Steam & Excursion > Doubleheader On Wilder Trestle- Davenport Branch!

Southern Pacific's Santa Cruz branch was always a popular line for excursions for the general public. When the SP agreed to run a special excursion North out of Santa Cruz on the Davenport Branch that brought out the railfans!

Ordinarily this short branch line would see only freight trains loaded with cement products from the mine served by the branch. Today was a different story.

Here we see one of the rare excursion trains crossing Wilder Trestle on the Davenport Branch on April 25, 1948 with SP #2915 and #2374 on the point. The train appears to be backing for a run-by for the sake of the photographers that have already been dropped off on the north side of the trestle. We can credit Wil Whittaker for buying a ticket on this train that day and saving this beautiful view for us to enjoy some 66 years later.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/15 04:35 by LoggerHogger.

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It's easy to imagine the lead loco being tacked on to help the train up a grade. Kinda makes ya wonder if they put on a good "smoke show"?

I have seen photos of the run-by and they did put on some, but not lots of smaoke.

Martin

LoggerHogger Wrote:
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> I have seen photos of the run-by and they did put
> on some, but not lots of smaoke.
>
> Martin


Would rather see normal amount of smoke rather than have it look over fueled by the way when is the next excursion you are going to run planned and how does one find out about such things.

Thanks Martin. Wish this could be repeated since the area still looks the same today.

> Wish this could be repeated since the area still looks the same today.

Good things happen to those who wait. As long as IP fixes the bridge that is...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/15 10:31 by Inthehole.

Bridge work will be complete next weekend. Funded by county with leftover purchase money.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/15 11:38 by CDTX.

This wood pile trestle at Wilder Creek has been filled in.

These kinds of wooden trestles always amaze me. The footings had to be exactly right, with no subsidence allowed, I assume. Wish I could watch a crew build one of these things.

Labby Wrote:
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> This wood pile trestle at Wilder Creek has been
> filled in.

Replaced by ...??

It was replaced by fill sometime between 1951 and the 1970's. The creek is now diverted through one small bridge/culvert and a recently installed culvert replacing another small bridge (fire damage).