Prototype USA 1978

[PhilH]

Photos taken during a trip to the USA and Canada in August 1978. These are mainly standard gauge, either mainline, short line or preserved, and don't include any of the narrow gauge.

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Southern Pacific 5021 built by Alco works no.66793 in 1926 and now owned by the Southern California Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society on display at the Los Angeles County Fairground at Pomona. A total of 49 of these three cylinder locomotives were supplied to the Southern Pacific by Alco in three variants classed SP-1 to SP-3, and class SP-2 No.5021 is the only survivor.

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Union Pacific 'Big Boy' No.4014 also on display at Pomona. This was returned to the Union Pacific in 2013 for restoration to working order, as it was considered to be in the best condition of the 8 preserved Big Boys. Just visible in front of 4014 is Union Pacific 4-12-2 No.9000, the only one of that class to be preserved.

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Southern Pacific 4-4-2 No.3025 on display at Travel Town, Griffiths Park, Los Angeles. Built by Alco in 1904, with its 81" diameter drivers it was apparently able to reach speeds of up to 100mph. It was retired in 1952 and donated by the Southern Pacific, becoming the first locomotive to be displayed at the Travel Town Museum.

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Sacramento Northern No.653 at the Orange Empire Trolley Museum, Perris, California. Originally built by General Electric in 1928 for freight service on the interurban line it was donated to the museum in 1965 by the then owners Western Pacific RR when the remaining sections of line were dieselised. The museum has since been renamed as the Southern California Railway Museum.

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Three ex industrial 0-6-0STs also on display at Perris. The first and third, nos. 2 and 3, were built by Davenport for the Mojave Northern Railroad which served the plant and quarry of the South Western Portland Cement Company. No.2 is works no.1584 built in 1917 and No.3 is works no.1972 built in 1923. They are oil burners with the oil tank mounted above the saddletank in front of the cab.
The middle loco is No.10 built by Alco works no.64764 in 1923 for the Lavino Furnace Company (later E.J.Lavino & Co.) at Sheridan, PA.
Nos.3 and 10 were stored at Perris but actually owned by the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association. In January 1981 they were transferred to the PSRMA's museum at La Mesa, California.

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Ventura County Railway No.2 at Perris. Built by Baldwin works no.55415 in 1922 originally for the Cascade Timber Company of Reliance, Washington as their No. 107. It was sold to the Ventura County Railway in 1943 as their No.2. In 1962 it was sold to a private individual, being acquired by the museum in 1972. It has since been restored to working order.

 

[Focalplane]

Very happy to see the SP! The 4-10-2 arrangement was called Southern Pacific or Super Mountain (as a longer version of the more universal Mountain 4-8-2).

 

[PhilH]

San Jose roundhouse and turntable with Southern Pacific and Amtrak locos in residence.


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Also at San Jose - SP 3198 a GP40P-2, one of three units supplied in 1974 for San Jose to San Francisco commuter services, SP 3203 a SDP45, one of 10 units supplied in 1967 originally for long distance passenger services but later used on the peninsula commuter services, and two SW1500 switchers SP 2632 and SP 2536

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SP 2689 the last in the last batch of SW1500 switchers supplied to the Southern Pacific at San Jose. It was later renumbered UP 1233 after the takeover of Southern Pacific by Union Pacific, and there is a photo of it in UP Armour Yellow at Denver in July 1997.

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Southern Pacific 3187 at San Jose from where it would have worked the commuter train service up the peninsula to San Francisco. SP 3187 was originally T&NO 280, one of 14 built for the SP subsidiary Texas & New Orleans. Later it was renumbered as SP 5894 in 1960, 3000 in 1965 and 3187 after rebuilding in 1975. The raised housing behind the cab housed an air filter. Originally built with dual controls, these were removed during the rebuilding and this was indicated by the "wings" from the red nose only being carried on the short hood. 3187 was purchased by CalTrans along with several other locos when they took over the running of the line in 1991/2 and repainted in blue and white livery with the branding "CALTRAIN".

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Southern Pacific 3004 at San Jose on two of the double deck coaches used on the service to San Francisco. SP 3004 was originally numbered 5622 and is fitted with air tanks on top of the long hood giving room for larger fuel and water tanks. It was rebuilt in February 1979 and renumbered 3196.

