San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

Take a look at the busiest and most dangerous railroad crossing ever in all of San Diego County on Taylor Street next to the Old Town transit center.

Also, take a look at what this railroad crossing looked like in the 1970's (photos provided by ‪@sandiegocityclerk9598‬) when only freight trains used this 1-track wooden crossing around a military base with no traffic signals and no transit station compared to the photos in 2024 of what it looks like now with traffic signals and a transit station.

There is no way the original design could handle all of this modern heavy traffic.

Here are my videos I made of this railroad crossing in action in the two modern pictures.
https://youtu.be/3GyA0sPJV-M
https://youtu.be/4aEkXQ-Z3Qk

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1 week ago | [YT] | 20

San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

I wanted to show you rail fans some pictures I took on Oct 18, 2026 of more changes that were made on the MTS orange line as the upgrade continues.

The first two pictures are located near the intersection of Market St & 54th St at the pedestrian railroad crossing. The first picture shows what was there before and the second picture shows what is there now with new signals. Crossing gates have been added too.

Here is my older video I did in August 3, 2022 of the older railroad crossing signals there in action before they were replaced. https://youtu.be/nSwrFvJ7Nq8

The third and fourth pictures are located just 100 yards east of the Encanto/62nd St trolley station. The 3rd picture shows the 30+ year old trolley signals and the 4th picture shows the newer trolley signals that are there now.

Here are my two videos of the older trolley signals there in action.
https://youtu.be/sdfVBInhE4c
https://youtu.be/pKXyjt7Gwzw

The fifth and sixth pictures are in the Encanto/62nd St station and it is brand new trolley signals that have never been there before. During the time I took those photos, they were actually testing those new signals to make sure they work. The green light on the right is what you will commonly see here, but the double signals on the left will stay red 24/7 during normal operations.

For anyone who's wondering how many Safetran Hybrid mechanical bells are left on the orange line now, there are 2 left. One of them is located next to the Lemon Grove Depot station and the other one is located next to the La Mesa Blvd station. Film them now before it's too late.

Keep following me for more future updates on the orange line upgrade.

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1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 20

San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

My picture of the orange line bus serving the closed trolley stops this past weekend, October 17-18, 2026.

1 week ago | [YT] | 10

San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

Take a look at what this intersection of Taylor St & Juan St looked like in the 1970's compared to what it looks like today.

The older picture provided by ‪@sandiegocityclerk9598‬ shows everything looking more open with vintage buildings and older and more simple traffic signals and the newer picture provided by me shows what it looks like now with the Caltrans headquarters off to the right, newer and more modern traffic signals, and more traffic.

Here is my video of this same view with everything in action. https://youtu.be/gJkHEt1Pa8A

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 22

San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

Another orange line closure is coming this weekend, Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18, 2026, between 12th & Imperial and Lemon Grove Depot, which is about 3/4 of the entire orange line.

This is related to the orange line upgrade as more changes are being made.

If you need any stops between 12th & Imperial and Lemon Grove this weekend, free city buses will serve those closed stops.

I'll do my best to take pictures of any changes made this weekend and show you guys.

Please try to stay cool during yet another heat wave hitting San Diego.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 11

San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

Take a look at what this intersection of Taylor St & I-8 east used to look like in the 1970's compared to the 2020's.

The first two pictures provided by ‪@sandiegocityclerk9598‬ shows a very different designed intersection of traffic signals with a 3M right turning signal, a 8 8 12 traffic light with a worded neon pedestrian light below it, two Econolite bullseye brand traffic signals on a mast arm facing freeway off ramp traffic, and two 3M traffic signals for through traffic and a 3M & 8 8 12 left turn traffic lights on the median.

The third picture provided by me shows what it looks like now with the more modern design and all of the classic signals taken away including the mast arm that faced freeway off ramp traffic.

Here are my videos of what this intersection looks like now.
https://youtu.be/O7XaZwb5uWI
https://youtu.be/GPX4Jpgv130
https://youtu.be/ns1PkLJmCFM

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 16

San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

For rail fans, it's time for the real fun to start. Now my videos have reached the historic Old Town area of San Diego. Old Town is where San Diego was born and where it all started.

First, you will see some traffic signal videos close by here and it will lead up to about 50+ videos I have for you of all kinds of trains passing through the Old Town transit center. MTS trolleys, Coaster trains, Amtrak trains, BNSF mixed and auto rack freight trains, special Amtrak trains with rare engines, a very rare BNSF passenger train, the 3001 Coaster train engine that has now retired, and so on.

Besides the trains, you will also see videos of the railroad crossing used non-stop for a good 10 minutes, crossing gates rising halfway, then lowering again multiple times for another train, some crossing signal glitches, dumb people running in front of an incoming train, train signals, and much more.

I don't want you to miss it because I worked very hard on getting all of these videos for you guys for the past six years and I really hope you enjoy it for the remainder of this year.

After Old Town, the excitement continues down the tracks at more railroad crossings until downtown San Diego arrives, so enjoy.

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3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 21

San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

San Diego is under a very rare tropical storm watch and will probably be upgraded to a warning soon. Huge change from 5 straight days of 100+ degrees.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 14

San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

In two videos of dual flashing yellow lights on the Art & Anne McDaniel bridge, if you read the description where I mentioned I was a little nervous filming them, this was why.

This is a photo I took underneath the long bridge that goes over this water to the other side and you can see those yellow flashing lights I filmed up there. I felt chills down my spine looking at it.

Here are my two videos day and night of those flashing yellow lights on top of that bridge.
https://youtu.be/UIKmshKTM90
https://youtu.be/eEzjPfh0pQ4

3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 13

San Diego Trains & Traffic Lights

5th day in a row it has reached 100 degrees in San Diego. It really is starting to feel like the new normal. I finally see some rain next week from Hurricane Rachel, but after that storm leaves, the heat returns. Ugh!
2026 will definitely be in the record books as the hottest year ever in San Diego. I mean, it's been hot since February, hottest winter I ever experienced in San Diego, 96 degrees on the first day of spring, most of the summer was very hot and humid, and it continues into the fall with 5 straight days of 100 degrees. Will it ever cool down for good in San Diego?

4 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 15