Nostalgia & History > SP 2468 on train 98

According to Art's notes on this photo....the regular engine hit a truck in San Jose and this was the only available locomotive to bring the Daylight south to SLO.  Feb. 1951.
Perhaps that's the RFE climbing up to confer with the crew.  Long shadows indicate a late arrival at SLO which of course would be understandable given the circumstances.
Chris

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Nice historical shot!  I hope that's pothole asphalt the gentleman in the foreground is spreading on the ground...
Thanks for sharing!

>  Long shadows indicate a late arrival

I'm guessing less than an hour late.

 

Great catch. I've never seen a Pacific called to rescue the Daylight. Thanks for sharing. Keep the SLO pics coming.

Ryan

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The other question is what was it doing in SLO? Little light for a helper.

Out

Thanks for this very unusual image.  Now, for the questions....this being 1951, 98 certainly would have had a helper for the Cuesta Grade, especially with a 2400 in charge today.  Here's where memory fails me.....just where does that helper, presumably a 3600 class 2-10-2, cut off?  At the station stop, or before?  Having grown up in Atascadro, I should know.....and my guess is that the helper does not cut off until the train has pulled in for the station stop, and does so while the train is being serviced.  AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/15 17:54 by agentatascadero.

agentatascadero Wrote:
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> Thanks for this very unusual image.  Now, for the
> questions....this being 1952, 98 certainly would
> have had a helper for the Cuesta Grade, especially
> with a 2400 in charge today.  Here's where memory
> fails me.....just where does that helper,
> presumably a 3600 class 2-10-2, cut off?  At the
> station stop, or before?  Having grown up in
> Atascadro, I should know.....and my guess is that
> the helper does not cut off until the train has
> pulled in for the station stop, and does so while
> the train is being serviced.  AA

Why would #98 need a helper to descend Cuesta Grade? 

In 1951  it was SOP for the Daylight in both directions to have helpers for the climb over Cuesta Grade, same with the Lark and the Starlight, and probably the Mail train too.  I suppose we all know the westbound ascent is far more difficult than is the eastbound ascent.  There is plenty of photo evidence to document this practice, not to mention my own experiences travelling over Cuesta.   AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/15 17:55 by agentatascadero.

By the way, Jack, You, and the rest of the engine crew that day, own the ultimate disclaimer to my remarks about helpers over Cuesta....thinking of your story of the AFT Homecoming 4449 Special and THAT ascent of the grade....when your diesel failed near Horseshoe Curve.....and 4449 hauled all 18 cars plus the diesel and water car up and over from a standing start on what I think was 2.2% at that location.  A heroic effort, in my opinion.  So, I'm figuring it is this that fuels your skepticism about my remarks, eh?  AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

agentatascadero Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> By the way, Jack, You, and the rest of the engine
> crew that day, own the ultimate disclaimer to my
> remarks about helpers over Cuesta....thinking of
> your story of the AFT Homecoming 4449 Special and
> THAT ascent of the grade....when your diesel
> failed near Horseshoe Curve.....and 4449 hauled
> all 18 cars plus the diesel and water car up and
> over from a standing start on what I think was
> 2.2% at that location.  A heroic effort, in my
> opinion.  So, I'm figuring it is this that fuels
> your skepticism about my remarks, eh?  AA

Well, sort of. I guess I never realized that an eastbound Daylight would have needed a helper. I would just as soon forget that Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Excursion event on April 27, 1977. Great for photographers, but NOT a happy scene for us, having to blast at full throttle through that damned tunnel on a 2.2% grade!

It would all depend on where they needed the power. They picked up the helper at Margarita as all trains did. They could have cut the helper off at the crossovers at Serrano so they could drop back to Margarita  or kept it on thee point to SLO. My guess is that the helper has already been cut and going to the house. If there is a protection engine at the house, they would back it up the hill, cut the SJ road power off and put the daylight painted engine on the point. By then, air test and next stop Santa Barb. My guess is they power from SJ worked back on freight to Wat. Jct and on to SJ


Nudge

spnudge Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It would all depend on where they needed the
> power. They picked up the helper at Margarita as
> all trains did. They could have cut the helper off
> at the crossovers at Serrano so they could drop
> back to Margarita  or kept it on thee point to
> SLO. My guess is that the helper has already been
> cut and going to the house. If there is a
> protection engine at the house, they would back it
> up the hill, cut the SJ road power off and put the
> daylight painted engine on the point. By then, air
> test and next stop Santa Barb. My guess is they
> power from SJ worked back on freight to Wat. Jct
> and on to SJ
>
>
> Nudge

I think you pretty much got it Nudge.
Chris

According to my 1990 SP track profile book the eastbound grade is 0.5% at Santa Margarita, then quickly increases to 1.5% and peaks at 2.2% before and at the approach to Cuesta.

The westbound grade out of SLO is 0.4%, increasing to 1.9% at milepost 250. It goes to 2.1% around milepost 249 approaching Goldtree and again just west of Serrano. The peak in that direction is 2.2% for a short distance before the summit. SLO is shown as milepost 252, which may not be the same number under the Union Pacific system. 

Often times 98's helper cut off at Serrano.

I'm wonderiing if this is a second section of 98?  1951 was during the Korean war, so could this have been a military movement.  I wish there was a photo showing Daylight cars behind the tender of 2468.

Jeff

Excellent point, except for the fact that the story was about The Daylight, not a military second section, which may not have rated GS power anyway.  AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA