Nostalgia & History > S is for Scrap

The last of a Rock Island GP40 slowly disappears at Chrome Crankshaft along the Santa Fe’s B-Yard in San Bernardino, 1984. My first look at one of these came in 1968 while sitting in the cab of an SP SW1500 atop the Santa Ana River Bridge at Colton. Four of these behind an SP U33C passed westbound with a long sting of auto parts boxes, and that is how I would have preferred to remember them.

Be of Good Cheer,
–Mac

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more likely worth more as parts. the RI power that i remember was in vary bad shape.

What side of the "B" yard are we on? Looks like Mill Street in the backround. Looking S/E or N/W?
I am trying to picture this place in relationship to current surroundings. Can't quite make it out.

gp

sbgabe Wrote:
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> What side of the "B" yard are we on? Looks like
> Mill Street in the backround. Looking S/E or
> N/W?

Looking southeast, the mainline to the left beyond the yard tracks. The new mainline is very close to this location now.
—Mac

Used to be on the west side of the B yard just north of Mill St. I remember playing in that shed as a kid on the weekends when no one was `around. Us kids used to crawl through the old engine blocks sitting around the shop area there.


George,
Fontana,Cal.

Rest In Peace, Good and Faithful Servant. You served the Rock Island well.

RI power did very well in the re-sale market. Every RR has/had its junkers. The RI fleet was appraoching 1/2 rebuilt or new. When The MP got the Rock GP38-2's, the crews  correctly said the RI power was in better shape than the MoPac's own junker GP38-2's, including one that was not even a year old. C&NW bought 120 Rock units to replace their stuff. Many of the GP40's became shortline or commuter rebuilds.

QU25C Wrote:
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> more likely worth more as parts. the RI power that
> i remember was in vary bad shape.