Steam & Excursion > Steam Power Blasting Past Both The Depot And The Tower!

In the part of Oakland, California was the are known as Fruitville.  This little town was on the Sourthern Pacific and bosted not only a depot as we see here, but just across the track, a tower.  This was a perfect spot for W. Sievers to capture on film SP #2491 and her freight train as she works hard pulling her train between these 2 railroad landmarks.

While this scene certainly has changed signifigantly since 1948 when Mr. Sievers to this fine photo, we have him to thank for preserving it for us to see today.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/19 04:12 by LoggerHogger.

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Martin, thanks for sharing your steam era images.  Enjoyed viewing this Southern Pacific action view at Fruitvale.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/19 04:30 by cozephyr.

The scene at Fruitvale had also changed significantly in the years before this photo as well; see the earlier views in this old thread:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3273957,3274155#3274155

Among other things, the tower was on the same side of tracks as the depot until 1912, and the tracks closest to the depot were used by SP's electric interurbans between 1911 and 1941.  The tower controlled the junction for the line to Alameda, which we see veering off to the right in the photo.

As a Pacific in not traditionally a freight engine, I wonder if this is a weekend warrior from San Jose, or a Comute pool engine going to/from the Sacramento Locomotive Works.
Then as now, a lot of railfan photos were taken on weekends.

There was also a wye at Fruitvale, which has long since disappeared.