Nostalgia & History > Tehachapis circa 1974

Am working on a Tehachapi program for the SPH&TS convention in Fresno and thought I would share some photos that will be in the program. From all the photos that I took back in the 1970s I noticed certain Locomotive types were used a lot back then over the hill. There were a lot of SD39s (5300s), SD35s (6900s), SD40s (8400s), SD45s, SD45T-2s, SD40T-2s (8300s), U30Cs (7900s), and U33Cs (8600s and 8700s). Very seldom would you see a straight set of one type unit either leading or helping the heavy SP trains over the hill. It was usually a nice mix of the aforementioned units as you will see in just these 3 photos.

1 - SP U28C #7153 with 8693 and 2 SD40s leads a West train down the hill out of tunnel #15 above Marcel. This train was a loaded sugar beet train with 8453 and 8425, two SD40s as helpers. Taken on May 24th, 1974.
2 - SP U33C #8688 leads SD39 #5317 and three SD35s, #6915, 6909 and 6911 on an East train working upgrade through Woodford. Photo taken on May 26th, 1974.
3 - This is the helper set of Extra SP 8688 East, the train in photo #2, consisting of SP U33C #8600, SD45 #9125 and SD45T-2 #9333.

One of the things I loved best in the Tehachapis was seeing and hearing the long heavy SP trains working in run 8 for all their worth and the one or two helper sets doing their best to keep the trains moving up the grade. Just having fun now going through the photos and seeing what the good old "friendly" SP was doing back then and actually noticing more now in the photos than I had back when I shot them.

C.C.Chas.

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The glory days of railroading. I cannot think of a time more exciting to watch, feel, and smell trains, except for maybe the Cans in the late era.

Fizzboy7 Wrote:
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> The glory days of railroading. I cannot think of
> a time more exciting to watch, feel, and smell
> trains, except for maybe the Cans in the late era.

Ah, to each generation it's own.

Cheers,
Jack

Interesting to see the PFE "reefers" behind the road power on the 8688. That's something I don't recall seeing before, either in person, or in photo's, at least not until 1983-1984 when SP started running the BKESP trains.


Allen

bradleymckay Wrote:
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> Interesting to see the PFE "reefers" behind the
> road power on the 8688. That's something I don't
> recall seeing before, either in person, or in
> photo's, at least not until 1983-1984 when SP
> started running the BKESP trains.
>
>
> Allen

Perishables going south and east. Connect with the C Block in the AM

Fizzboy7 Wrote:
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> The glory days of railroading. I cannot think of
> a time more exciting to watch, feel, and smell
> trains, except for maybe the Cans in the late era.

And no graffiti to be seen in photo 3, and I'll wager non on that entire train, except for the modest efforts of the "non-ticked rider" fraternity.

I couldn't agree more on the varied power lash-ups, which made train watching on the Hill that much more enjoyable. Thanks Charlie for sharing some better days when the SP ruled!

Kent in Carmel Valley

The lead loco in the frist image is a U30C.

David Potter
Other, CA

Great shots by the way!

David Potter
Other, CA

dave_potter Wrote:
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> The lead loco in the frist image is a U30C.
Nope, U28C

thanks for the memories... I was working the Los Angeles to Bakersfield freight pool in 1974...

The SP 7153 is a U28C. SP had only ten of those units, #7150 thru #7159. Saw them on the SP Coastline and in the Tehachapis after they were used on the Kaiser ore trains.

C.C.Chas.