Nostalgia & History > More SP randomness

Southern Pacific seems to be the dominant topic here on the Nostalgia Board lately, hope you don't mind a few more as I continue to dig through slides from SoCal taken in the 80's and 90's.

1) Freshly rebuilt SP SD40R 7308 lends a helping hand to the 4449 as it returns north after visiting LAUPT's 50th anniversary festivities. Taken between Woodford and Rowen on May 8, 1989.

2) In May of 1987, EMD GP60 demos 7/6/5 team up with a couple of SP units as the pass through Walnut with an export copper concentrate train.

3) SPSF merger SDP45 3207 is westbound through South Fontana on a crystal clear afternoon in April of 1987.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/12 15:33 by oyw.

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4) Another SDP45, 3206 is the lead unit of the Dike helper on the point of a westbound at Davis Ranch in Cajon Pass. Taken on 9/21/86.

5) Little GP9R 3784 looks out of place leading big power on a westbound hauler through Ontario, CA in February of 1989.

6) The contemporary SP never looked better than when it's power was new. Such was the case at Mons out on the Sunset Route when brand new C44-9W's 8109 and 8108 were sole power on an eastbound manifest.

Thanks for looking back...again.

OYW



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/12 14:38 by oyw.

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oyw Wrote:
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>
> 1) Freshly rebuilt SP SD40R 7308 lends a helping
> hand to the 4449 as it returns north after
> visiting LAUPT's 50th anniversary festivities.
> Taken between Woodford and Rowen on May 8, 1989.

And I was with you when you took that photo. Yours came out way better than mine!

Photo was taken right next to the Cesar Chavez "compound". I was driving and I decided, quickly, our luck was going to be good that day and drove right into the compound, waiving hello to everybody I saw. I figured that would at least keep guns from being drawn. And I knew better than to linger in there...

Only other time I was in "the compound" was the time I took liberties with a broken, white SP hardhat I had found near the Allard horseshoe. I made sure I pointed at it while faces watched me drive into Cesars place. I threw it in the dumpster at Woodford after I left...

As usual all the photos look great!


Allen



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/12 13:43 by bradleymckay.

What a great bunch of shots Bob. The good old SP I loved. Great catch of the demos in unusual unit train service as well as the SDP which I am sure didn't make many trips over the pass. SP definately looked good in new paint, awesome cathes of those as well. I have been into the retreat many times and never had any trouble?
JB

3rdswitch Wrote:
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I have been into the
> retreat many times and never had any trouble?
> JB

Joe, the stories I heard over the years from other fans, during the 1980's, were enough to convince me to not take chances in there. Probably most of the time they might not have cared, but they COULD, at times, be hostile or so I was told. There was no telling when Cesar might actually show up at the Keene compound (the other "compound" was in Delano)...I'm sure when he was there at the Keene compound they might have been under something close to a lockdown. It's quite possible a few fans might have tried to wonder in there not knowing Cesar was visiting. After he passed away in 1993 word was they were generally OK with people being in there as long as you told someone why you were there.


Allen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/12 18:45 by bradleymckay.

Great set of shots Bob!

The last photo is great!! I don't see a whole lot of pic's of SP's Dash-9's,like you do the AC's. Sure was a great time to be a Espee fan! Thank's for posting.

I was not aware that an SP SDP45 had been painted into SPSF colors!

-Alex

sp8270 Wrote:
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> I was not aware that an SP SDP45 had been painted
> into SPSF colors!
>
> -Alex

3201, 07, 08

Great shots all around! Those Dash 9's sure looked spiff right out of the box. Thanks for the look back.

Kent in Carmel Valley

Wow, what splendid shots! Love seeing the rare SDP45's in freight service. Also cool seeing the new Dash-9's over Beaumont, or at least without an additional unit to assist.

One minor correction with Pic 1: The 7308 was not freshly rebuilt. Just freshly repainted and sporting it's new light package arrangement.

More please?

Fizzboy7 Wrote:
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> The 7308 was not freshly rebuilt. Just freshly repainted and
> sporting it's new light package arrangement.

I knew that, just seeing if you're paying attention :>)

Not really, but I do have lots more slides to go through.

OYW

oyw Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------
>
> 1) Freshly rebuilt SP SD40R 7308 lends a helping
> hand to the 4449 as it returns north after
> visiting LAUPT's 50th anniversary festivities.
> Taken between Woodford and Rowen on May 8, 1989.


Don Lowell was the helper engineer on the 7308 that day and I was the pilot from West Colton to Bakersfield. The Water Service people failed to show up at Mojave where we were take on water so we babied the engine from Mojave to Bakersfield so we didn't have to use more water than was necessary. The water level was almost to the bottom of the tender frame by the time we got the locomotive parked on the private car spur at Bakersfield where there was a water hydrant to fill the tender.

Judging from the tracks in the photo it looks like the train is going over the west switch at Woodford.

JDE

More Awesome randomness! Great view of the 7308 (a clean engine-Wow) leading 4449.
I was a little pre-occupied with a cab ride on a certain other steam engine between Yermo and Kelso:) so I missed that move.
Love the SPSF merger stuff.

That 3207 rang some bells with me so I went through some of my paperwork. On 5/10/87 it was called out of Tucson leading the NOLXT-07 with 91 loads/0 empties 7017 tons 7443 feet. Complete power was: 3207/8363/3793/6643 (SDP45/SD40T-2/GP9E/GP35). As I looked at the paperwork I realized the next NOLXT going west (NOLXT-08) had EMD 5, 6, and 7 as the only units.

I remember TexBob saying he saw another export copper concentrate train (LDDOU) in June of '87 with just the 5,6, and 7. SP really put the mileage on those units...


Allen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/12 14:57 by bradleymckay.

oyw Wrote:
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> Fizzboy7 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > The 7308 was not freshly rebuilt. Just freshly
> repainted and
> > sporting it's new light package arrangement.
>
> I knew that, just seeing if you're paying
> attention :>)
>
> Not really, but I do have lots more slides to go
> through.
>
> OYW


When it comes to the SP, I'm always paying attention. ; ) I don't know about others here, but I seek out the N&H board every night for SP threads exactly like this one. It's legendary and maximum entertainment.

Image of the day! Well done Bob! Thanks for sharing!

Fizzboy7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> oyw Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Fizzboy7 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> >
> > > The 7308 was not freshly rebuilt. Just
> freshly
> > repainted and
> > > sporting it's new light package arrangement.
> >
> > I knew that, just seeing if you're paying
> > attention :>)
> >
> > Not really, but I do have lots more slides to
> go
> > through.
> >
> > OYW
>
>
> When it comes to the SP, I'm always paying
> attention. ; ) I don't know about others here,
> but I seek out the N&H board every night for SP
> threads exactly like this one. It's legendary
> and maximum entertainment.

I'm right there with Fizzyboy,soaking up every SP post as soon as I see it! I can never get enough. These post's are too me what make's TO the Best! Bill

Can NEVER get enough SP! Great pix, especially the SDP45's
Ron W

Those pics are very pleasing to the eye - thanks for sharing them.

Ahhhhhhhhh