Colton highlight
Historic railroad
The Colton Crossing railroad junction, built in 1883, is one of the busiest railroad intersections in the United States and remains central to the city's identity.
The Colton Crossing sits directly south of Interstate 10 where the Sunset Route and Southern Transcon rail lines intersect. First built in 1883, the crossing came to life through a remarkable confrontation: the California Southern Railroad sought to build a level junction across Southern Pacific tracks. After obtaining a court order, workers and supporters faced off on September 13, 1883—an event that became known as the Battle of the Crossing. Even lawman Virgil Earp intervened to defend Southern Pacific interests, but California Governor Robert Waterman ultimately ordered him to stand down.
Over its first 130 years the crossing handled extraordinary traffic: more than 110 freight and passenger trains used the right-angle junction daily, making it one of the busiest rail crossings on the continent. In 2013 a $93 million flyover project replaced the grade crossing, completing a modernization that eliminated years of traffic delays and reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions by 31,000 tons. Today BNSF and Union Pacific operate the crossing, having succeeded the historic Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and Southern Pacific railroads.
The railroad heritage runs through Colton's history, shaping where neighborhoods grew and how the city developed. Families here often have ties to the rail industry, and they understand what it means to have work that built a city. A term life policy sized to protect that legacy is what lets households enjoy the income years without fear.