Nostalgia & History > Westbound Wednesday, SP Beets, Redlands, September, 1985

This was some event where everyone was suppose to be holding hands during Memorial Day weekend in 1985.
Westbound SP beets moving through at Redlands at the west end of ST Canyon. I don't think the old converted
gon beet cars lasted much longer.

Regards, Jim Evans
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/21 11:53 by FiveChime.

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

I was surprise to see a dirty SSW 7256 leading. They were usually on the Sunset/Golden State trains during this time and the SSW like them clean. Guess this one was hijacked for other duties as assigned.  I doubt the citizens had any idea of the significance of the beet gons.

Seems like this was "Hands Across America" but I can't remember what it was for, or if it even worked. But I sure do miss the old SP, thanks for sharing with us.

Tom

Something about getting rid of homelessness... Boy!.. How's that workin' out for ya?

Hnads across America was Memorial Day weekend 1985

Great sound with the dynamics! Bet the smell of Sugar Beets and brake shoe smoke with the old journal boxes was very pleasant:}

Thanks Wes

Regards, Jim

SP8595 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great sound with the dynamics! Bet the smell of
> Sugar Beets and brake shoe smoke with the old
> journal boxes was very pleasant:}

Not too much smoke from the brakes and journals

patd3985 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Something about getting rid of homelessness...
> Boy!.. How's that workin' out for ya?

It raised $15M to help fight hunger, homelessness, and poverty in what purports to be the richest (and most Christian) nation in the world.  The president at the time, Ronald Reagan, participated.

Thanks for posting Jim, the wooden beet racks lasted at least through the 1991 season in the Klamath Basin.  Beets themselves didn't seem to last much longer than that.

Elizabeth

Racks lasted to the end of 1993

I thought they nhad gone to extended metal hoppers by 1990.

Regards, Jim Evans 

Conch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was surprise to see a dirty SSW 7256 leading.
> They were usually on the Sunset/Golden State
> trains during this time and the SSW like them
> clean. Guess this one was hijacked for other
> duties as assigned.  I doubt the citizens had any
> idea of the significance of the beet gons.

The 7256 looks very clean in the video.   And this is the Sunset Route.    Did you mean to imply "not on an intermodal train?"
What is interesting is the cut of freight cars ahead of the beet gons.  That did not happen too often.
Thanks for sharing the video!

Sometimes there would be hoppers of gypsum from Plaster City on the head end

Great video. I miss running the temperamental beet trains on the Coast to Guadalupe.

Posted from Android