Steam & Excursion > Sadly, These Men Would Likely Never Do One Of These Jobs Again!

Once the Class repair we see going one here was common place and took place in all the shops operated by the Southern Pacific.  However, in June, 1955 when this photo was taken, the SP was doing very few such repairs as the days of their steam fleet were drawing to a close.  Already, by this time, there were rows of steam locomotives parked in storage around the SP system as the conversion to diesel power was well underway.

Here we see the skilled shop tradesmen in the Los Angelas shops well along in an overhaul of SP Cab-Forward #4274.  Their jobs would sadly be eliminated in just a few short years.

Built in 1943, #4274 was the very last of the order of AC-11 articulateds that SP bought from Baldwin.  This shopping would most certainly be her last which accounts for her operating all the way to the end of SP operations of cab-forwards.

Because of her recent shopping shown in this photo, it was SP #4274 that selected to make the very last run of any Cab-Forward over Donner Pass in December, 1957.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/20 02:54 by LoggerHogger.

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That is a great backshop photo Martin.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

That change over to diesels cost hundreds of shopmen their jobs.  

The asbestos insulation probably cost them thier lives. Just part of the retirement package in those days.
RB

The SP had selected a modest sized fleet of ACs, GSs, (and others?) to be kept for a few years to protect the seasonal (fall) rush of business while their diesel deliveries came on line.
At the time those officials in the photo probablythought the 4274 would have another 5+ years of work ahead of her.
Three factors made keeping the steam fleet much shorter than forecast:
Fewer passenger trains
Diesels had a higher availability rate than had been forecast.
Traffic levels were impacted by national factors like strikes and market declines.
Thanks for another one of your generous, artistic, and instructive posts.

railstiesballast Wrote:
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> The SP had selected a modest sized fleet of ACs,
> GSs, (and others?) to be kept for a few years to
> protect the seasonal (fall) rush of business while
> their diesel deliveries came on line.
> At the time those officials in the photo
> probablythought the 4274 would have another 5+
> years of work ahead of her.
> Three factors made keeping the steam fleet much
> shorter than forecast:
> Fewer passenger trains
> Diesels had a higher availability rate than had
> been forecast.
> Traffic levels were impacted by national factors
> like strikes and market declines.
> Thanks for another one of your generous, artistic,
> and instructive posts.

The recession of 1958 was a pretty nasty one and took most railroads until 1960 or so to come out of it.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The recession of 1958 was a pretty nasty one and
> took most railroads until 1960 or so to come out
> of it.

Good point. It probably eliminated thoughts of keeping a steam reserve fleet on most railroads which still had steam.

up833 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The asbestos insulation probably cost them thier
> lives. Just part of the retirement package in
> those days.
> RB

At first glance that's also the thought that came to my mind.

That and being labor-intensive which ballon operating costs.
I love steam but it also must have been harder on the roadbed...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

One thing that has always impressed me with the shots of shop interiors such as this is the phenomenal amount of daylighting. Huge window walls, skylights, and no high bay lights in this photo. I'm sure though they could be cold and drafty - or hot and sweltering. Thanks again for your daily posts.

Craig

 

Awesome photo! Now that we have an operating Big Boy, what about an operating Cab Forward?! I know, I know, in my dreams. Never thought I’d seeing an operating Big Boy and yet I chased one 3 times last year. It’s too bad more Cab Forwards weren’t preserved, but at least there is the one in Sacramento and I’ve enjoyed sitting in the cab.

Nathan

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