Nostalgia & History > Inside Espee's sacramento Shops in 1974

On Sunday, August 18, 1974 I visited SP's wonderful Sacramento General Shops. I had a photo pass and I was the only person there that day so I made the most of it by taking slides, B&W shots and 8mm movies.

I'll break up the photos into several parts for ease of selection... I hope!

This first shot is look down the erection floor with GP9s ready to become GP9Es. This was at the height of when SP was upgrading all their GP9s and SD9s. - Tony Johnson

---

Looking over the GP9s on the erection floor. - Tony J.

---

A view looking down from one of the overhead cranes. In the foreground are SD45 SP8991, SD45T-2 SP9232 and SD45 SP9010. - Tony J.

---

Same locomotives as seen from the overhead crane, but a little more to camera right. - Tony J.

---

Great stuff Tony. Man those photo passes sure came in handy. Could you imagine the UP doing something like that today?

A look at locomotive frames down the erection floor. - Tony J.

---

photobob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great stuff Tony. Man those photo passes sure came
> in handy. Could you imagine the UP doing something
> like that today?


UP would trust us with our own grandmothers! Those SP passes were great. - Tony J.

At the time of my visit SP was constructing its one and only Brake Sled from the frame of H-24-66 "Train Master" SP3027. Here's the frame inside the shop. - Tony J.

---

In this part of the shop the locomotive trucks were repaired and the traction motors removed for service elsewhere. - Tony J.

---

Another view looking down the aisle where truck assemblies are worked on. - Tony J.

---

Looking a little more to the left from the previous photo. - Tony J.

---

Turning the came 180 degrees and looking down the same area. Notice the little contractor/foremen shacks on the left. - Tony J.

---

Great shots of the GP9E program. I could never understand why some kept the old control stand with the 24RL brakes,and others got the new control stand with the old 24RL brakes, and still others got the new control stand with 26 brakes. Seems like they changed the specs of the work sereral times as it progressed.

The 24s were modified. They took off the main res. feed on "Full Release" (all the way to the left). The notch was there but didn't do anything. They also added a maintaining feature in the first notch to the left of the old lap position. These stands had a brass tag stamped with an "M" rivited to the stand. Trouble was they never really maintained very well. Hated to have them on the point in grade territory.

If it was the old drum controller, the DBs were trickie with newer power trailing. Not a very refined. One tiny move might give you all 700 amps in the whole consist.

Nudge

wharfrat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Great shots of the GP9E program. I could never
> understand why some kept the old control stand
> with the 24RL brakes,and others got the new
> control stand with the old 24RL brakes, and still
> others got the new control stand with 26 brakes.
> Seems like they changed the specs of the work
> sereral times as it progressed.

All of the rebuilds kept whatever type of brake valve and control stand they were originally built with.

What a great collection of photos! Great work Tony!

Take Care, Stay Safe, Have Fun!

Larry

HELLO--MANY THANKS FOR THE GREAT MEMORIES--I WORK ON THE SSRR TRAIN CREW AT CSRM--SHOP SURE LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENT TODAY--AS AN ADDENDUM--IN THE 1950S MY FATHER WORKED IN THE SACRAMENTO SHOPS WHEEL FOUNDRY--I STILL HAVE VIVID MEMORIES OF THIS SHOP BUILDING AS A CHILD FROM THE TIMES MY DAD TOOK ME IN THERE-I CAN STILL PICTURE THE HUGE OVERHEAD TRAVELING CRANE IN MY MEMORIES--SURE LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME MORE GREAT PHOTOS.....