Nostalgia & History > Gritty SP kodachrome

If that merger would have been approved, solid consists of these would have been the norm.
Richvale, Ca. back in 1987.

Adam

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An excellent shot that begs the question:

IF SP and ATSF indeed had merged, would SP's locos have been cleaned-up, or would the latter's have been grunged-up?

Anyone?

-E.O.

Port side grungy, starboard side sparkling clean on all Kodachrome's! Railroad equality!

hogheaded Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> An excellent shot that begs the question:
>
> IF SP and ATSF indeed had merged, would SP's locos
> have been cleaned-up, or would the latter's have
> been grunged-up?
>
> Anyone?
>
> -E.O.

My opinion on that question is NO! They would not have become cleaner. If that merger had gone through the fleet would have close to doubled (granted ATSF had a slightly smaller fleet - but most of their fleet was road worthy), it would have been harder than ever to keep units clean. SP's units often got their road grime from tunnels on Donner and the Tehachapis and that situation would not have changed.

All you have to do is look at UP's fleet post merger. They used to have nicely maintained units but now they tend to be as grimy as SP's were. More tunnels, more units, not enough facilties or time to clean them.

CrudPunko Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> hogheaded Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > An excellent shot that begs the question:
> >
> > IF SP and ATSF indeed had merged, would SP's
> locos
> > have been cleaned-up, or would the latter's
> have
> > been grunged-up?
> >
> > Anyone?

> My opinion on that question is NO! They would not
> have become cleaner. If that merger had gone
> through the fleet would have close to doubled
> (granted ATSF had a slightly smaller fleet - but
> most of their fleet was road worthy), it would
> have been harder than ever to keep units clean.
> SP's units often got their road grime from tunnels
> on Donner and the Tehachapis and that situation
> would not have changed.
>
> All you have to do is look at UP's fleet post
> merger. They used to have nicely maintained units
> but now they tend to be as grimy as SP's were.
> More tunnels, more units, not enough facilties or
> time to clean them.


Couldn't have said it better myself, Ken. You gotta go with the evidence.

-E.O.

Love it! And a poor cleaning job didn't help. You can see where the roller brushes reached and did not reach. Mostly the did not reach part applies.