Steam & Excursion > Where did SP cab-forwards NOT go?

SP's ACs were among the most successful of articulateds, and practically ubiquitous across the system. But where did they NOT venture? I'm thinking Oregon coast branches, east of San Antonio, and...?

I don't think any of the mallets ventured east of El Paso

Did they ever get east of Reno / Sparks, NV?

kurtarmbruster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SP's ACs were among the most successful of
> articulateds, and practically ubiquitous across
> the system. But where did they NOT venture? I'm
> thinking Oregon coast branches, east of San
> Antonio, and...?

Using a Los Angeles Div employee timetable issued July 8, 1945, some AC class locomotives were not shown (hence, not allowed)
over much of the so-called 'South Branches' of the division. I am led to believe these restrictions were most likely account bridge or
light rail track conditions on many of those branches. A notable exception to the above is AC-1,2 & 3's were 'rated' on the San Pedro
Branch, in either direction, with differing tonnages depending on the route taken---there were two routes available.

Charlie 

Frequently. On both passenger and freight.

On the Overland and Modoc routes.

WrongWayMurphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think any of the mallets ventured east of
> El Paso

T&NO had the MM-1 2-6-6-2's. Only lasted 20 years, scrapped in 1929-1930.

Conventional wisdom: they weren't allowed
over the Siskiyous.

SP empl TTs always said if the engine didn't
have a tonnage rating shown in the timetable
between X and Y, then it wasn't allowed to run
between X and Y (unless the Superintendent
approved, maybe). So how true was that?
Because lots of engines did lack ratings
on lots of territory.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/23 09:04 by timz.

Interesting thread.

They did not go on the Siskiyou line. The grade was so steep when they went upgrade the water level over the crown sheet got dangerously low. Remember the water in the boilers on cab forwards acted in reverse of conventional locomotives. 

have fun, be safe,
Bruce "Doc" Jones. Sierra Madre CA

They stayed in California for the most part.

Posted from iPhone

> They stayed in California for the most part.

Ridiculous statement.
 

About 10 years ago I met an old RR guy in Harrisburg Oregon. Late in the steam era he was a fireman on a cab forward heading South out of Eugene.
They had a leak around one of their injector check valves which was getting worse. Just below Fields they where losing the battle to keep water in the glass and uncovered the crown sheet.
They where very lucky and the fusible plug blew preventing a much worse accident.
ST2K

Living in Southwest Kansas on the Rock Island's Golden State Route as a youngter in the early 1950's, I think I recall seeing some SP AC's being transported ahead of the caboose toward the SP at Tucumcari-Santa Rosa, NM and beyond.  Can anyone verify my recollection, and I'm curious if these engines had been overhauled in the east or were newly produced and being transported.  My recollection is that they paint appeared as new.

WrongWayMurphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think any of the mallets ventured east of
> El Paso

They did if you consider Tucumcari, which is both railroad and physically east of El Paso.

Deal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did they ever get east of Reno / Sparks, NV?

Yes. Certainly light engine to Fernely for Modoc trains. Also helpers out of Wells, NV.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WrongWayMurphy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I don't think any of the mallets ventured east
> of
> > El Paso
>
> T&NO had the MM-1 2-6-6-2's. Only lasted 20 years,
> scrapped in 1929-1930.

They weren't cab ahead locomotives, so they don't qualify.

Wrong Way Murphy wrote: I don't think any of the mallets ventured east of
> El Paso

I wonder about this; I've never seen any photos of cab-forwards east of El Paso, or in Arizona, for that matter. Don't mean it didn't happen, those units were at home most anywhere! 

('Course, the AC-9 non-cab-forwards lived on the El Paso-Tucumcari line.)

Thanks,

Kurt

Yes, as an example, if the tonnage ratings for a paricular class weren't published for a section of railroad, that doesn't necessarily mean they weren't run there:

In the Wabash Montpelier Divsion EE Timetable, the O-1 4-8-4s did not have a tonnage rating on the 4th District, for example, but they did occassionaly run on the 4th as reported by railroaders and logged into timebooks. The M-1 4-8-2s were the 4th District regulars for Red Ball and drag freights. The O-1 4-8-4s were saved for the 1st and 3rd District mainlines.

Victor Baird


timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Conventional wisdom: they weren't allowed
> over the Siskiyous.
>
> The empl TT always said if the engine didn't
> have a tonnage rating shown in the timetable
> between X and Y, then it wasn't allowed to run
> between X and Y (unless the Superintendent
> approved, maybe). So how true was that?
> Because lots of engines did lack ratings
> on lots of territory.
>  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/23 12:12 by wabash2800.

West of Dos Cabezas on the SD&AE...

kurtarmbruster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SP's ACs were among the most successful of
> articulateds, and practically ubiquitous across
> the system. But where did they NOT venture? I'm
> thinking Oregon coast branches, east of San
> Antonio, and...?

Posted from Android

Geep Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> West of Dos Cabezas on the SD&AE...
>


I would think not west of El Centro on the SD&AE