Nostalgia & History > 3 AC's on the Modoc...50 years ago today

On February 2, 1956, Guy Dunscomb, John Hungerford & Ed Ripley caught what is believed to be the last 3 engine steam-powered freight on the Modoc. It had been set up for Guy.
This view, just up the hill from Likely shows all 3 engines, with the road engines white exhaust showing beyond the hill. Train was running as 1-553. Photo by the late John Hungerford from my collection.

Tom

PS thanks to Alan Barrett for his patience with the scanning!

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Wow.

What is truly amazing is that if the rail was still in, the Likely Loop looks exactly the same today. No urban incursion in Modoc County!

Thanks for sharing -

- gb -

Fantastic! Thanks for posting.

Sam Reeves
—
http://www.samreevesphoto.com

Great stuff. Interesting to see the snow fence.

Ahhhhhhhh ....

Thanks!

sagehen Wrote:
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> Ahhhhhhhh ....
>
> Thanks!

You are all welcome...I have a series of maybe 15-20 originals showing the train leaving Alturas, stopping to take water at Likely, then heading around the Loop and finally literaly heading off into the sunset by Madeline. When I get the scanner, I'll have more.

Tom

What coincidence you showed that wonderful photo. Marjorie and I went to Tulelake today to film the Modoc Northern's run to Alturas, but they weren't running today as the Lake County RR was still cleaning up their derailment of 11 days ago.

We drove to the derailment site, then followed the Modoc Line south of Alturas and I was suprised to find about 12 miles of rail still in place. I expected to see maybe 3 miles of rail for car storage, but not 12. We drove further south, looking at where the Modoc Line used to be. Great memories abounded.

Tony J.

Very cool shot!...brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Nitehostler Wrote:
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> On February 2, 1956, Guy Dunscomb, John Hungerford
> & Ed Ripley caught what is believed to be the
> last 3 engine steam-powered freight on the Modoc.
> It had been set up for Guy.

Tom,
Just wondering how Guy set the photo up? Love to here the story. Spectacular display of Pure Southern Pacific Steam railroading. Thanks for sharing.
Dave

Does anyone else recall the photo/poem tribute to the AC's working the Modoc in TRAINS mag many years ago, titled "Farewell My Friends of the Thundering Clan?" Three of the Back-Ups are pictured at Sage Hen, CA, pouring out the smoke, making all of 7 mph, accompanied by the wonderful poetic tribute. IIRC, a father/son team did it, some folks I never heard of, before or since. Name was something like "Othmar Tobish." I've never seen the piece re-printed anywhere. I think the mag was from 1956 or '57.

Hi Tom-- Welcome back from "Hawaii".. Hope you enjoyed your stay !! (grin)

In all seriousness, FANTASTIC photos.. Appreciate your posts.. Seriously !! Are we still "friends" ?

I donated 404 photos to Tony's NRHS Chapter.. They will get more. I think there was some Modoc stuff there too.

In John Illman's films, I think there was some shots of an early railfan excursion on the MODOC using AC-9's.. Quite a scene!!

Take care ,Tom..

KRK

Have to agree with you guys, great pic!

From Dow's Dictionary of Railway Quotations By Andrew Dow


Lucius Beebe, at a ceremony to dedicate a memorial on the grave of Casey Jones, 1947, as recorded in Trains Magazine, October 1947.

Farewell My Friends of the Thundering Clan,
On the mountain heights, farewell
The honking geese in the wintry sky,
in their cries my sadness tell.


Once more I saw you bulky and strong.
Enveloped in hissing steam
Explosive eruptions of masterminds,
Creations of mankind`s dream.


Like the pines on the ridge beyond the track
the pillars of clouds arose.
Immortal now, immersed in the skies,
The final picture they pose.


Othmar Tobisch,

To steam locomotives poem,
Trains Magazine, April 1956

Well let me line up with the others and thank you for such a glorious view. WOW!

Jimmy B

What a magnificent display...One can only imagine the sound that was heard as that train struggled upgrade...

60 now, today!

You can't beat a great photo like that. Thanks Tom.

A very "warm", nostalgic photo--captures the time very well.

A question about the Likely Loops:  it seems the train is on level ground, as it's hard to discern if it's going uphill, or down?  Did the loops climb a grade, or help avoid one?

coach Wrote:
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> A very "warm", nostalgic photo--captures the time
> very well.
>
> A question about the Likely Loops:  it seems the
> train is on level ground, as it's hard to discern
> if it's going uphill, or down?  Did the loops
> climb a grade, or help avoid one?

Climb a grade; hence the need for helpers.

nice DPU