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Southbound Amtrak Oakland to Los Angeles train passing through San Jose with EMD SDP40Fs 618 and 619. The SDP40F locomotives were introduced in 1973 to replace aging units inherited by Amtrak when they took over most long distance passenger services in 1971. However they were subject to a series of derailments and in 1977 Amtrak decided to replace them with 4 axle EMD F40PH locomotives originally intended for short haul passenger routes. Some were traded to the Santa Fe who rebuilt them for freight use and others were returned to EMD for use of the components into new FP40PH locos. The last SDP40F left the Amtrak roster in 1987.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Sacramento Northern No.653 at the Orange Empire Trolley Museum, Perris, California. Originally built by General Electric in 1928 for freight service on the interurban line it was donated to the museum in 1965 by the then owners Western Pacific RR when the remaining sections of line were dieselised. The museum has since been renamed as the Southern California Railway Museum.

I see it's surrounded by a PE maintenance (tower) car and an interurban trolley car (314, 418 'blimp'?).

 

[PhilH]

Gotta love the Espee's Diesel Headlights policy -
"Why have one headlight when five will do?"

On 3187 and 3004 the headlights are the bottom two of the five, the top red one and lower 2 and 3 from the top are oscillating warning lights. They were largely phased out when ditch lights came into use.

 

[Focalplane]

I am surprised the UP was able to repaint any SP locomotive (particularly an SW1500) when they merged. Too much rust on Anschutz’s relics of a once proud railroad! It used to be shameful in the 1990s to wait at a Houston grade crossing and see the grey and red consists grinding past the rush hour traffic.

Some evocative photos there, Phil. I hope you have more to come!

Paul

 

[PhilH]

A cable car on Powell Street in San Francisco.


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Victoria Park terminus of the Powell - Hyde Line. The cable car system comprises 3 lines: Powell - Hyde and Powell - Mason Lines that use single ended cars which require turning at each terminus, and the California Street Line that uses double ended cars which don't require turning.

Double ended car on the California Street Line.




San Francisco also has streetcars, but I'm not sure exactly where in SF this was taken.


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The Bay Area Rapid Transit System runs mainly in subway under San Francisco, passes in a tunnel under the bay to Oakland where it splits into 3 main branches running above ground and partly on elevated structures. This is Concord Station on one of the branches to the northeast of Oakland and it may have been the terminus at that time.


The Sierra Railroad runs from a connection with the former Southern Pacific at Oakdale to its headquarters at Jamestown, approximately 100 miles east of San Francisco. The line is popular with movie producers and has appeared in over 200 movies, TV shows and commercials. In 1978 tourist trains were running from Jamestown to the terminus of the line at Standard.

No.28 Baldwin works no.55246 built in 1922 at Jamestown.




No.28 leaving Jamestown.




Followed by the fire patrol trolley.


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[PhilH]

The California Western Railroad runs from a junction with the former Southern Pacific Railroad at Willits to Fort Bragg on the Pacific Coast, a distance of 40 miles. In 1978 a tourist service was operated over the full length of the line and this used diesels for the first and steepest section from Willits, which descended just over 1,000 feet in altitude including a section with several 180 degree reverse curves. At Northspur the halfway point steam took over for the final 240 foot descent to Fort Bragg.

No.56 Baldwin works no.76105 of 1955 with the passenger train at Willits.




View from the train, after a 180 degree curve we'll soon be down on that lower line.







Northspur deep in the woods, the halfway point on the line. The track on the left led to a reversing triangle.




No.45 Baldwin works no.58045 of 1924 at Northspur.







No.45 on arrival at Fort Bragg. A different set of coaches was used on each section of the line.


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The "Round" House at Fort Bragg. No.46 on the right is a 2-6-6-2 by Baldwin works no.62064 of 1937, not used since the previous year and requiring some repairs.

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Railcar M-100 at Fort Bragg. The first railcar was acquired in 1925 and with the acquisition of several more they replaced the regular steam hauled passenger trains. Apparently the gasoline fumes from the first railcar originated the "skunk" nickname and the logo which appears on the rolling stock.

Diesel hauled freight trains still ran over the line about three times a week at nights.

 

[PhilH]

SP 4358 heading a 5 unit consist on a southbound Southern Pacific freight train at Willits.




SP 4357 heading a 7 unit consist on a southbound Southern Pacific freight with 44 cars at Willits.




Southern Pacific caboose 1931 at Willits.​

The line through Willits was originally the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific, forming a route from the San Francisco Bay Area to Eureka. The photos were taken in August 1978 and just one month later a fire caused the collapse of a tunnel and the line north of Willits was closed on 6th September 1978, so we were lucky to see two freight trains passing through Willits just before the closure. The line was reopened in December 1979 but only half of the traffic returned to rail and after passing through spells of private and state ownership the line closed in 1996 after severe flood damage. The line currently remains closed although there are plans to reopen it as far as Willits for the connection with the California Western, but there are no plans to reopen the line north of Willits.

