Nostalgia & History > Cajon Pass East Side 1991

Spent some time on the east side of Cajon Pass back on August 31 and Sept 1 1991. We actually were at Martinez Spur. Camped on the hill overlooking the tracks here. (Well maybe not a big hill but one higher than the level ground we drove on to get here). Here are 3 shots from those 2 days.  And that begs a question for those in the know. What exactly was Martinez Spur? Was it named for someone perhaps? But here are a few shots

Shot 1.  ATSF B40-8W 552 leads an EB train by our spot. Looks like the 552 and the 2nd unit are still in fresh paint. All units according to my notes this day are B40-8W's.

Shot 2.  ATSF traded some units for a handful of some AMTRAK SDP40F's. The lead unit here is one of them. ATSF 5258 has ATSF 3679 on a set of lite power at Martinez Spur. The Station sign is on the right in shot here.  08-31-1991

Shot 3.  The other raod here on this stretch. UP 3741 with 3 others heads east at Martinez Spur.

This was back perhaps we could camp alonside the rails. Them were the days.  Ben

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I believe this spur is a leftover from the shoefly built around the washout that got an eastbound ATSF train back in 1978. Here's a shot I took of a burned out autorack full of new Ford T-Birds's a few days after the wreck when the mainlines were rebuilt. The spur is in the background. BTW, I heard that the shoeefly was so steep that the UP DDA40Xs were scraping bottom at the apex. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/20 14:09 by trackplanner.

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Looks like in number one you caught an unusual quintet of B 40's on that train. Remarkable.
JB

Martinez Spur is named for Track Supervisor Joe Martinez who was in charge of the MOW on that District for many years.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/20 14:26 by Chico43.

Martinez Spur is a remnant of the main lines prior to the current 1970's-built alignment.
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,23048  and  https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1500495
GK



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/20 16:55 by TheNavigator.

Great trio Ben!