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Map of Pacoima in grid square C4, with the San Fernando Valley, 5 and 118 laneSanta Monica MountainsSan Gabriel MountainsCajon PassNortheast Los AngelesSun ValleyPacoimaChatsworthCanoga ParkVan NuysSanta ClaritaPomonaOntarioRancho Cucamonga4ABCDEFGH3456Schematic. Grid squares about 9 by 10 miles; lanes drawn stop to stop.
Square C4Our coverage grid
Lane
San Fernando Valley, 5 and 118
Freeways
Interstate 55State Route 118118Interstate 210210
ZIP codes
  • 91331
County
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County · grid square C4 · San Fernando Valley, 5 and 118 lane

Empty cable reels picked up in Pacoima

Yes, we pick up empty wooden spools and cable reels in Pacoima on the San Fernando Valley run along the 118 and the 5. Most stops are around Whiteman Airport and along San Fernando Road and the railroad.

What gets made in Pacoima

Pacoima sits in the north-east valley where the 5, the 118 and the 210 come together. Its industrial land runs along San Fernando Road and the Metrolink line and around Whiteman Airport, a general aviation field in the middle of the neighbourhood. Small manufacturers, metal shops, auto and truck businesses and building suppliers share those blocks with homes close by.

The independent City of San Fernando borders Pacoima to the north, with Sylmar beyond, and the mix of small industry continues across those lines. Pacoima itself is part of the City of Los Angeles, so LADWP owns the street-level electrical work.

Because the businesses here are smaller, reels come in small numbers: four or five from a machine shop's rewire, a dozen from a contractor's yard, a few big ones when a utility crew finishes a job nearby. Those are textbook ride-alongs. The valley truck passes on the 118 or the 5 every time it runs, and Pacoima is a two-minute exit either way.

Where Pacoima's empty reels come from

Small manufacturers and metal shops
Plant rewires and new machines empty 24 to 36 inch nailed reels.
Contractors along San Fernando Road
Electrical contractors stack mixed reels between jobs.
Airport-area businesses
Aviation services at Whiteman Airport add small control-cable reels.

How the San Fernando Valley, 5 and 118 run reaches Pacoima

The valley run reaches Pacoima off the 118 at Paxton Street or Van Nuys Boulevard, or off the 5 at Osborne Street. Residential streets run right up to the industrial lots, so the flatbed stays on the truck routes; stage reels where it can pull alongside. A forklift helps, but reels up to 42 inches can be hand-loaded.

Other stops on the San Fernando Valley, 5 and 118 lane: Sun Valley, Van Nuys, Canoga Park, Chatsworth. Reels from Pacoima can share a deck with any of them.

Getting Pacoima's reels ready for the truck

  1. Count by flange

    Measure across the round end of each reel and group them: 24, 36, 42, 60 inch flanges are the sizes we see most from Pacoima. 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 5, 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 San Fernando Valley, 5 and 118 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 Pacoima 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 Pacoima

FlangeHow it loadsEmpties per 53 ft deck (est.)Empty weight, lb
24 inFlat, stacked 4 high41623 to 24
36 inFlat, stacked 3 high10264 to 77
42 inFlat, stacked 2 high6090 to 100
60 inOn edge, two rows24 to 28187 to 347

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

Nearest areas to Pacoima on the grid

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

Other Los Angeles County areas, by grid square

Pacoima pickup questions

Do you also pick up in Sylmar or San Fernando?

Our page covers Pacoima, but the truck passes both. Ask with the address and the counts.

Can I add a few reels to the next valley run?

Yes. That is what a ride-along is: your stop goes on a run already passing Pacoima.

Do you need a forklift for a Pacoima pickup?

Only for reels over about 42 inches. Smaller ones are tipped and rolled up a ramp.

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.