Nostalgia & History > SF commute memories

Here are 3 scans I did not take all of SP commute operations in the Bay Area, or so

The first I got from West Coast Slides of San Pedro, Ca. of the Del Monte in Monterey. Date unknown but I am guessing early 1970 ??? 3005 became 3195 and I think is now our 5623 ??? Please correct me if I am wrong.

The second 2 are from the camera of Lee Meyers. Lee lived in the bay area and worked for the WP until 1982. Lee and I have known each other since our days at Arcadia High School, 1969 to present day.

Thanks for looking

Jay

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Excellent photos! Got any FM's?
-- Eric Blasko

lamta_jay Wrote:
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> 3005 became 3195 and I think is now our 5623 ???
> Please correct me if I am wrong.
>
Close. 5623 became 3005 which became 3189 and is now again the 5623.

Howard

And I'm gonna go with 1968 or early 1969 for that shot of 3005 and Del Monte. By mid-1969 SP passenger cars started sporting ACI (Automatic Car Identification) code labels, and SP 2982 wore hers at the center of the four small windows at the far end. And it doesn't appear to be there yet.

Interesting detail -- note the dark brown color of the roofs on the lounge and high-capacity coach rebuilt from a Parlor Car. The coastal climate, with salt air and fog in both layover locations (SF and Monterey) caused silver roofs to turn very rusty-looking in a short time. So some time in the 1960s (possibly after one of Del Monte's long-time VIP passengers sent a letter of complaint to the railroad) SP used either dark gray or more likely black on the tops of these cars to mitigate the visual problem. The black weathered to rusty dark brown, as seen here.

Check out these photos for the evolution:

mid-1960s? Nice and clean:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/fullsize/74000/cdm1.jpg

1966? The BofA tower is going up, our roofs are Simulated Stainless Steel, and we're starting to rust:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/fullsize/521000/cdm7.jpg

photobob says 1966, could be late, and we're full-on black-brown:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/fullsize/325000/SPdelmonteatdelmonte1000m.jpg

1968 or 1969, brown and rusty:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/fullsize/234000/cdm3.jpg

1970: ACI label in place and getting shabby on the sides:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/fullsize/654000/Lounge.jpg

1971:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/fullsize/74000/SP3005_Del_Monte_N_of_Marina_3_71.JPG
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/fullsize/325000/SPdelmonteatdelmonte1000m.jpg

Del Monte ended when Amtrak began. Life began for the Geep again when Howard Wise and Errol Ohman yanked her from the scrap line, revived her, and then re-Black Widowed her. :-)

~ BZ

3rd photo is Millbrae westbound>

Ed

Any shot of the Del Monte, is a great shot!

Can't agree more!!! All I see when I visit Monterey is an empty train depot and dirt where the railroad tracks used to be.

Dave :-)

Anybody know what train in the second pic?
Special to the Big Game?

timz2 Wrote:
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> Anybody know what train in the second pic?
> Special to the Big Game?

Correct

WAF Wrote:
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> timz2 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Anybody know what train in the second pic?
> > Special to the Big Game?
>
> Correct

I bet those 2 little Geeps had to work their butts off getting that train going. The Geeps were good for about 3 cars in "stop and go" action on this line in terms of getting up to speed quickly.

Notch16 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And I'm gonna go with 1968 or early 1969 for that
> shot of 3005 and Del Monte. By mid-1969 SP
> passenger cars started sporting ACI (Automatic Car
> Identification) code labels, and SP 2982 wore hers
> at the center of the four small windows at the far
> end. And it doesn't appear to be there yet.
>
> Interesting detail -- note the dark brown color of
> the roofs on the lounge and high-capacity coach
> rebuilt from a Parlor Car. The coastal climate,
> with salt air and fog in both layover locations
> (SF and Monterey) caused silver roofs to turn very
> rusty-looking in a short time. So some time in the
> 1960s (possibly after one of Del Monte's long-time
> VIP passengers sent a letter of complaint to the
> railroad) SP used either dark gray or more likely
> black on the tops of these cars to mitigate the
> visual problem. The black weathered to rusty dark
> brown, as seen here.
>
> Check out these photos for the evolution:
>
> mid-1960s? Nice and clean:
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/
> fullsize/74000/cdm1.jpg
>
> 1966? The BofA tower is going up, our roofs are
> Simulated Stainless Steel, and we're starting to
> rust:
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/
> fullsize/521000/cdm7.jpg
>
> photobob says 1966, could be late, and we're
> full-on black-brown:
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/
> fullsize/325000/SPdelmonteatdelmonte1000m.jpg
>
> 1968 or 1969, brown and rusty:
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/
> fullsize/234000/cdm3.jpg
>
> 1970: ACI label in place and getting shabby on the
> sides:
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/
> fullsize/654000/Lounge.jpg
>
> 1971:
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/
> fullsize/74000/SP3005_Del_Monte_N_of_Marina_3_71.J
> PG
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/attachments/
> fullsize/325000/SPdelmonteatdelmonte1000m.jpg
>
> Del Monte ended when Amtrak began. Life began for
> the Geep again when Howard Wise and Errol Ohman
> yanked her from the scrap line, revived her, and
> then re-Black Widowed her. :-)
>
> ~ BZ

Wow--that photo of the Del Monte north of the little city of Marina is amazing. Looking at the track, I can't believe it was ever like this. Go there today and you'll see what I mean. Really wish I could ride a train to Monterey for a weekend getaway...