Nostalgia & History > Southern Pacific 4 GP's excursion train + other passenger trains

After reading a post about SP excursion trains, I knew I had a 8mm reel that had SP excursions, only could locate 1 excursion, with 4 GP's for power, I counted 20 passenger cars, but I could be wrong, my eyes and fingers might be giving out on me. Also added in a couple of SP powered passenger trains, I don't know if they are Amtrak era or not, but they are colorful early 70's look to them. Any info would be appreciated, TIA, KCRW287

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Thank you for sharing. While the first photos of the excursion and SJ Daylight are pre-Amtrak, the train led by F units is for sure the Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr.

Looks like the 4 Geep train in your video is the 1971 train WAF mentioned in my thread https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4954712 . The train in my post was 1972 if I have it right
The other trains look to be after 1971 Amtrak takeover with the rainbow of other railroad equipment and the Amtrak SDP40f's were on order, so SP power was a stand in. That was a cool time to ride as you had a great variety of mixed RR equipment
Thanks for posting this

What tower are they passing at 0:10?

Where's the signal bridge at 1:57?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/20 14:31 by timz.

timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What tower are they passing at 0:10?
>
> Where's the signal bridge at 1:57?

The tower is the former Elvas Tower, which performed the junction functions of the connections between the Cal-P, the Fresno line, and Sacramento.  Elvas also handled the Folsom Branch switch, and the switches at Polk.

The signal bridge is the West bridge of Elvas's interlocking.
G 

If the tower at 0:10 is Elvas, which way
is the train going, and what's the spur
visible at 0:37?

(Ah-- the train must be passing Elvas
compass-westward, from the Brighton
line toward downtown Sacramento.)

If Amtrak is at Elvas at 1:57, what's the
tower just visible at the left edge of the
frame?

(Guess the Elvas signal bridge is still there?
And it's not that long? And its signals
weren't both single-head, presumably?)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/20 15:13 by timz.

timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the tower at 0:10 is Elvas, which way
> is the train going, and what's the spur
> visible at 0:37?
>
> (Ah-- the train must be passing Elvas
> compass-westward, from the Brighton
> line toward downtown Sacramento.)
>
> If Amtrak is at Elvas at 1:57, what's the
> tower just visible at the left edge of the
> frame?
>
> (Guess the Elvas signal bridge is still there?
> And it's not that long? And its signals
> weren't both single-head, presumably?)

Coming off the Valley Line from Stockton and heading west to Sacramento

timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the tower at 0:10 is Elvas, which way
> is the train going, and what's the spur
> visible at 0:37?

The spur went into the American Can Company facility at 3301 C St. The buildings still exist and are now office space. The water tower and smoke stack visible at 00:52 were part of the facility and still survive as well.

https://www.woodrodgers.com/americancancompany/

> If Amtrak is at Elvas at 1:57, what's the
> tower just visible at the left edge of the
> frame?

I'm thinking more like Richmond for this one. The signals are single headed in each direction, and it looks more like a billboard to the left than a building.

> (Guess the Elvas signal bridge is still there?
> And it's not that long? And its signals
> weren't both single-head, presumably?)

Seen at 00:52, it still survives as part of CP RV091 West Elvas for the UP.