Nostalgia & History > 4449 leads the American Freedom Train at Brisbane, California

On a foggy December morning in 1975 4449 leads the American Freedom Train along the shore of San Francisco Bay at Brisbane.  I've been working on my website while in lock down and have been re scanning some shots that have been on the website for 18 years.

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/20 22:18 by photobob.

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That's a bitchin' shot Bob.

calendar material !!!

Bob please check the date. Think that freedom train finished up in Florida in 1976. Unless it's a move back to Oregon.

Well I'm sure glad you came across this.  Nice composition with the power poles on the left and the smoke plume splitting the signal bridge.  Thanks for sharing photobob.

Kent in CArmel Valley

Where's the obligatory diesel?  Oh wait, didn't need one, did she?

-John

Really NICE shot!

Larry

Nice light. Nice photo.
SR

And the date fits now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/20 22:42 by BoilingMan.

absolutely Outstanding!

jcaestecker Wrote:
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> Where's the obligatory diesel?  Oh wait, didn't
> need one, did she?
>
> -John
John it looks like the diesel is on the rear end...

Posted from Android

First-class image.
Bob

The run was San Francisco to San Jose and there was no diesel.
The only time I remember a diesel on the rear was leaving Cumberland, MD (I think it was Cumberland) and it was only to help get us moving- once we were under way they cut off on the fly.
The SP insisted on 2 GP’s (35’s?) from Santa Barbara to Long Beach to clear the Chatsworth grade. Both failed before we got there. The 4449 cleared the grade with the 26 car AFT + 2 dead GP’s, thank you very much...
SR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/20 18:18 by BoilingMan.

usmc1401 Wrote:
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> Bob please check the date. Think that freedom
> train finished up in Florida in 1976. Unless it's
> a move back to Oregon.
The move back to Oregon would show an Amtrak engine, a black UP extra water tender, no flatcars...

Espee2019 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> usmc1401 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Bob please check the date. Think that freedom
> > train finished up in Florida in 1976. Unless
> it's
> > a move back to Oregon.
> The move back to Oregon would show an Amtrak
> engine, a black UP extra water tender, no
> flatcars...

The date was December 9, 1975.  I left my office and went down to S. San Francisco and shot it at it passed the station.  That was the first Daylight engine I'd seen since the last ones passed my house in Glendale, CA in 1956.  Who knew I'd end up chasing it for the next 40+ years.  On December 13, 1975 I shot a bunch of views of the engine at Aquatic Park, which included the Golden Gate bridge,  cable cars on the Powell St turntable, and the maritime museum in the views.  The next morning, December 14 the train ran from the station at 4th & Townsend St to San Jose.  After all these years, I still miss the Bay Area.

Dec 1975 is correct for the move south. Shot many a feet of movie film over Tehachapi in Dec 1975 before being employed by them in San Juan Capistrano in Jan. 1976 the night it headed east to parts mostly unknown, the advanced people would only get a few cities lined up at a time.

usmc1401 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bob please check the date. Think that freedom
> train finished up in Florida in 1976. Unless it's
> a move back to Oregon.