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Map of Compton in grid square D7, with the Alameda Corridor and Vernon laneSanta Monica BaySan Pedro BaySanta Monica MountainsPuente HillsVernonCommerceCity of IndustrySanta Fe SpringsLong BeachCarsonRancho DominguezComptonWilmingtonTorranceEl SegundoHuntington ParkNortheast Los AngelesPomonaAnaheimSanta AnaIrvineGarden GroveFullertonOrangeTustinBuena ParkRiversideCoronaJurupa ValleyOntarioFontanaRancho CucamongaChino2ABCDEFGHJ678Schematic. Grid squares about 9 by 10 miles; lanes drawn stop to stop.
Square D7Our coverage grid
Lane
Alameda Corridor and Vernon
Freeways
Interstate 710710State Route 9191Interstate 105105
ZIP codes
  • 90220
  • 90221
  • 90222
  • 90224
County
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County · grid square D7 · Alameda Corridor and Vernon lane

Empty cable reels picked up in Compton

We pick up empty wooden spools and cable reels in Compton on the Alameda Corridor run, which follows the rail trench north from the ports. Industrial stops along Alameda Street and near the 91 and the 710 are the usual ones.

What gets made in Compton

The Alameda Corridor, the 20-mile freight rail line that links the ports to the rail yards near downtown, runs through Compton in its 10-mile trench, 33 feet deep, and opened in 2002. Industrial land lines it on both sides, with more along the 91 (the Artesia Freeway) and near Compton/Woodley Airport. Warehouses, metal and plastics shops, trucking companies and building-material yards fill those blocks.

Compton's residential streets are next door to its industry, which shapes how we load: we keep the flatbed on the truck routes, not on side streets, and ask sellers to stage reels where the trailer can reach them from Alameda, Rosecrans, Compton Boulevard or the industrial streets near the 710.

Compton's own businesses are a mix of small manufacturers, auto and truck repair, building suppliers and trucking firms, many of them family run and with a few reels at a time rather than a yard full. That suits the lane: the truck passes on Alameda Street, so a stop of four or five reels can be added to the run without a detour. Southern California Edison serves the city, and its cable work adds the occasional large utility reel.

Where Compton's empty reels come from

Small manufacturers
Machine shops and plastics plants empty a few 30 to 42 inch nailed reels at a time.
Contractors along the corridor
Electrical and signal contractors stage reels near the rail and freeway work they support.
Undergrounding and cable replacement
Utility work in and around the city leaves larger bolted reels at staging areas.

How the Alameda Corridor and Vernon run reaches Compton

Compton is where the Alameda Corridor run turns from port traffic to the Gateway Cities. Stops here fit before or after Rancho Dominguez and Vernon. If you only have a few reels, they are a natural ride-along: the truck passes on Alameda Street most days it runs that lane.

Other stops on the Alameda Corridor and Vernon lane: Huntington Park, Vernon, Commerce. Reels from Compton can share a deck with any of them.

Getting Compton's reels ready for the truck

  1. Count by flange

    Measure across the round end of each reel and group them: 30, 42, 48, 60 inch flanges are the sizes we see most from Compton. A phone photo of the stack helps us size the run. The measuring guide shows where to put the tape.

  2. Stage them where a flatbed fits

    Put the reels where a 53 foot flatbed can pull alongside off Interstate 710, not down a lane it cannot turn in.

  3. Give us a window

    Tell us the hours your gate is open and staffed. Stops on the Alameda Corridor and Vernon lane get a pickup window by email once the run is planned.

  4. Say how they get lifted

    A forklift on site loads anything up to 96 inches. Without one, reels up to about 42 inches can be tipped and rolled up a ramp; bigger ones need a lift.

  5. Flag the stencilled ones

    A reel painted with a cable maker's name may be returnable. Tell us and we will say whether it should go back to its owner before we take it.

After the run, sound reels from Compton are sorted for resale to contractors, makers and growers who want wooden spools; split flanges, torn arbor holes and rotten staves go to wood recycling. See resale or recycling for how a reel is graded.

Reel sizes that usually come out of Compton

FlangeHow it loadsEmpties per 53 ft deck (est.)Empty weight, lb
30 inFlat, stacked 3 high18939
42 inFlat, stacked 2 high6090 to 100
48 inOn edge, two rows26 to 30106 to 177
60 inOn edge, two rows24 to 28187 to 347

Estimates from published reel and loading charts; method on reels per load.

Nearest areas to Compton on the grid

Straight-line miles between town centres, not road miles.

Other Los Angeles County areas, by grid square

Compton pickup questions

Can Compton reels go out with the ports truck?

Yes. Compton sits where the ports lane and the Alameda Corridor lane meet near the 91, so a stop here can ride on whichever run has deck space that day.

Do I need a forklift for a Compton pickup?

For reels over 48 inches, yes. Smaller reels can be loaded by hand from the ground with a ramp if they are staged near the street.

Will you take a single large spool?

Yes, as a ride-along on the next Alameda Corridor run.

Request a pickup or a price

Tell us the count and the flange size; we will tell you if it fills a deck or rides along on the next run. Buying? Tell us the size and how many.

  • Mixed brands, nailed and bolted, part loads: all fine.
  • We answer by email with a pickup window or a price.
  • San Diego County is outside our area.
Pickup and buy requestBill of lading
What do you need? required

Pickup address

Shipper (your details)

An email address or a phone number, at least one.