Nostalgia & History > Conductor working as forward lookout

SP Train 223 the Senator from Sacramento to Oakland local pulls into the Martinez Station back in 1960 with the conductor on the front platform of 5321.

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography

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A most unusual photo. Appears the train is stopped and the conductor has walked up to the head end for conversation with the engineer. So PhotoBob, please search your memory since you may be the only living witness to this scene. Who or what was blocking their entrance to the station platform?

My guess would be that something in the distance has occurred resulting in a freight train ahead stopping with its caboose setting just a couple of car lengths west of this passenger train.

Conductor Ahab perhaps?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Ahab

Super catch - The conductor definitely seems to be looking at someone or something.
Bob

I can barely remember taking the photo but at that time of day there were many eastbound passenger trains and more then likely they were waiting for one to clear.

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography

Excellent shot !
"many eastbound passenger trains" - boy those were the days.
Gary

SP loved lights... Due to too many rear-enders, I believe.

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

The 5321 eventually served under the number 1533 on the SP and she was retired in SP paint wearing that number.   The last sighting I can tell put her amongst the odd assortment of locomotives stored in Chemurgic (just SW of Turlock), California.    Is the 1533 still in one piece at that location?

Milwaukee Wrote:
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> The 5321 eventually served under the number 1533
> on the SP and she was retired in SP paint wearing
> that number.   The last sighting I can tell put
> her amongst the odd assortment of locomotives
> stored in Chemurgic (just SW of Turlock),
> California.    Is the 1533 still in one piece at
> that location?

It should be. Here is a picture I took of it at Chemurgic on 5/8/17.

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gcm Wrote:

> "many eastbound passenger trains" - boy those were the days.

According to a 1960 employee timetable, eleven eastbound passenger trains stopped at Martinez.  Today, Martinez sees that many eastbound Capitol Corridor trains alone on weekdays, along with five San Joaquins, the California Zephyr, and the Coast Starlight. 

A hood unit with a steam generator pulling a string of clapped-out heavyweights in mismatched paint looks great to our enthusiast eyes six decades later, but I'd guess the average Joe back then would have preferred to ride in what the Capitol Corridor uses today.

What was the SA plate on the signal mast for on The SPRR

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Drknow Wrote:

> What was the SA plate on the signal mast for on The SPRR

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4983164