Nostalgia & History > SP ACs at Colton Tower

I've set up a facebook group entitled Elmer K Hall Rail Photographs.  It takes just too much time to post photos in multiple places so any of you who have facebook accounts, you're more than welcome to check out Elmer's pictures in his facebook group.  I will keep posting some here, but not all. All photos Elmer K Hall, my collection.

Don Hall
Yreka, CA

SP AC-6 4133 is running backwards as it returns to Colton Yard after performing helper service.  Circa 1950. 
SP AC-8 4187 heads into Colton Yard with a string of 30 cars.  Check out the 40 foot boxcars on either side of train.  Circa 1950. 
SP AC-10 4211 storms out of Colton Yard with 84 cars on June 18, 1950.  A bit out of focus, but a very dynamic photo.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/19 18:01 by odub.

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What's that marker just L of the engine in pic 2?

Very Nice!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

Memories...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Nice photo series.  Would like to see one running.
Thanks for your post.
ALLEN

timz Wrote:
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> What's that marker just L of the engine in pic 2?

Good question. The best I can make out is the number "14" which does not correspond to the mile post location of
Colton Tower, MP538.7 on the SP or MP2.9 on the Santa Fe which leads me to conclude that the "14" possibly refers to
a demarcation line between two adjacent section foreman's areas of responsibility. Seems to me that I have seen such
markers on former NP trackage around the Seattle area, but not for many years. If we were able to see the marker from
the position of the locomotive as it approached we might possibly see the number "13" or "15".
Just my guess. 

Charlie
 

cewherry wrote:

> > What's that marker just L of the engine in pic 2?

> The best I can make out is the number "14" which does not correspond to the mile post location of Colton Tower ... which leads me to conclude that the "14" possibly refers to a demarcation line between two adjacent section foreman's areas of responsibility. Seems to me that I have seen such markers on NP trackage around the Seattle area ... If we were able to see the marker from the position of the locomotive as it approached we might possibly see the number "13" or "15".

Basically correct.  The marker is a section post, used on the SP to delineate the MOW section boundaries.

The SP probably started using section posts around 1904.  Most likely, the signs disappeared in the late 1950s when section camps started being eliminated in favor of using highway vehicles to transport track workers.  SP plans for section posts can be obtained at the Calif. State RR Museum Library