Nostalgia & History > California Northern 1994

Another set of pictures by Lee Meyers. This time the California Northern West Side Line between Tracy and Los Banos. He also covered the SJVR on the same trips. Those I will post later.



The first picture taken 3/30/1994...EOT Los Banos '

The second picture taken 6/03/1994....In Los Banos. I believe the tracks here have been removed.

The third shot is at West Newman on June 3, 1994

Los Banos was the end of the line but the track still was in place to Oxalis where the SJVR was the opeator.

My only question and I don't expect THE answer is why did SP split this line in two. I would have thought it would be a valuable back up for the main line through Merced and Modesto. Just wondering !

Thanks for looking.

there is more


Jay

---

---

---

Back in the early 90's I remember seeing California Northern engines in Woodland California.

The fourth picture is the train northbound or SP westbound at Newman 6/3/1994

And fifth is another day this time at Volta which I show just north of Los Banos on 9/30/1994. I believe this line now ends at Volta or in that general Area.

Thanks for looking and any corrections are appreciated


Final shot is mine at Tracy in 1995 and I only remember this one GP15-1 on this line. #101 must have called this line HOME.


Jay

---

---

---

Thanks for sharing a very nice series Jay. I've always thought the Cal Northern had one of the best looking color schemes.

Kent in CArmel Valley

Hi Jay,

You are correct, the tracks shown in your first two pictures are now gone. I drove through the area about 6 months ago and was surprised to see them gone with a trail in their place.

Dave

I don't know, I don't pretend to know, people smarter than me pulled up those
tracks. First there was an active shipper at Ayath, South of Los Banos, they
totally screwed him up. Second, there was an unused team track and ramp at Volta
so of course that's where the cutback was placed!

Out

I am up in Danville, CA today for Turkey and Thanksgiving.
The morning Contra-Costa Times reported on a planned Phillips-66 Oil Train schedule from the mid-west to Santa Maris via the UP ex-Sp through the Bay Area and doen the Coast line to the Guadalupe area wherr ther is a Phillips refinery,
BUT -- There is a huge outcry of opposition to the routing through Oakland,
How about the line south from Sacramento or the Mococco Line through Tracy, AltamontPass and Niles Canyon to bypass the Bay Area?

--Jim Baker

Thanks for posting these!

- James

JimBaker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BUT -- There is a huge outcry of opposition to the
> routing through Oakland,

Well, I can see the sense of that! There wouldn't be enough oil in the cars to bother refining it if the train had to stop in Oakland for 20 minutes or so.