On Tuesday, May 13, 2014, I took the opportunity to ride up to Burbank and get some videos of the North Burbank UP with my GoPro camera. Despite the extreme heat, I managed to at least get some good video. These videos show the North Burbank Underpass and ancillary structures from all directions. They were taken to show what they were like before the closure and removal.

Northbound along San Fernando Blvd

Southbound along San Fernando Blvd

Southbound from San Fernando Blvd to Victory Place (Future San Fernando Blvd)

Northbound Victory Place to San Fernando Blvd

Southbound from I-5 at Buena Vista St to San Fernando Blvd

Wigwags in Southern California – Part 1

A Wigwag is an older form of railroad grade crossing protection. It was also known as a Magnetic Flagman. Think of it as a mechanical version of a person waving a railroad lantern to help “protect” a train crossing a roadway. These are now extremely rare to see as they don’t have gates in addition to the flashing lights.

I’ve either found or learned of only a few in Southern California. In the Los Angeles area, there is only one left – on 49th St between Pacific Blvd and Santa Fe Ave in Vernon along the BNSF Railway.

Full assembly with crossbucks on a separate pole.
Full assembly with crossbucks on a separate pole.
Built by the Magnetic Signal Company of Los Angeles, California.
Built by the Magnetic Signal Company of Los Angeles, California.
Control box with milepost information.
Control box with milepost information.

Addtional Wig-Wag Locations:

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North Burbank UP to close on May 20, 2014

Looking southbound toward the overhead.
Looking southbound toward the overhead.

After serving the traveling public faithfully since 1941, the North Burbank Underpass on San Fernando Blvd in Burbank will close permanently on May 20, 2014. It is one of the more significant structures on old US 99 in the San Fernando Valley. Somewhat ironically, the structure will be replaced with a new interchange at Empire Ave. San Fernando Blvd will be rerouted back to its pre-1941 alignment, this time without a grade crossing. So, get out there and take your pictures while you can. Do the same for any other sections of old highway. You never really know how long they will last.

For more information:

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