Nostalgia & History > SP Passenger Special at Watsonville Jct. 10-92

SP GP60 #9742 with an SP Passenger Special in October of 1992 stopped at Watsonville Jct. The train was to promote California Proposition #156, which was a rail bonds measure. Bringing up the rear was SP Business Car 106, the Oregon complete with drumhead touting the ballot measure. I was unable to remember or find out if #156 passed, but it was a nice looking little train.

Seen first at Watsonville Jct., then at Elkhorn Slough both approaching and going away.

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Did that train end up running up the Coast Line, and wasn't Anschultz aboard--if you recall?

I seem to recall getting a trip report from the hoghead on that train, R.T. McCarthey--if that was the same train. The "little train" aspect and the single new GP60 on the point sent alarm bells ringing off in my head--as this is pretty much the way the train was described to me by Bob...

Until I came across those slides, I had forgotten about the whole thing. The only way I even knew it was for 156 is by seeing the sign on the rear. I shot them at Watsonville Jct and then Elkhorn, they passed me and headed South (RR East). Beyond that I have no idea. Maybe someone else can fill in more details.

I was the senior SP officer on that train. PFA was not on it.

Prop 156 did not pass.

This was an early attempt by the SP to interest California Coast Counties in improving the Coast Route. There was money in prop 156 to do just this sort of upgrading.
I think that we had a plan to upgrade the Coast line that would have provided 7 hour transit times between SF and LA. The idea was spend two to three billion on the Coast line for moderately fast service as opposed to thirty five billion on a San Joaquin Valley high speed service. The three billion figure included lots of curve straightening and some new tunnels.

The formation of the Coast Rail Coordinating Committee was about the only positive outcome of the whole exercise IIRC.

mdo

Drew,
We must have bumped into each other as I was also there at Watsonville Junction that day. I first saw the train pass Aromas and followed it to WJ, and then to Elkhorn Slough. Itook slides and videos of the train.

At Watsonville Junction I went inside the train as SP was handing out free food, but I didn't hear any organized speech as to what the who train was about. Then I went up to the bar and was surprised to find I could get a free cocktail from Espee's Norman Bradley, so I did! Here's a shot of Norm showing what SP used to be like. - Tony J.

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Well there is one up on Amtrak right there---they served Coca Cola. The sign of absolute civilization.

Tony--There is every possibility I chased that thing while I was working, doing so in a International cab-over tractor. My trailers would have stayed in Santa Cruz

Drew

Great shots guys! One question though, what are the two baggage cars for behind the locomotive?

Take Care,
Alex Ramos

Alex---One car is a power car to provide HEP from a diesel generator, the other, I would assume, is used for baggage or whatever they needed to carry.

drew1946 Wrote:
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> Alex---One car is a power car to provide HEP from
> a diesel generator, the other, I would assume, is
> used for baggage or whatever they needed to carry.

Ah okay, then that explains it, I just thought it was weird that there were two.

Take Care,
Alex Ramos

TonyJ Wrote:
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> Drew,
> We must have bumped into each other as I was also
> there at Watsonville Junction that day. I first
>> At Watsonville Junction I went inside the train as
> SP was handing out free food, but I didn't hear
> any organized speech as to what the who train was
> about. Then I went up to the bar and was surprised
> to find I could get a free cocktail from Espee's
> Norman Bradley, so I did! Here's a shot of Norm
> showing what SP used to be like. - Tony J.


Believe it or not, Norm is very much alive and well at 86 (IIRC) and still serving the px on the private cars------------notably the Silver Lariat which we chartered 9 years ago and on which he served. He also is on the Huell Howser California Gold program about the CZ done in '95. What a great shot!!
Thanks Tony!!
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

the 2nd baggage car has the refrigerators and freezers Manitwoc ice machines, etc.

where is the oregon now, the lounge is at CRRM, bagg cars?

dan Wrote:
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> where is the oregon now, the lounge is at CRRM,
> bagg cars?


The SP 106 is up for sale on the Ozark mountain website.

Posted from Android

https://ozarkmountainrailcar.com/railEquipment.php?itemId=1861&category=Passenger%20Equipment

didn't recognize it, it did a big Denver stint with the ski train and Phil  before UP took over

Spent the 1990 ski season on the ski train while the Kansas was being refurbished
 

You can certainly tell Randy Peterson did the last redocoration on it.