 

[steve1]

Excellent images. Many thanks for posting.

steve

 

[PhilH]

The Heber Valley Railroad occupies the last 16 miles of a former D&RGW branch from Provo to Heber City in Utah, which was abandoned by the D&RGW in 1967. The line was reopened as a tourist railway in 1970 by a private owner and operated under the title of the "Heber Creeper", as it was at the time of my visit. Due to financial problems in the late 1980s the railway closed in 1989. It was then revived as a non profit state agency and reopened in 1993. All the locomotives pictured below were sold off to other tourist railways or museums during the railroads closure, the only one remaining now is the Union Pacific 2-8-0 No.618 which was inside the loco shed on my visit. Two further steam locomotives have been acquired since the reopening.

No.36 a 2-8-2 by Alco works no.68278 of 1930 and originally built for the Sierra Railroad departs from the Heber City terminus.








The line runs along the side of the Deer Creek Reservoir.




No.36 running round the train at the terminus in Provo Canyon.


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Back at Heber City, No.100 a 2-8-2 built by Baldwin works no.59284 in 1926 for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad. The front end of UP 618 is visible inside the loco shed.

Shay No.4 built by Lima works no.3092 in 1920 and formerly with the Yosemite Sugar Pine Lumber Company.




No.2 (?) built by Baldwin in 1908 and formerly with the Sacramento Valley & Eastern Railroad.




No.35 built by Baldwin works no.57538 in 1923 and formerly with the Pacific Lumber Company.




No.110 a 2-6-6-2ST built by Baldwin works no.60561 in 1928 for Rayonier Incorporated with missing saddletank and other parts.


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[richard carr]

Phil

These are fabulous photos.

Then I find out that the Willit to Fort Bragg line is still running, something to fit in the next time I'm in California.

Richard

 

[PhilH]

A chance sighting of a stationary train from the highway south of Denver resulted in seeing four trains passing in quick succession. The location was Palmer Lake about 50 miles south of Denver. Between Denver and Pueblo the D&RGW and ATSF both had single track lines running for the most part side by side and by agreement these were worked as a joint line allowing each line to be used in one direction. However in Colorado Springs the two lines were some distance apart with the ATSF line passing through the centre of the town and residential areas, resulting in many grade crossing accidents. Therefore in 1972 the section of ATSF line through Colorado Springs was abandoned leaving just a single track section between there and Palmer Lake 20 miles to the north.

First off the single line section was a northbound D&RGW train with 4 units.


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Next was a northbound Burlington Northern train with a total of 9 units, leading - 5 x BN + 2 x Southern Pacific, then after 5 full hopper cars - 1 x BN + Colorado & Southern SD40-2 No.907 in BN livery (the last two possibly dead).

Then after the single track section had cleared, a southbound Santa Fe mixed freight with 3 units.







with a Burlington caboose on the rear.




followed by a southbound Burlington Northern train of 110 loaded ore cars with 3 units leading




and another two units mid train.


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[Focalplane]

The Heber Valley Railroad occupies the last 16 miles of a former D&RGW branch from Provo to Heber City in Utah, which was abandoned by the D&RGW in 1967. The line was reopened as a tourist railway in 1970 by a private owner and operated under the title of the "Heber Creeper", as it was at the time of my visit. Due to financial problems in the late 1980s the railway closed in 1989. It was then revived as a non profit state agency and reopened in 1993. All the locomotives pictured below were sold off to other tourist railways or museums during the railroads closure, the only one remaining now is the Union Pacific 2-8-0 No.618 which was inside the loco shed on my visit. Two further steam locomotives have been acquired since the reopening.

Phil

I visited the Heber Valley Railroad in the late 1990s when 618 was in steam but it wasn't pulling a train, just sitting in the yard, probably where your photo was taken. It looked in fine fettle. I have a photo somewhere but not on my portable hard drive.

We were staying in Salt Lake at the time for a petroleum geologists convention and took the opportunity to go to the Golden Spike as well as return to Denver on the California Zephyr. There was (is) a very good museum at Ogden and the stations at Salt Lake and Ogden were standing in all their glory. A great area to railfan.

Paul

 

[JasonD]

I have to stand in front of the mirror and shout threateningly "diesel man, dies...", especially when the steamers are 2-8-0s or 2-8-2s with small wheels under their big boilers. In the 70s I visited David Pinniger who was modelling 8- and 10-coupled mine-run metre gauge steam locos on the Dona Teresa Christina railroad(!). And he tweaked OO/HO chassis to good effect. Phil's pics are of more modest locos, but ... just press return and sign off Jason. OK, OK
Jason

World Railways Photo - Dona Teresa Cristina no.312 at Tubarao.

