Nostalgia & History > SP power in San Jose

The photo was taken in San Jose, California on March 12, 1972. I do not know who took the photo. (Photo/PRS Archive) lots of action. Anyone care to add a story line?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/14 10:48 by edsaalig.

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Fantastic shot! I wonder if the bulls arrested the photographer for climbing on a signal bridge, within the view of scads of employees (and a certain unfriendly roundhouse foreman), no less.

-E.O.

Love the contrast in this shot; the contours and panel details of the Train Master unit are sharp and defined. And they were unique.

So truth, coincidence, or legend: that SP concentrated their FMs in San Francisco in part because the Mission Bay and Bayshore mechanics pool was made up of many ex-Navy mechanics from the Hunters Point shipyards, men with Fairbanks-Morse Opposed Piston engine experience on WWII submarines?

The throaty snarl from those units is unmistakable. You can still hear an OP snarl in the Bay Area when the Golden Gate Railroad Museum runs its Tiger Stripe H-12-44 switcher over the Niles Canyon Railway of the Pacific Locomotive Association. It's an ex-Army unit painted and kitted out to appear as a very credible and authentic "SP 1487."

The PLA also has an ex-Army FM on the property, No. 1856, which is also serviceable though infrequently operated.

~ BZ

http://ggrm.org/Collection_view.aspx?id=6

It appears the two Trainmasters are in M-U and from the engineer's position, it's coming back to the house from the Cahill Street station. How many afternoon commuter trains ran with two T-Ms?

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

None did regularly.

The other TM is facing west. Did San Jose
wye commute engines or turntable them?

Unless they had a SP permit to photograh on SP property

> So truth, coincidence, or legend: that SP
> concentrated their FMs in San Francisco in part
> because the Mission Bay and Bayshore mechanics
> pool was made up of many ex-Navy mechanics from
> the Hunters Point shipyards, men with
> Fairbanks-Morse Opposed Piston engine experience
> on WWII submarines?

I have heard that from some very reliable sources, but there is more to it. The FMs were known to run hot when under load. They couldn't keep them cool in hot climates. But with a moderate climate like the Bay Area has, along with the ex-Navy mechanics in abundance, it was a no-brainer for the SP to locate them here by the bay.

garrett

Nice perspective. Many great memories of watching the Trainmasters fly through College Park. Thanks for sharing and kudos to whoever took the shot.

Kent in CArmel Valley

Granted, it was 20 years later but SP never seemed to care if I wandered around and took pictures in San Jose.. Even right next to the Newhall yard office, with the SW1500 going back and forth.

timz Wrote:
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> None did regularly.
>
> The other TM is facing west. Did San Jose
> wye commute engines or turntable them?

They used a turntable at San Jose and Bayshore. Wyed them in San Francisco.

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