Nostalgia & History > Nice one of the SF Chief

Another of Gildersleeve's dupes shows the eastbound train in the Tehachapi Mountains back in May of 1967.

Adam

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Beautiful photo. Wonderful. Thanks for posting.

In this one, the hi-levels are on the head end and the 1st class on the rear. Looks like the lead unit had struck something. Note the dented plow. Freshly spray-painted, though.

Adam,

Thanks for sharing this classic shot by Tom. In afternoon light Tunnel #2 on Tehachapi can't be beat! This shows five F-units on a train that until recently (back then) had four PA's for power. In May of 1967 the "San Francisco Chief" still had Flexi-vans (containers) of U.S. Mail and three Hi-Level coaches was the norm, as were multiple sleepers. My, how this train would change in the coming months once the mail and many of the passengers had left it for good. By the Fall of 1968 the "SF Chief" was down to a single sleeper and sometimes only two Hi-Level coaches. I loved all ATSF passenger trains, but the "San Francisco Chief" was my favorite; thanks again for sharing this...

ShastaDaylight

Excellent shot. Thanks for sharing it, Adam.

~Ryan

Oh my.........

knotch8 Wrote:
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> Beautiful photo. Wonderful. Thanks for posting.
>
> .......Note the dented plow. Freshly spray-painted, though.

And it must have been done by that same employee who did all the poorly-executed silver spray paint touch-ups of most of the Santa Fe passenger units during the late '60's. He must have worked out of the Barstow diesel shops. He must have hated his job, too, judging by the results.

knotch8 Wrote:

> Looks like the lead unit had struck something. Note the dented plow.

The bit that's caved in is the relatively thin removable plate that covered the hole where the steam lines would be connected if 23L was a trailing unit. Were those plates stowed on the unit somewhere when not in use, or did the terminals have stacks of them to stick on any F-unit that needed one?

Did the San Francisco Chief use two Hi Level transition cars? You would have needed one so that employees could access the baggage car and another one so passengers and crew could access the Big Dome lounge car, the diner and the other low level cars.

I didn't realize the eastbound train got into the Tehachapis before darkness.

Santa Fe Ry. operating crews on the old SF Chief, taken in 1967, were based out of Bakersfield, CA and worked between Bakersfield and needles, CA (conductors, brakemen only). Bakersfield based passenger enginemen worked between bakersfield and Barstow, CA.

Topfuel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> knotch8 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Beautiful photo. Wonderful. Thanks for
> posting.
> >
> > .......Note the dented plow. Freshly
> spray-painted, though.
>
> And it must have been done by that same employee
> who did all the poorly-executed silver spray paint
> touch-ups of most of the Santa Fe passenger units
> during the late '60's. He must have worked out of
> the Barstow diesel shops. He must have hated his
> job, too, judging by the results.


A few Amtrak Painters said when they worked for Santa Fe, They would Spray Silver Paint on the Train as it came out of the Car Washer at 8TH Street Yards, LA, Ca

> I didn't realize the eastbound train got into the
> Tehachapis before darkness.

Later it didn't-- after June 1968 it seems.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/14 18:47 by timz.

Topfuel Wrote:


> And it must have been done by that same employee
> who did all the poorly-executed silver spray paint
> touch-ups of most of the Santa Fe passenger units
> during the late '60's. He must have worked out of
> the Barstow diesel shops. He must have hated his
> job, too, judging by the results.

Typical "Rembrandt Repairs" done by many RRs and other companies
over the years!! As well as museums and shortlines too!!

Mike

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
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> Did the San Francisco Chief use two Hi Level
> transition cars?

Yes

How fast were sf chief trains limited when they had freight cars mixed in consist?

Posted from Android

Those weren't "freight cars" - they were former diners cut down by Santa Fe to carry specially-designed mail containers. The Fast Mail also carried them over Tehachapi in those days.

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

MojaveBill Wrote:
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> Those weren't "freight cars" - they were former
> diners cut down by Santa Fe to carry
> specially-designed mail containers. The Fast Mail
> also carried them over Tehachapi in those days.

True. Of course the Fast Mail and Grand Canyon both carried Santa Fe express box cars, as well as foreign road and REA express box cars at 90MPH speeds. Of course, the trucks under those cars were specially modified for high speed service.