Steam & Excursion > By November 1955, This Was A Hard Steam Scene To Photograph!

With steam nearly gone on most Western mainline railroads by the fall of 1955, it was quite a challenge for any railfan to fill his camera lens with a gathering of hot mainline steam power in one place without the presence of the invading diesel locomotives.  However, in Southern Pacific's West Oakland engine facility one could still pull off such a feat just as we see here.

On this clear late fall day a trio of SP's Cab-Forwards were found by one lucky railfan hot on the engine ready track waiting to be sent out on their days runs.  SP #4218 and #4207 shared the spotlight ahead of a cab-ahead articulated engine with no diesel in sight.

By this time the next year SP would be sending it's very last Cab-Forward over Donner Pass for the last time.  Scenes like the one here would then be a thing of the past.

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/19 02:49 by LoggerHogger.

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Excellent late steam era photo.  By the fall of 1955, mainline steam was really on the wane.
Thanks very much for your posting.
ALLEN

You don't se many horses in the street these days either...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

MojaveBill Wrote:
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> You don't se many horses in the street these days
> either...

Depends on where you're at. If you're in Norco, California, Horse Town USA, you see them all the time. It's their thing.
Norco is just north of Corona, CA.

There is a fourth tender peeking in on the right, too.

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