Nostalgia & History > California Alcos Part 1 - SP S-6s

As I became aware of Alco locomotives as a teenager (having found a copy of the Diesel Spotter's Guide in the San Francisco library), they began to disappear. I never got to see SP Alco switchers in Oakland, and only got to see the Santa Fe S-2s twice in San Francisco. By 1974, when I was 15, they were gone from the Bay Area, as were SP's RS32s which had formerly called the area home. By 1979, the last stand for SP Alco switchers was a handful of S-6s in Fresno that were kept on because the EMD switchers couldn't handle the tight curves on some of Fresno's industrial trackage. Thus, on June 15, 1979, I borrowed my Mom's car and traveled to Fresno with Brad Hellman for our one shot at photographing the S-6s. I've always been particularly fond of the "Little Smokies". We found #1204 working in downtown Fresno (check out the SP trailers in the background of the first photo) and then followed it east of town to work industrial spurs.
-- Eric Blasko



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/12 10:23 by AlcoRSD15.

---

---

Working a Montgomery Ward warehouse east of town.

---

---

---

Then we followed the 1204 back downtown. The second photo is crossing the Santa Fe (location might be Sunmaid but I'm not sure). (Also, can anyone identify the location of the first photo?)
-- Eric B.

---

---

Although I was still living in Fresno in June 1979, I think my last Espee Alco S-6 photo was taken in August 1977, almost 2 years earlier.

Tom Y

---

LOVE photo #3..an ALCO as I remember them..blocking traffic and belching smoke as they do their job!

Dick Samuels

Great shots, that second shot is interesting in that one of the few places the tracks paralleled that close
in an open area would have been way out on the Fresno Interurban toward Burness. I'm sure John Ford can
identify the spot.

These are a great set of photos. Kudos to you for having the foresight to take the photos and thanks so much for sharing them here.

Great shots from another era....even a Monkey Wards!

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

AlcoRSD15 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> location might be Sunmaid but I'm not sure). (Also, can
> anyone identify the location of the first photo?)

Second photo is definitely westbound at Sunmaid, crossing the AT&SF. The cantilever was just removed a couple weeks ago.

The first picture is probably just east of Sunmaid, along California Avenue. The tracks are right up against the road through this stretch.

Awesome pics!

Nate

Posted from iPhone

Thanks, everyone, for the positive feedback. And thanks, Nate, for the location info.
-- Eric B.

NdeM Wrote:

> The first picture is probably just east of
> Sunmaid, along California Avenue. The tracks are
> right up against the road through this stretch.

http://goo.gl/maps/5g70s

What a nice collection of photos taken 'off the beaten path'!

Take Care, Stay Safe, Have Fun!

Larry

I don't know what's more significant -- the S6 or merchandise in a box car. Both are long gone. Nice shots, especially the Sunmaid shot.

What is now "Sunmaid" North of Kingsburg still ships quite a bit of product
in boxcars, some things don't change.

Ah yes, the afternoon "City Job". Nate is correct on the locations along California Avenue. I can attest to the use of much Kodachrome and Plus-X in this vicinity!

John Ford

Hey, John, can we see some of the Kodachromes?
-- Eric B.

Eric,

I need to fire up the scanner one of these days...

John

On a good day, you can go down to Cargo Way and the San Francisco Bay Railroad is still operating the old State Belt Alco S-2s done up as they were for the San Francisco Belt line. the #23 and the #25 are still in revenue service.

Bill Kaufman


AlcoRSD15 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I never got to see SP
> Alco switchers in Oakland, and only got to see the
> Santa Fe S-2s twice in San Francisco. By 1974,
> when I was 15, they were gone from the Bay Area,
> as were SP's RS32s which had formerly called the
> area home.
> -- Eric Blasko

I believe photos 3, 4 and 5 show them crossing East Florence Ave. Univar is now on the left in the last pic.