Nostalgia & History > Men working on the railroad -- all Nevada

Here's a collection of eight shots from Reno, Sparks, Las Vegas and Boulder City from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.  All were taken by me except the  shot of the westbound summer Challenger No. 107 arriving in Las Vegas.  It was taken by my dad, Walt.  It's interesting how few of my shots have people in them, and how many are of hardware.  I was a little wary of photographing men at work and I know some of them were uneasy of a photographer following them around.  Thankfully over the years I found many of them to be friendly and helpful. The switch crew on the SP 2663 pulling the wood reefer from the Union Ice Company in Reno even borrowed my camera to take a shot of me by their engine and invited me up in the cab.

After I went to work for UP in 1980 I spend a lot of time in the field and rode a lot of trains, meeting some great people.  I regret not carrying a camera on the job to record their way of life, but felt it was not my professional place to do so.

John Bromley - Omaha
 

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Part II

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Part III

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Great set of photos John.

Don Winslow
Glendora, CA
http://www.donwinslow.net/Railroads

Picture 1:  A TR-2 with dynamic brakes!

-LD

Great photos!  Love that shot of WP 707 close up on the cab.  

Z

Great ohitis John. I love your second photo best with all the historical data incorporated in that photo.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

LarryDoyle Wrote:
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> Picture 1:  A TR-2 with dynamic brakes!
>
> -LD

Actually TR5's. A TR2 is based off of the NW2 while the TR5 is based off of the SW9.

Didn't know the WP GP7s had dual controls.....

BarstowRiff Wrote:
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> Didn't know the WP GP7s had dual controls.....

I've been in the cab of WP 707 and it had dual controls.

JB - Omaha



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/20 15:47 by Copy19.

I have pulled my share of baggage carts.

PHall Wrote:
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> LarryDoyle Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Picture 1:  A TR-2 with dynamic brakes!
> >
> > -LD
>
> Actually TR5's. A TR2 is based off of the NW2
> while the TR5 is based off of the SW9.

It appears the TR-5 in the top photo might have dual controls also.

Without seeing a shot of the rear of the cab it's hard to tell although the photo farther down has the joint being made on the opposite side.

GREAT series of of pictures of "how it was"!

Dick Samuels

My favorite photo is the 2663 with the wooden reefer.  What a combination!  Where in Reno (I'm assuming it's Reno) was that photo taken?

BarstowRiff Wrote:
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> Didn't know the WP GP7s had dual controls.....

WP had dual controls in all of their GP7's, GP9's, U23B's and the GP20's.

I didn't realize the rear of the TR5B's didn't have steps on them as demonstrated here on the 1871B.   Great photos and I appreciate the extra comments added by many about the dual controls of some units.  

Your photo of stacked pipe on flat cars looks a lot like something WPA photographer Russell Lee might have taken. Very nice series indeed! Very good job.

Great assortment  of the subject---#5-#6-#7 are really cool.
Brian Stevens

And a drawbar too.

Milwaukee Wrote:
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> I didn't realize the rear of the TR5B's didn't
> have steps on them as demonstrated here on the
> 1871B.   Great photos and I appreciate the extra
> comments added by many about the dual controls of
> some units.  

Fantastic series of images! I enjoyed everyone of them, but 1, 2, 4, and 5 are all favorites. The essence of railroading to me, are its people. Nicely done!!

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

RuleG Wrote:
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> My favorite photo is the 2663 with the wooden
> reefer.  What a combination!  Where in Reno (I'm
> assuming it's Reno) was that photo taken?

It is on West Fourth Street on the west side of Reno in the 70s.