Nostalgia & History > Old SP from 70's (Continued)

More higher resolution exports of old scans

SP 3005 in San Jose

On an unknown date in February 1975 SP Torpedo Boat Passenger GP9 3005 is coupled up to a Train Master at Lenzen Street, San Jose, CA.

Reportedly SP 3005 was built in April 1955 as SP 5623, SP Class DF-606, order number 5369-02, construction number 19978. In the 1965 renumbering it became 3005, SP Class EP418-3. In April 1977 it was rebuilt to SP 3189, SP Class EP418R-1. SP 3189 was retired in April 1991. In Dec. 1992 it was sold to Levin Metals. It was purchased from the scrap dealer in 1992 by Errol Ohman and Howard Wise. The pair restored the locomotive and repainted it into its original "black widow" paint scheme and its original number (5623) in 1993. SP 5623 spent most of the 1990s working for the Oakland Terminal Railway. The 5623 now resides the Niles Canyon Railway in Sunol, California, where it is used in occasional excursion service.

Photo 2 - GP9 3003 races past Train Masters

On an unknown date in September 1972 Southern Pacific train 118 powered by commute GP9 3003 races past a group of Train Masters that are waiting out the weekend in San Jose, CA.

Reportedly (sources) SP 3003 was built in June 1954 by EMD as SP 5603, SP Class DF-603, order number 5346-02, Construction number 19564. It became SP 3003, SP Class EP418-2 in the 1965 renumbering. In Feb. 1975 it was rebuilt becoming GP-9R 3186, SP Class EP418E-1. In Sept. 1995 it was retired and in Jan. 1996 it was sold to Progress Rail. In Jan. 2000 it became Western Rail (WRIX) 3186 rebuilt with a chopped nose. In 2006 it was resold to Kalama Export Co., in Kalama, WA. Current status not known.

Edit - Corrected Attachment

More to come...

Steve Sloan
San Jose, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/17 09:45 by ssloansjca.

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Great photos, thank you for sharing.

This got me thinking though, with several of these engines setup with dual controls, all they had to do was a run around of the cars and take off for more passengers. The thought is, was any kind of 'cab car' ever tried? If not on the SP other railroads with steam heating for the passenger cars?

I know by the time everything went HEP and fully electrical, cab cars made their appearance. But I don't see why they couldn't put in some MU cables and still keep the steam heating equipment. Just curious if it was tried or not.

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO

Great stuff! Keep 'em coming (please).
- Eric Blasko

Wonderful material.
SP2541 Wrecked & Retired