Nostalgia & History > Santa Fe Steam.

Just noticed Yardclerk's thread on this subject, dated July 5 last.
www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,1194122,1194122#msg-1194122

The photo of Santa Fe Hudson 3450 at Martinez: I was aboard that excursion train. It was advertised as the last train to be headed by a 4-6-4. For this runby some of us were at the far end of the trestle, on street level watching it go by overhead. The track there is I believe even a little downgrade; all the black smoke was just for show.

When the train got going down the Central Valley, like through Escalon, some people were timing the mileposts. I don't remember just what numbers they were getting but it was impressive. The Hudson was reeeeealy moving.

From Riverbank there was a side trip out onto the Sierra Railroad. For some reason the dining car was left at Riverbank until we returned. I have little recall about the side trip except that the trip got progressively behind schedule. We were way late when the train was reassembled for the trip home. Some of us were still enjoying our chicken dinners in the dining car at 9:00 PM.

After a brief stop at Richmond the train proceeded across San Pablo Avenue and finally stopped in the middle of the street in Berkeley, where the buses met us to go to the City. It was an interesting occasion. I didn't carry a camera but now I finally have a photo, thanks to Yardclerk. I don't even know what year this took place.

If I may correct you...Rather than Riverside, the station you need would be Riverbank. That is where the branch to Oakdale and the Sierra RR starts.