Western Railroad Discussion > S.F. Peninsula Freight Fleet

Two freights in a row isn't much of a fleet on most railroads but on the San Francisco Peninsula is practically a parade. With the move of the Broadway Local to South San Francisco from the now virtually closed San Jose Yard, South City now has two jobs going on duty almost simultaneously in the early evening(can someone confirm call times?). Tonight's Broadway with UP1386-UP916 for power left SSF at 19:40 with a large cut of hoppers for Granite Rock in Redwood City. Taking advantage of the hour gap between Caltrains 186 and 188, the Mission Bay with UP1058-UP2561 was on the radio with San Jose North just a few minutes later requesting permission to back onto main one and use the CP Sierra crossover to enter main two and head south.

The normally sparse SSF yard has quickly become a gathering point for the Logan rock hoppers, with loads for Granite Rock's Redwood City and South City facilities. The power for tonight's two trains, the Broadway on the left and the Mission Bay on the right, are seen at So. San Fran. at 17:00 this afternoon.

---

The consist for tonight's Broadway Local sits on track one in the South City yard. Train will back out the north end of yard and use CP Sierra(signals in the distance) to access main two, rather than use hand throw crossovers in the foreground.

---

Thanks for posting the photos. My wife and I breifly stopped there on our way home to Oregon after attending Winterail. In 1966-1967 I used to work outside next to these scenes at the old Bethlehem Steel plant that once was there. At that time FM's ruled the peninsula, freights were common, and our plant was switched by a Espee H-12-44. Heck, even the old Bethlehem Steel roundhouse inside the plant still stood. - Tony J.

In the early 60's one of those H-12-44's, #1533 was regular power for the Millbrae/Burlingame/San Mateo local switcher. There were several of these jobs, many based out of Redwood City. In later years, when the tonnage greatly increased, RS-11s, GP9s, RS32s, and finally, at the end, SW 1500s provided the power. Between all the industries in the Millbrae industrial park, gravel operations at Millbrae, Howest, and Hayward Park and a bunch of other activities, there was a lot of freight business.

As I recall, a southbound mainline train, I think symboled the OVE out of Bayshore after midnite would pick up loads left by the locals in the center siding south of the Millbrae station.

Regards, Jim Evans

Geez, don't mention a 'parade' any where near San Francisco. All sorts of unusual costumes start showing up.

How does the freight get to South City? Haven't been able to catch up with all the changes.

Oh, catching up on my reading http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,888002

I wonder if they'll combine the jobs to give one crew 8 hours worth of work?

Hey Bob, What time were you at SSF yesterday? Judging by the shadows it looks like I passed through later in the day.......

---

I wonder if we'll be seeing any 6-axle power up in South City. Doubt it, but that would be cool.

The Mission Bay was one of the last jobs to use a pair of Cads. I've seen t-motors parked there on my way to the 'Stick back in the 1990's. Anything is possible.

Never say never, remember the circus train from last year had a CSX SD60M and a CEFX SD45 for power.

Caltrain-Engr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder if we'll be seeing any 6-axle power up in
> South City. Doubt it, but that would be cool.

fjc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Never say never, remember the circus train from
> last year had a CSX SD60M and a CEFX SD45 for
> power.
>
> Caltrain-Engr Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I wonder if we'll be seeing any 6-axle power
> up in
> > South City. Doubt it, but that would be
> cool.
>
>
>

And who can forget all the six axle power that made its way to SSF on the way to Power Fluid and Metals at Hunter's Point. That was when there was too much work for the UP shops to handle, so they farmed some of it out. If you think seeing them at SSF was something, imagine them on the street trackage at HP, and on the yard tracks at the GGRM.

DaveE

Frank had some great photos of the SB 25 pulling that monster up Carroll St.

That is correct Jim, you have a good memory. Once in a while, if the OVE was heavy out of Bayshore, or power was short, we would take the Millbrae cut over to Oakland on an early TBX, and leave it up to the yardmaster there, to decide whether or not to second section the OVE East.....Back in the "Good Old Days".