Nostalgia & History > 2 SP-SSW from Woodford, CA

A couple from 04-14-93
1. SP 7328 W. at Woodford, CA  this image puzzles me as the sun angle would indicate a pm photo but the multiple units on the Oil Cans indicate a WB train and the Oil Cans were scheduled to return empty in the am.  If  the Oil Cans had rear end helpers it was one unit.  It is my understanding that 7328 was the last SD 40M to operate.
2. SSW Dash 8 40B 8093 W

Don Bowen
Saint Helena, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/15 15:58 by dlbowen.

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Don, nice pair thanks for the share.  I don't care what time of day, it's still a nice shot.  I don't think I've ever seen a Dash 8 in helper service.

Kent in CArmel Valley

Hi Don, I'm not sure about typical operating procedure, but I have a video from September of that same year showing the empties meeting the "fulls" at the East end of Woodford. This was also shot in the late afternoon, as I seldom get out to the pass in the morning. Can't say I ever saw this happen again, but we at least know it happened twice! ;-)
I'll see if I can get that video posted later tonight.

--Barry

dlbowen Wrote:
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> A couple from 04-14-93
> 1. SP 7328 W. at Woodford, CA  this image puzzles
> me as the sun angle would indicate a pm photo but
> the multiple units on the Oil Cans indicate a WB
> train and the Oil Cans were scheduled to return
> empty in the am.  If  the Oil Cans had rear end
> helpers it was one unit.  It is my understanding
> that 7328 was the last SD 40M to operate.
> 2. SSW Dash 8 40B 8093 W



Don,
There was not really a schedule for the the empties to return (AM or PM). Once the loads were emptied the SP Dolores office was notified that they had finished unloading. Dolores would notify the Chief Train Dispatcher and he would in turn call for an extra board  crew to get the power out of Dolores, take to the wye, if need be, double the train together out of the plant and take the train to SP Taylor yard. Your photo tells me that it IS a west bound on the main line at woodford heading to Bakersfield.

NICE SHOT!


V

SLOCONDR

Thanks for the comments/answers.  How many sets of cars were there?   I thought that the days loads had to use the cars that were returned  earlier that day.

Don Bowen
Saint Helena, CA

Great shots, Don.

~Ryan

Wonderful shots, Don. I only saw one wb oil cans run, and that was because of an early morning derailment that shut down the line for most of the day, thereby delaying the returning empties.

Tom

Hi Don,

many Thanks for these formidable shot's! This bring back the memories of my trips WITH the loaded oilcan eastbound.

Phil - from Berlin, Germany