Steam & Excursion > Pictures of SP steam, are they unusual?

Found these posted on Kijiji, they are part of a 30 slide set of "SP Steam". Wasn't sure if they were unusual in any regard, or just really neat.

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First one is 51, the westbound San Joaquin Daylight, possibly in Bakersfield...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Interesting to see a black "war baby" pulling daylight cars. The photo of the 4459 is obviously freshly shopped judging by the gleaming pilot and glossy jacket. It it my imagination or is the bell on the 4300 silver in color?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/15 15:37 by Finderskeepers.

I'm petty sure the first two slides are part of a set or sets I have from Blackhawk.

The power in photo #1 is not a war baby (GS-6), it's dual headlights confirm that it is either a GS-4 or GS-5, the only GSs so configured. The photo with the 4300 shows an eastbound commuter train passing by the SF coach yards, with two cars from the Lark visible. I am suprised to see 4459 skirtless in the last photo...SP kept a few GSs in skirts until steam was retired from the Coast Daylight and Lark. I guess, in their last year or so, SP may have deskirted the last Daylight painted GSs. Those photos may not be all that unusual, but, rest assured they are very much appreciated. AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

The first one I recognize is the Bel Air motel which was located in Fresno on the northeast corner of the Olive Ave crossing. I remember that they had a small restaurant that served some delicious abalone. Both the motel and restaurant are long gone.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/15 17:30 by Cupolau.

Most likely location for the third photo is Bakersfield.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/15 11:02 by johnsweetser.

Update: Pretty sure it's Bakersfield. The skylights on the roundhouse and the machine shop roof behind the roundhouse are some identifying clues. Most telling of all is that the utility pole on the left side of the photo here can also be seen in the third photo in the 09/18/04 thread "SP in Bakersfield" at http://trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,777495,1326814 (next to the right border of that photo). Note that the wires on the left and right sides of the pole are at approximately the same angles in both photos.

By the way, in the "SP in Bakersfield" photo, the machine shop roof can't be seen due to the photographer being closer to the roundhouse.

John Sweetser

Note:  See my later follow-up post at:  https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3649118,3649118



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/23 14:42 by johnsweetser.

One more thought about the 4459 photo. When 4449 was selected from the Bakersfield dead line, there was a GS-5 positioned just inside the 4449. There were only two GS-5s, so that engine was either 4459 or 4458. I'm guessing that this means there were no GSs in Daylight paint and skirts when SP steam was retired in 1956. AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

I used to haunt the deadline at Bayshore 1956-1959, Never saw an engine in Daylight colors on that deadline.

Ed