World Railways photo - Another view of EFDCT no.312 showing the massive dimensions of these metre gauge super stars of Tubarao. The 4 wheel pony truck enables a massive grate area to be incorporated in the design providing a free steaming locomotive for even the toughest duties..

www.world-railways.co.uk

 

[PhilH]

There was (is) a very good museum at Ogden and the stations at Salt Lake and Ogden were standing in all their glory. A great area to railfan.
Paul

You can view the exhibits at Ogden Station on Google Street view as they are either in the open or an open sided building (actually just a roof on supports) next to the road with several additional viewing points, just type "Ogden Union Station" in the Google Map search box. They include UP 4-8-4 No.833 (alas without boiler cladding), UP 'Centenial' diesel No.6916 and UP 'Big Blow' 3 unit turbine No.26.

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The only items there in 1978 were a couple of 0-6-0 switchers, UP 4436 which is still there and SP 1297 since sold to a museum in Farmington, New Mexico.

 

[Brian T]

Interesting caboose there. I've never seen one exactly like that before, real or model.

Jordan,

That`s an Ex Chicago Burlington & Quincy steel NE12 or NE12a waycar (caboose).
Built at the Burlington`s own Havelock Nebraska car shop`s during the 1950`s...

Brian.

 

[JasonD]

Wouldn't we all love one in the garden?;

http://www.trainweb.org/screamingeagle/gallery/bn/bn_caboose_brownsvillene_a.jpg

Resin's run on the cupola on this one

https://flic.kr/p/RgUES9

Hang on this is a Wabash:

WAB 2822

WAB 2822

www.rrpicturearchives.net

Aaah this one's at the Illinois Rly Museum, next Chicago Meet then:

IRM Photo Gallery :: Chicago Burlington & Quincy 13572 :: aaa

Jason

 

[PhilH]

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View from the suspension bridge of an eastbound D&RGW freight train winding its way through the Royal Gorge 1,000 feet below. The 4 locomotives are just coming off the famous hanging bridge suspended over the river from two 'A' frames between the rock walls on the narrowest part of the gorge. Since its construction further support has been added underneath the bridge to cope with heavier trains. To the right of the leading locomotive is the bottom of the funicular railway carrying visitors down from the top of the gorge.

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View from the other side of the suspension bridge, the red tail light of the caboose is just visible near the bottom of the photo. Freight trains ceased using the Royal Gorge Route in 1997 after the takeover by Union Pacific and the line is now used only for tourist trains of the Royal Gorge Route Railroad.


The Monarch Branch of the D&RGW served a quarry supplying limestone to the steelworks at Pueblo. It was originally 3 foot gauge and incorporated 4.5 per cent grades, a double horseshoe curve and a double switchback to reach the terminus at an elevation of 10,028 feet above sea level. Trains were worked by the D&RGW's largest narrow gauge locomotives, the K36s and K37s, and the limestone transferred to standard gauge at Salida in the barrel transfer which rolled the narrow gauge gondolas through 180 degrees to empty the contents into the standard gauge cars below. The branch was converted to standard gauge and diesel traction in 1956.

GP30 No.3011 and GP40 No.3091 with 17 empty gondolas and a caboose arrive on the bottom leg of the 'Z' double reverse at Garfield.


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They then reverse the train up the middle leg of the 'Z' to the second reverse and the train will continue on a higher level above in the trees at the left. No.3011 was donated by its last owner Omnitrax to the Colorado Railroad Museum in 2002.

Rail traffic on the Monarch Branch ceased in 1981 when the quarry closed and the track was removed in 1983.

 

[PhilH]

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Denver Union Station at about 7.00am on 12th August 1978. The original plan was to travel to Ogden by the train on the left - The D&RGW Rio Grande Zephyr, the last privately operated long distance passenger train in the US after the formation of Amtrak in 1971. However due to a change of plan we actually left Denver on the train on the right.

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This was a Rocky Mountain Railroad Club excursion to Laramie behind Union Pacific FEF3 No.8444.
8444 gained the extra '4' in 1962 to make way for a new GP30 in the 800 number series. It reverted to its original number 844 in 1989 when the GP30 was retired. The GP30 was donated to the Nevada State Railroad Museum and runs on the Nevada Southern Railway at Boulder City in Union Pacific livery as 844.

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3 photo stops were made on the outward trip to Laramie, this is the first near Dent just north of Denver with a rather excessive amount of smoke provided for show.

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A service stop was made at Greeley. Note that the bell, which was in place in Denver, has dropped off its bracket and is now wedged behind the Mars light. Had it fallen off the loco it could have been lost or smashed. It was replaced before the return trip from Laramie.