Steam & Excursion > Its 1952 and SP's 2-8-2's were all over the Western division

Its 1952 and the very thought of diesels was on no bodies mind...In the bay the mikes held down the drags, the rock trains, and worked as helpers on altamont...The Tracy-Oakland drag via Martinrz say 2-8-2;s daily, these were the good times....
Photo # 01.....3234 is headed west,crossing Ferry st. in Martinez with the Tracy drag,  early in the A.M. the Tracy drag would depart Tracy and make a big set out in Pittsburg and then on to Port costa for another set out and making pickups at Pittsburg and Port costa...the date is June 2 1952..
Photo # 02.....3265 was a regular work horse, out of Oakland, sharing drags to San Jose, Bayshore and over altamont to Tracy and even Tracy to Roseville when needed...3265 was sent to Dunsmir and worked the yard, work trains and even helper service and ended her days in dunsmuir in 1954....
Photo # 03.....3253 wasn't as lucky as 3265 and was retired in 1953, but both 3265 and 3253 were in Oakland on a sunday, and the round house was surrounded by steam power, as sunday evening a flood of WB's wold be on their way from Roseville and one by one, the power was called and were sent all thru the bay area as the WB's would be blocked by 0-6-0',
Late sunday evening and early Monday a.m. the drags would be moving by a fleet of 2-8-2's, 2-8-0's and even 2-10-2's....

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Of all the great photos, #3 reminds me of the term "hog heaven" - not to be confused with hoghead heaven.