Nostalgia & History > Colorful PHL . . .

.   .   .   Pacific Harbor Line is the name of the railroad that took over Harbor Belt Line traffic over twenty years ago, with extended coverage to include the entire ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles as well as some UP industrial spurs. Fortunately for BNSF crews, they have not lost any jobs to PHL, yet. With a railfan president the line purchased second hand power as well as leased power, in at least ten paint schemes. Included are most but not all;
top: former SP tunnel motor was being used at the Yang Ming switcher in San Pedro, CA. They had two of these and they were the most horsepower units on the PHL.
middle: one of two former HBL units as well as a geep of unknown origin that was painted by PHL forces in a Black Widow look alike scheme in the port of Long Beach.
bottom: one of five units painted in this scheme that would become the standard. Unit was assigned as Evergreen switcher on Terminal Island.
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top: both Evergreen and NYK switchers on Terminal Island. Left ex IC, right ex TCW.
middle: This is a one of a kind from MK, nicknamed "Big Foot". At the time it was the only six axle MK 1500. Working the MAERSK Pier 400 facility on Terminal Island in the port of Los Angeles.
bottom: PHL had two of these former Reserve Mining SD38-2's leased this one also working at the MAERSK pier 400 facility.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/22 16:55 by 3rdswitch.

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top: delivering a unit to PHL's former Harbor Belt Line Pier A engine facility in the port of Los Angeles.
middle: a pair of units at TICTF, Terminal Island Contrainer Transfer Facility, being used for Evergreen and NYK switchers. The 43 obviously of CNW heritage.
bottom: and finally the units that replaced all the color, a batch of quite a few new low emission units that are the main stay of todays modern PHL, also at TICTF.
JB



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/22 19:48 by 3rdswitch.

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Nice catches, capturing PHL's variety of power.
GK

Great background information and presentation.  Seems like a very classy operation.

FWIW, my favorite scheme is the ex-ATSF "zebra" scheme.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

Very well done - Super series of photos.
Bob

PHL 50 began life as D&RGW 5412, became SP 5412, then UP 8604 before becoming PHL 50.

Robert  

I forgot about some of those units there! Great post. Thanks

Man I love the looks of the MK one-off. Sad to hear it got scrapped recently

Nice set of photos.
Must be a repair parts nightmare.
t4p.

JB, In shot 7 where you were delivering power in LA, those CR Blue SW's on the left in shot. I shot a few of them in Pueblo on the DRGW/SP on their way to PHL. Think there were 3 of them when I shot them. Ben

Nice coverage of the PHL!

Here is the unit we were delivering to PHL in the facility shot. What why and where next I do not know.
JB

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3rdswitch Wrote:
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> Here is the unit we were delivering to PHL in the
> facility shot. What why and where next I do not
> know.
> JB

Now BUGX 519, stored at the Arizona Railway Museum in Chandler, AZ.