Nostalgia & History > Four of SP Power

1.  SP RSD12 2959 built as SP 7009 in February 1961, in May 1976, at East Bank Jct., CA, unknown photographer.

2. SP U33C 8615 built in January 1969 at, the slide says, Bryn Mawr, in March 1977, unknown photographer.

3. SP SD45R 7428 built as SP SD45 8866 in March 1967 in March 1991, unknown photographer.

4. SP SD45T-2 9337 built in February 1974 in January 1995, unknown photographer.


Enjoy,
Marty Bernard



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/21 17:08 by MartyBernard.

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MartyBernard Wrote:
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> 1.  SP RSD12 2959 built as SP 7009 in February
> 1961, in May 1976, at East Bank Jct., CA, unknown
> photographer.
>

> Enjoy,
> Marty Bernard

Thanks for sharing this nice image.

I didn't know SP's RSD12s lasted into the mid-1970s.  During that period, I rode the Coast Starlight a few times out of and into Los Angeles.  Each time, as the train passed by Taylor Yard, I looked in vain for Alcos.  The only SP Alcos I saw were a C630 in Eugene, RS11s in Houston and S6s (probably Oakland).


 

Uh Marty, your #2 photo is an SP GE unit #8615. And, if it is in Bryn Mawr, it might be the one in California east of San Bernardino on Beaumont Hill.

TJY

I think #3 is at Cameron, west of Mojave. Nice shots!

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Number three is lite helper power heading west between Ilmon and Bena, probably for the helper spur.
JB

#3 is westbound light helpers (they are going away from the camera) about a mile-and-a-half from Bena, where they might wait for another eastbound to help up the hill.  They might also go all the way to Bakersfield.  Prime rattlesnake territory in the spring and summer!

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MartyBernard Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 1.  SP RSD12 2959 built as SP 7009 in February
> > 1961, in May 1976, at East Bank Jct., CA,
> unknown
> > photographer.
> >
>
> > Enjoy,
> > Marty Bernard
>
> Thanks for sharing this nice image.
>
> I didn't know SP's RSD12s lasted into the
> mid-1970s.  During that period, I rode the Coast
> Starlight a few times out of and into Los
> Angeles.  Each time, as the train passed by
> Taylor Yard, I looked in vain for Alcos.  The
> only SP Alcos I saw were a C630 in Eugene, RS11s
> in Houston and S6s (probably Oakland).
>
>
>  

The RSD12s were the ones that SP tried to sell to the OC&E, when the deal fell through they got a new paint job at the Taylor Yard open air paint shop and they became "Basin Power".

lynnpowell Wrote:

> #3 is westbound light helpers (they are going away from the camera) about a mile-and-a-half from Bena ...

About a mile and a half east of Bena, to be a bit more precise (another good identification would be "between Bena and Ilmon").

It can't be Cameron as MojaveBill wrote because it's not double-track.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/21 16:28 by johnsweetser.

And a magical place on a foggy night.
—Mac
icancmp193 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Uh Marty, your #2 photo is an SP GE unit #8615.
> And, if it is in Bryn Mawr, it might be the one in
> California east of San Bernardino on Beaumont
> Hill.
>
> TJY

MojaveBill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think #3 is at Cameron, west of Mojave. Nice
> shots!

There is double track at Cameron and only see single track...

Posted from Android

I think I fixed the caption on #2 Photo.   Damned SP did a lot of renumbering.  Marty



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/21 17:21 by MartyBernard.

You would think those two Alcos in the first photo were brand new as nice as they look.   The second unit, 2954, in the photo is still with us at the Orange Empire Railway Museum (or whatever it is called now).   I don't know what became of the 2959 but it's probably not a happy story.  

The RSD-12s were the power on the Tweedy Hauler for months, several trips as mentioned on the Haulers out
of West Colton. 

Out 

Nice photos, Marty!

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX