Nostalgia & History > One of the best helper sets ever

Family camping at Cruzatte above Oakridge, Oregon and I hiked around tunnel #7 and thru #8 to this location between Frazier and Cruzatte and between tunnels #8 and #9. Can hear the SP West trains coming long before they get to this location as they work their way up the hill. On May 30th, 1982 At 4:16 PM extra 8506 West came out of tunnel 9 heading toward Cascade Summit in the first shot. The head end power consisted of the 8506 with the 8553, 7661, 4421 and anotherT-2. Then at 4:19 PM came the helpers, consisting of 4423, 4325, 4333, 4353, 4394, 3859, 4338 and 4429. Yes, that is 7 SD9s and one GP9. Absolutely fantastic sound, which I was thankfully recording in stereo.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/12 01:08 by choochoocharlie.

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We're gonna need to hear that recording to match it to these wonderful photos... =)

At 4:20PM came the SP caboose #1797 going around the mountain and into tunnel #8. My guess is that this was the Toledo power being borrowed for use as helpers on the hill due to a shortage of other power in the yard. SP would occasionaly use the Toledo and sometimes the Coos Bay Hauler power as helpers on the hill. They have also used the usual 4 to 5 SD9s from the Coos Bay Hauler as head end power for a hill train. Then at cascade Summit, they would switch the Coos Bay power for some or all of the helpers and send the Coos Bay power back down the hill to Eugene for continued use on the branchline.

C.C.Chas.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/12 01:46 by choochoocharlie.

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If I hadn't read the story, I'd swear that was a very well done model.

Southern3205 Wrote:
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> If I hadn't read the story, I'd swear that was a
> very well done model.


Agree completely and I second the request for the recording!!!

Thanks for sharing the pix and story.

John Bush
Omaha

I third the request!!
Ron W

What adds to the illusion is the older style freight cars, haven't seen some of those cars except in books. The power seems to be unusually clean, suppose the dash 2 power was still fairly new.

Can't shoot that bridge anymore - those trees in the foreground are all grown up.

chichi41 Wrote:
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> I third the request!!
> Ron W


+4

Railbaron Wrote:
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> Can't shoot that bridge anymore - those trees in
> the foreground are all grown up.

You mean *gasp* that the forest has actually re-grown? You mean the baby trees have grown tall and strong??! I can't wait to tell the Sierra Club!

coach Wrote:
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> Railbaron Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Can't shoot that bridge anymore - those trees
> in
> > the foreground are all grown up.
>
> You mean *gasp* that the forest has actually
> re-grown? You mean the baby trees have grown tall
> and strong??! I can't wait to tell the Sierra
> Club!

Yeah, it's grown-up because of too much carbon dioxide as a direct result of our profligate life style.

Wasting energy on frivolous things like computers ==> too much carbon dioxide ==> Trees grow too fast and high ==> trees block great view of railroad bridges ==> sad, sad foamers!!

Support legislation to outlaw CO2 !!!

Railbaron Wrote:
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> Can't shoot that bridge anymore - those trees in
> the foreground are all grown up.

Just have to change your photo angle

WAF Wrote:
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> Just have to change your photo angle


Now a days you'd almost have to be nose-on. This is right at MP 548 and when I'm having "hot engine issues" in the summer this is the spot I stop to "let 'em cool" for about 30 minutes. The bluff the photo is taken from gives a nice view of the valley below. If I think about next spring I should take a current shot from here.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/12 15:58 by Railbaron.

Railbaron Wrote:
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> WAF Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Just have to change your photo angle
>
>
> Now a days you'd almost have to be nose-on. This
> is right at MP 548 and when I'm having "hot engine
> issues" in the summer this is the spot I stop to
> "let 'em cool" for about 30 minutes. The bluff the
> photo is taken from gives a nice view of the
> valley below. If I think about next spring I
> should take a current shot from here.

Good idea while your waiting for them to cool down

If I remember correctly, just past the east portal of Tunnel 11 is a bluff which affords a nice view of the valley. Looks like it (would have been) a nice place to roll out a sleeping bag. Thanks for sharing the good ole SP Charlie.

Kent in Carmel Valley

Very enjoyable and entertaining! The grand SP putting on yet another amazing show!
So what was the name of the campground and is it still in existence today?

If you have been at Cruzatte you would know there is no campground anywhere near there. Just camped in a wide and a somewhat level spot on the ground near the tracks near tunnel #6. (On that hill there aren't very many level spots) I have several hundred hours of sound recordings on this hill as well as the Tehachapis and Santa Barbara area. And lots around the Eugene SP yard and vicinity. Naturally, that means lots of recordings of SD9s. Also lots of recordings of OP&E #19, 4449, and 700. My son suggests we put out CDs of some of the recordings, but not sure if there is a market for them. I have used some of my recordings in the programs that I have done for GorgeRail and the SPH&TS conventions. The above photos and sound recording were used in my first digital program for the 2008 convention in Bakersfield. One of the other photos and sound recording used in that program was pacing the Coos Bay Hauler from Tide to Mapleton. Previous programs were with older technology. (two and three slide projectors, 4 track reel-to-reel tape recorder, 3 projector dissolve unit, amplifier and large speakers.)

If enough people wanted the recordings I would be glad to make them available. I did do a 60 minute cassette of the OP&E #19, and the Village Green station/gift shop sold them when the "goose" was still running out of Cottage Grove. I at least hope to put out a DVD of the OP&E #19 on the goose as I have many hours of video of the train. Plan to make it available as just a DVD, as well as a set including the DVD and CD of that train sound Cassette mentioned above. My son keeps bugging me to do it, so hope to get started on that project too. As well as working on several quickies for GorgeRail next year.

WOW, just realized that this happened thirty (30) years ago. I have to stop thinking like that, it is aging me even faster than before I thought about it!

C.C.Chas.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/12 02:06 by choochoocharlie.

I would LOVE to be able to get a recording of this and other trains you have recorded. I would be happy to pay an appropriate price for the ability to have them.

Bryce