Western Railroad Discussion > Last Days of Amtrak at West Oakland Diesel

Nabbed this somewhat posed shot of dinged up and scarred Starlight loco AMTK112 alongside the UP5931 and UP4802 back in September of last year. A few weeks later with the opening of the new Kirkham Oakland Amtrak Facility across the mainline, this place rich with over a Century of SP nostalgia would finally fall to yoUPee yellow BORG...

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it is interesting to note that yoUPee was actually washing their locomotives that month...

This is what I remember of the West Oakland Shops. The year was 1961.

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photobob Wrote:
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> This is what I remember of the West Oakland Shops.
> The year was 1961.

Looks just about the same now, Bob, 'cept now it's in color!

(P.S. I'm a big fan of your photos.)

Hey Bob, did you go back in your time machine and shoot that with your digital Rebel? ;-)

photobob Wrote:
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> This is what I remember of the West Oakland Shops.
> The year was 1961.

I've only been back there once, in April of 2000 and the only thing back there was this lousy F40. ;)

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I seen that F40 somewheres afore...

danf Wrote:
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> and the only thing back there was this lousy F40.
> ;)


WHO YOU CALLIN' LOUSY????

photobob Wrote:
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> This is what I remember of the West Oakland Shops.
> The year was 1961.

Bob, I don't go back that far, but I worked at the shop for a while. I remember the call board where the foreman (Gabe on days, Ron afternoons and Jimmy on nights) would write the locomotive assignments on the board using chalk soaked in water; the SP350 cleaner which had to be ultra toxic because it stripped basically anything it touched; the steam and stripping baths next to Track 15 and the clouds of aromatic steam they produced; long time machinists Roy Sauer and Arnie Metz and a host of other SP characters which made the place go 24-7. It was a great place; not huge like Taylor (worked there, too) but just large enough to be busy and small enough to know literally everyone by name.

Well, I go back further than most of you.. West Oakland Yard was my home away from home in the early 50's-- so was Oakland Pier..
I'll have to run my pre-1900 b&w shot of this joint if I can find it.. You might like it..

When I frequently visited the Diesel Shop, I used to walk behind it and visit the Coach Yard with their fascinating Commissary Dept and the LAUNDRY.. Probably one of the largest industrial laundries in the Country.

Of course my preference for motive power at the time was the West Oakland Roundhouse-- "Espeeboy" could have had a field day with his camera in that place.
AC's--GS types--Mikes--Pacifics--Goats, you name it..

When I was a LOT younger and visited that steam stronghold, I used to be SCARED to death of these big "monsters".. I was about 3 or 4 at the time-- my grandfather would want to put me up in the cab of one and I would scream bloody-murder. (grin)
Today, I'd jump at the chance!
Times change.. Thanks for the photos!

"Key Route Ken"..


p.s.-- How did "Espeeboy" get on UPRR property to get his photo ?? Disguise himself as a "car cleraner" ??

(grin)..

KeyRouteKen Wrote:

> Well, I go back further than most of you.. West
> Oakland Yard was my home away from home in the
> early 50's-- so was Oakland Pier..
> I'll have to run my pre-1900 b&w shot of this
> joint if I can find it.. You might like it..

Is this it Ken? Sixth image down in this thread:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,851311

Wow Photobob, what a nose and who could resist it, great angled pic. Kinda like a Jimmy Durante or Karl Malden thing!

Thanks, Joel

F40PHR231 Wrote:
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> danf Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > and the only thing back there was this lousy
> F40.
> > ;)
>
>
> WHO YOU CALLIN' LOUSY????


Uh Oh, Danf, ya better run, them's fightin' words to Chris!!

"Let's Get Ready To R-r-r-u-u-m-m-m-b-b-l-l-e!!"

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
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>
> Is this it Ken? Sixth image down in this thread:
>
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,851311

I believe that old photo of KRK's is taken on the eastern side of the present day Diesel Shop - where the coachyard is/was coming off the 40 lead. All changed of course post rebuilds and earthquake I-880 Nimitz freeway construction but that brick structure is still mostly the same!

Is it just me...or would not the front end of the SD70M 3802, sitting out front of a full-width cowl carbody, make for a more attractive passenger locomotive than the Amtrak Genesis unit in the right-hand portion of the photograph at Oakland???

Anybody wanna call me old-fashioned? That...I just might be. BUT...the UP3802 is NEWER than AMTK Genny #112. Another odd fact...the 3802 meets the new FRA crash-worthiness standards that the 112, now an obsolete design, does not.

Evan-- You're a genius finding that photo.. I have one taken in the Coach Yard too-- try to find that if you have been saving my stuff.

KRK