Steam & Excursion > The Transition From Steam To Diesel May Never Have Looked Better!

Say what you want about the loss of steam motive power to diesels in the 1950's, there was a time that this period offered some very unique scenes for railfans to capture on film.  Here is one such view.

The year is 1957 and railfan R.E. Field was in Placerville, California on September 22 with his camera when he came upon this view of steam working along with the first generation of diesel motive power on the Southern Pacific.  At the Placerville depot he was able to catch SP 2-8-0 #2728 with her EMD helper in Black widow paint dropping off some cars as part of their daily routine.  While the move was traditional for this line, the event was the "Hangtown Express" excursion.  This would be one of the last SP steam excursions before steam was retired for all time on the SP.

All too soon this glorious era of steam and early diesels working together would be gone for all time.  Let's be thankful for railfans like Mr. Field who took the time to record this era for us to enjoy decades later.



Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/19 06:43 by LoggerHogger.

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Classic scene, thanks !!! again.

Bob Jordan

If that's 1957 then it's September 22 and the occasion is the R&LHS excursion "Hangtown Express" 2728 headed the train. Last non excursion steam on SP was in Jan. 1957 on the Peninusula commute trains.

And from out of the ground pulled by a steam engine comes the diesel and its train. Thats quite a grade there nice shot.
 

I think we have that trip and several others in our video "SP Steam Fantrips".  I remember the Hangtown verbage, and the steam-diesel combo.  There are some pacing shots plus others.  Also remember Placerville in the footage.  Those were the days of cool fantrips, with less regulations.  Fans getting on and off moving trains and so forth.  Today sometimes you aren't allowed to get out of your seat.  I know on some excursions in the early 2000's we were not allowed to stand in the open vestibules.  Not the same without that I am afraid.
Greg

The track the train is on is fairly level. The tracks on the left are the interchange with the Camino, Placerville & Lake Tahoe RR, and are on a grade in excess of 3%. Remarkable that the CP&LT made do throughout the diesel era with a GE 44-tonner (admittedly, it was loads downhill, empties uphill). All gone since 1986. CP&LT Shay #2 is at Traveltown in Los Angeles.

And 31 years later we see it again.

Out

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Would this have been the same line that went to Valley Springs.I see an old SP depot there as I pass through on my way to Sac..
Regards,dK

No, different branch. The Valley Springs line went to the cement plant at Kentucky House (San Andreas).

Out

Both nice photos, but I sure get crabby when I see a steam locomotive with a rocked out headlight lens and number glass.  Looks like they even broke out the marker light lenses, or somebody swiped them.

Craig Hanson
Vay, Idaho

That's true, it was on exhibit for quite a while but boy you oughta see it now!

Out

Craig, I agree wholeheartedly with you.  I've seen so many steamers with headlight reflectors and covers gone, only to revert to aluminum paint as this #1771.  The attached photo displays the condition of the AT&SF 3424 in a nearby community.  It has been in this state of condition with the damaged headlight, cast numbers below headlight damaged, one marker gone and the other missing lenses, number boards totally delapidated just as the gauges and some hardwear within the cab.  All this has happened throughout its long years of display.  So sad when availability of such repairs are virtually not available and are long gone to history themselves.

hawkinsun Wrote:
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> Both nice photos, but I sure get crabby when I see
> a steam locomotive with a rocked out headlight
> lens and number glass.  Looks like they even
> broke out the marker light lenses, or somebody
> swiped them.
>
> Craig Hanson
> Vay, Idaho



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/19 19:55 by rrman6.

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Looks like Davey Wiser on the right?
G

Thanks for the photo of the Santa Fe 3424.   Nice to see it's not a gross rust bucket and has still got it's boiler sheet metal jacketing.  Not good for the boiler if it leaks though.   Would be nice if somebody could come up with some reasonably priced Lexan headlight lenses and reflectors that could withstand the rocks and sun, and be at least respectable looking on a display engine.  As far as marker light lenses, that could be fairly easy.   I know they make really tough ones for signals that rocks just bounce off all day long.  Then all it would take is some nice gloss black paint and a bunch of elbow grease.   That pilot would be the first thing to get a repaint to black and then I'd love to clean up those rods.

Craig Hanson
Vay, Idaho

        That was the day the SP 1771 was Moved from Placerville to Sacramento for restoration at CSRM. The day before the 1771 was moved off the display track at Placerville by the Placerville local with four 4 units.The 1771 was moved up to east Placerville with two units and left over night for a extra move on Sunday to Sacramento. With Engineer Bill Tatum and Sacramento Supt. Rollin Bredenberg for a 10 hour trip down the hill to Sacramento. Rollin, thank you for your help that day in 1984, however the SP 1771 still awaits restoration......

Interestingly the Friday EB train wasn't going to make it with two units anyway as it ran to nearly forty cars. Also of interest
was the rear of the trainm, one caboose for the WB local, one for the 1771 train and one for the display track.

Out



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/19 11:56 by callum_out.

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