Steam & Excursion > The Names Of These Men Are Preseved Only Due To These Railfans!

There was a special breed of railfan in the days of steam railroading that did more than simply preserve the locomotives and the trains on film.  I am referring to the few railfans that worked as engine crew on for the railroads they chose to photogrpah in their spare time.  These special railfans not only had special access, they also knew the men that they were capturing on film while they worked.  This allowed the names of those men to be saved for all time, along with the engines they ran.

David J. Welch who was an engineer for the Southern Pacific out ot Tracy, California was just such a railfan.  He had free reign of the roundhouse and other SP facilities in Tracy so that he could ask for any locomotive to be spotted in good light for a roster shot.  The hostler crews were more than glad to accomodate him, if that meant they got their picture taken too.

In this fine view of SP 2-8-0 #2623 at Tracy in 1946, Mr. Welch has posed engine hostler Walter Herndon in the cab and hostler helper James Tsujimoto on the tender as part of the scene.  Sadly, the locomotive and these men are long gone and no longer with us.  However, because of Mr. Welch's familiarity with not only the engine but also these 2 men, their names and jobs were preserved for all time along with the engine they worked on that fine sunny day.

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/19 03:50 by LoggerHogger.

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Fine looking engine and even better looking hostling crew.  Love the pose. 

Answer a question for this eastern boy.  What is the long box on the pilot?  Train control, or tool box? 

Thanks for posting....interesting still no power reverse on this engine being used as a switcher....
Chris