Nostalgia & History > Need Another Location, SP Steam Fans

Another anonymous photo from Bill's collection.

SP 4342 and 4376 in Commute service.

Oakland? Appreciate any help.

Yardclerk

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San Francisco, 3rd & Townsend St. Station

It looks like the "commutes" are lined up and ready to go.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/10 13:28 by sphauler.

Wow! Six minutes.

Much obliged to you.

Brings up the question: when did Espee start getting gallery cars? I honestly didn't know they were purchased before the end of steam. Couldn't have been much before 1957. I was present on the Peninsula then, and though I don't recall everyday steam, I did see the 'last runs' in 1957 and 1958. I didn't think there were gallery cars then, just Harrimans. My recollections of gallery cars goes along with all diesel.

Ed

Edwardjb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Brings up the question: when did Espee start
> getting gallery cars? I honestly didn't know they
> were purchased before the end of steam. Couldn't
> have been much before 1957. I was present on the
> Peninsula then, and though I don't recall everyday
> steam, I did see the 'last runs' in 1957 and 1958.
> I didn't think there were gallery cars then, just
> Harrimans. My recollections of gallery cars goes
> along with all diesel.
>
> Ed

Ed,

The answer came in June 1955 when the first ten gallery cars were delivered to SP. The first two of these double-deck commute cars were placed in service on June 16, 1955 on trains 121 and 130. In January 1956 SP ordered 21 additional gallery cars for the commute service.

J.

There are several published pics of SP
steam pulling galleries.

Is that an FM switcher coupled to the galleries
on the left?

SP brought out a Burlington double deck car for public inspection Jan 1954. Yes, June 15 SP's arrived. Cool photo

timz2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is that an FM switcher coupled to the galleries
> on the left?


That's an ALCo S6.

JDE

Edit...Sorry, I didn't read it correctly. Yes, that is an FM on the left and an ALCo in the distance to the right of the photo.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/10 18:18 by Steamjocky.

Two diesel switchers there - the one to my right is an ALCO but I just can't tell regarding the one on my left. It could be an FM as they did have big headlights mounted on the cab end.

John Gezelius
Tustin, CA

Definitely an FM on the left, S-6 on the right. Cool photo!

John Ford

My guess is that it is a GP-9, maybe 5894, 5895, 5600, 5601, 5602, 5603.