Steam & Excursion > Steam Crews Must Have Welcomed Seeing This Desert Landmark!

The desert water tank must have been the most welcome landmark of any steam crew imaginable. The vast arid desert gives no clue that it could produce the much needed water to quench the enormous thirst of working steam locomotives. However, when water was finally found in these wastelands the water tank could not be erected fast enough.

Here we see Southern Pacific 2-8-0 #2572 pausing for a drink in August 1939 at the Diaz, California water tank on SP's Jawbone Branch. Located a few miles south of the branch's terminus and connection with the narrow gauge Keeler Branch, the tank at Diaz was quite a welcome monument for crews on this desolate stretch of railroad.

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/17 03:53 by LoggerHogger.

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It has always amazed me that in such a horrible desert there could be water in the depths below.

North bound? And why all the reefers?

tomstp Wrote:
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> It has always amazed me that in such a horrible
> desert there could be water in the depths below.

Some locations had to have water shipped in by tank cars, as was done on the Santa Fe in the desert Southwest.

What a classic photo . .  and as usual the description from Martin matches it . . . my first click each time I log onto TO is to Martin's daily post

Craig
mcmrailvideos.com

Fantastic photo.

Posted from iPhone

I didn't notice at first glance, but it appears SP train 788 (one 8 is backwards in the indicator board, a rather common error on the SP) is a mixed train.

Count me as another who wonders what those reefers are doing there.

Loggerhogger just keeps on churning these gems out, what an amazing collection, and generous gift from the kindly author.

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

agentatascadero Wrote:
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> I didn't notice at first glance, but it appears SP
> train 788 (one 8 is backwards in the indicator
> board, a rather common error on the SP) is a mixed
> train.
>
> Count me as another who wonders what those
> reefers are doing there.
>
> Loggerhogger just keeps on churning these
> gems out, what an amazing collection, and
> generous gift from the kindly author.
>
> AA
You can see a baggage car, combine and what I presume is a coach on the rear end. I wouldn't have spotted that if you hadn't pointed that out, it makes the picture much more interesting!

Posted from Android

Most westerners find the desert neither horrible nor desolate. To the contrary, there is much life and beautiful vistas out there. Love the image!

Steve
Henderson NV

To quote the America song, "The desert is a sea with a perfect disguise"

There are many springs and watering holes in the desert depending on what the water table is doing. Sometimes all one has to do is dig a well in the right spot, or look for a patch of green. At our 9" gauge miniature steam railroad in the high desert, the 40 acre property is fed by both a natural spring and a well that is powered by an old fashioned wind motor. Between the two there should never have a water problem. Above ground it looks like everywhere else nearby, sage and Joshua Trees and fantastic sunsets. Even during the recent drought, both continued to function although the spring went down to a trickle for a while.

Some railroad tanks are located at natural springs or wells, and others as someone mentioned have to be supplied by tank cars.

The Owens Valley gets plenty of water from the Eastern Sierras, which runs into the Owens River. Most of that is now diverted to Los Angeles thanks to underhanded dealings by William Mullholland & Co. It's a fascinating story and a sore subject with Owens Valley residents. In addition to a really nice exhibit at the Eastern California Museum in Independence, here is a good overview online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Water_Wars

The movie "Chinatown" also contained elements inspired by the "California Water Wars".

Best,

-M

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

As for the reefers, at one time there was a large amount of tree fruit grown in the Owens Valley, that is
until LADWP pulled out all the trees because they were using water. It's pretty interesting that around
Inyokern are now miles of nut orchards, the trees are coming back. The comment was made at Laws a few weeks
ago that DWP was flooding the valley because of excess water and need to refresh the aquifer.

Out

Diaz Lake still exists, so no wonder they found water. It was a fortunate outcome of the 1872 Lone Pine Earthquake; it was formed almost instantly when the local area reportedly dropped about 20 feet during the quake. Not so fortunate were the many people killed by collapsing building, now buried in mass grave near Lone Pine.

up833 wrote:

> And why all the reefers?

Possibly for potatoes.

The October 1952 SP Bulletin, page 28, reported that potatoes grown near Laws were being shipped from Lone Pine.

I've always loved that area, 395 from Lonepine to Tahoe is one of my favorite drives. I always try to imagine what it would have looked like before DWP diverted all of the water. Bridgeport is one of the most beautiful areas I've ever seen.