Nostalgia & History > This was one glorious spot to just take it all in!

I have stumbled across many negatives from my California trips of 77 and 81, and also some from the 90s. I'll be back to the East Coast soon, but for now I am enjoying my West Coast trip down memory lane. This image is the SP engine terminal in Bakersfield Ca. The bridge I am on is at the west end of the facility. This place oozed railroading! I remember standing there for a couple of hours just watching the constant buzz of power shuffling around. The sights, sounds, and smells were a great tonic, and the world just seemed so right being there. It rivaled some of my favorite spots back east, but on a bigger scale. This shot was taken in 1977. Just out of curiosity, I went on Google Earth to see what it looks like today....sad!

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

---

Nice shot!!! 

Sorta reminds me of the view east off the 55th St bridge in Argentine...

Lance/199

Wow, could spend hours just looking at all the great stuff in this photo!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

Where is it?


Nudge

The sad thing is that the modern-day Beale St. overpass doesn't appear to have sidewalks, so you're taking your life in your hands hanging out on the bridge these days.  Otherwise, there are still tracks and trains to be had.  It would be really sad if that was not the case. 

https://goo.gl/maps/tkokdVhAj1z

Nice shot...
An old friend used to say that every train and every yard has a Southern Railway boxcar somewhere in it...   There it is, even in Bakersfield CA...  Center left edge of the photo.

Great pic and memories of Bakersfield back in the day. 

that southern boxcar was the 1st thing i noticed

Noticed most all doors are open on engines, in line, starting from bottom left side of photo.
Are they "airing out" the cabs? Or what?

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/18 05:58 by RailRat.