Western Railroad Discussion > UP SD59’s on the old Placerville branch line

Saw a pair of SD59’s pulling up to Hazel Ave to clear the switch to run around a centerbeam so they can head back west. Second time in a week I saw this pair on the line. 9926/9918 this is in Rancho Cordova CA end of the line.

Posted from iPhone

Good to see the inbound lumber business hanging in there, hope Pacific Suppy is also still in business.

Out

In all my years there I never saw anything bigger than SW1500's in the SP days or GP40-2's in the UP days. A pair of SD59MX's seems....overkill :)

callum_out Wrote:
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> Good to see the inbound lumber business hanging in
> there, hope Pacific Suppy is also still in
> business.
>
> Out

For a short while it was handled by the Stockton to Roseville train, then the Turn that worked Polk, at any rate for a while
it was whatever was being used and the train was turned on the wye at Folsom. Before that it was GP-9s and then the GP38-2s,
The SWs must have come later, never saw one on the P'Ville Local.--

Out 

callum_out Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For a short while it was handled by the Stockton
> to Roseville train, then the Turn that worked
> Polk, at any rate for a while
> it was whatever was being used and the train was
> turned on the wye at Folsom. Before that it was
> GP-9s and then the GP38-2s,
> The SWs must have come later, never saw one on the
> P'Ville Local.--
>
> Out 

In the 80's I would see 2 SW's working the Branch out to Hazel and Schnitzer Steel.

1 SW (R Street local?) would work the cement loadout at Jackson Highway.

It's amazing how much business has gone away from that corridor.

Very true on the business remark. I moved out of the area in 1989 and never saw the SWs work but doesn't mean
it didn't happen. The run to Missouri Flat was down to once or twice a week by then and finally stopped.

Out 

Here's the picture I took of them from the Chevron station on the corner of Hazle Ave and Folsom Blvd



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/20 22:24 by crossbucks.

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The locals around Sacramento/Roseville have been all changed up again in the never ending quest from Omaha of saving a penny. This time around they have them all doing a mix and match, and you will now find different locals serving the same locations on different days. This includes the Rocklin Rocket coming south on the Fresno Sub to do work, including heading out the Placerville. They keep their same set of power regardless of which way they are going on a particular day, so the sight of 9900's will become the norm on the Placerville. That is until they get another bright idea and switch all the locals up again.

Locals rebulletined this time around were the LRR62 Rocklin Rocket and the LRR45 Folsom. A new relief local job was added that will work the Rocket and Folsom on their off days, plus do other work on other days. The LRR49 Dixon was abolished and currently there are no jobs going on duty at West Sacramento.

Was surprised to see such big power on this track being not in the greatest shape
I've lived across from the end of the line for 8 years up until this week have only seen GP power.
Tanks for the explanation for use of the power on this line. 
They did do some tie replacement a few weeks ago between Schnitzer Steel and Hazel Ave 
looked like around 60 or so ties.  

As the Class A railroads continue to downsize their loco fleets and often times that includes 4 axle engines this trend will continue. Locally this happened when NS switched out a local buusiness and as a result broke a rail on the business owned siding. NS had to pay for a track repair due to sending a too large and too heavy engine onto the private siding.
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