Western Railroad Discussion > WCTU 70-tonner photos

In my earlier post I mentioned that the two ex-SP 70-ton GEs owned by WCTU Railway (formerly known as White City Terminal & Utility Railway) have been sold to the Modesto & Empire Traction Company. They surely have the largest fleet of GE 70-ton units in the country.

Here are a few of the shots I shot during the loading process this morning. Here is WCTU5119 (ex-SP5119 on the 163-foot lowboy rig outside the WCTU's 2-stall engine house. - Tony J.

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Another view of the 5119 on the lowboy. - Tony J.

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WCTU Railway #5117 was the next to be loaded. - Tony J.

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Here's another shot of the 5119 loaded, with the two-stall engine house behind it with SW1200 RSS #82 inside. - Tony J.

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WCTU Ry. and Pan American Trucking borrowed a CAT from a neighbor industry to pull the 5117 up the ramp. - Tony J.

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The 5117 goes up the ramp. - Tony J.

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Almost there. - Tony J.

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A few minutes before departure finds WCTU5119 on the lead truck and the 5117 picking up the rear. I later chased it to a location on Hwy. 140 to videotape the GEs as they head back to California. - Tony J.

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Hope I don't sound too naive, but where exactly is this? Thanks.

Are these units (or their trucks) not fit for shipment DIT via rail?

Check the third photo. Looks like friction bearings to me, and therefore not legal for interchange without an Act of God or the FRA. And neither of those is likely.

Milwaukee Wrote:
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> Are these units (or their trucks) not fit for
> shipment DIT via rail?

SurflinerHogger Wrote:
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> Hope I don't sound too naive, but where exactly is
> this? Thanks.


Hogger,
It is in White City, OR, just north of Medford off I-5. They interchange with Central Oregon & Pacific (CORP) on the old Siskiyou Line.

Great photos Tony. Those 70 tonners do seem larger than life.

Interesting photos. What is the story with WCTU? Are they just changing their motive power, or are they closing down?

SW1200

SW1200 Wrote:
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> Interesting photos. What is the story with WCTU?
> Are they just changing their motive power, or are
> they closing down?
>
> SW1200


WCTU is very busy. They now use two SW1200s (one ex-RF&P and the other is ex-GTW). As mentioned earlier the two 70-tonners couldn't be shipped on their own wheels because they still have solid (friction) bearings.

And to be more specific, WCTU interchanges with CORP off the former 5.8-mile SP White City Branch, which connects with the CORP's ex-SP Siskiyou Line at Tolo, about five miles north of Medford on I-5.- Tony J.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/05 06:22 by TonyJ.

What does the new WCTU power look like,ie,nicely painted in WCTU colors.

NormSchultze Wrote:
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> What does the new WCTU power look like,ie,nicely
> painted in WCTU colors.


Sorry, no. This is my shot of the RSS 82 taken in White City last June. The 70-tonners must have been hidden in the enginehouse when I visited as this was the only power in operation that day.

BobE

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BobE Wrote:
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> NormSchultze Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What does the new WCTU power look
> like,ie,nicely
> > painted in WCTU colors.
>
>
> Sorry, no. This is my shot of the RSS 82 taken in
> White City last June. The 70-tonners must have
> been hidden in the enginehouse when I visited as
> this was the only power in operation that day.
>
> BobE


The other SW1200 (#1503) is painted the same as shown in the photo of RSS #82. The two 70-tonners were stored at the end of track with our NRHS chapter's Baldwin S8, cabooses, baggage cars, etc. inside the old Burrill Lumber mill. - Tony J.