Steam & Excursion > Even With Her Ranks Dwindling, She Had An Imposing Presence!

Usually, just one lone steam locomotive left by herself in a large but otherwise empty roundhouse, might be seen as a sad and depressing sight.  However, when AT&SF #3711 is that lone locomotive, she still is quite dominating in her presence.

By January 18, 1948 when this scene of #3711 was captured on film by Guy L. Dunscomb, at the Riverbank, California roundhouse, the Santa Fe was well into their conversion to diesel power.  The other stalls of this once busy steam roundhouse were now empty and bare.  Yet, #3711 is under steam and ready to depart when her crew returns, just as she had for so many years before.

Soon Riverbank's roundhouse would see it's last steam power and then her stalls will be empty and completely silent for all time.  On this day, however, steam was making one last impressive stand there.

Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/19 03:33 by LoggerHogger.

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Neat photo but roundhouse seems stripped of any functionality, ie empty so not sure if already actually out of use as a roundhouse.

Bob

I really appreciate this photo particularly for the Riverbank location which never typically received much attention from photographers. Does anybody know when the roundhouse was demolished?

Ryan Barber
Stockton, CA

One part of AT&SF 4-8-2  #3711 survives to this day.  These locomotives were the premier passenger power before the 4-8-4's starting coming in the late 1920's.  I am enclosing a photo of the Baldwin builder's plate from this locomotive!  Thanks for posting the photo Martin!!

Ron

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This photo appears on page 59 of Valley Division Vignettes.  It is credited to Guy Dunscomb.  The 4-8-2's were relatively new to the Valley Division, arriving in the late 1940's.  The 3711 finished its career on the Valley, being withdrawn from service in August 1951, formally retired in March 1952, and sold for scrap two months later.  The last 4-8-2 on the division, 3727, was pulled out of service in March 1952.

Riverbank had a roundhouse because at one time it was a division point between the Second District of the Valley Division, stretching east to Calwa (Fresno), and the Third District, running west to Richmond.  After the railroad was done with it, a portion of the roundhouse was sold for use by another business.  The tracks and turntable were removed, but the structure survived into the late 1960's at least.