Nostalgia & History > WP Wednesday Altamont Pass 1961

A westbound lead by 2007 & 2008 crossing over what I believe was called US 50 its now I-580. The bridge still exists for eastbound traffic and the Western Pacific sign is barely readable. When they first started putting those wind turbines up on what now cover the hills I had a girlfriend at the time who wondered what they were for, I simply told her they turn them on in the Summer to cool the valley, "Gee that's a great idea",
needless to say she wasn't the girl of my dreams. By the way that is 919A as the trailing unit.

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography

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I love that comment.  I'll remember that and will have a chance to use it.  Good one!

Nice.  You got the two lettering variations on the F-Units as well, the original small "Western Pacific" on the A-unit, and the newer large "Western Pacific" on the B-unit.

Great catch Bob. I think the WP GP20s were the unsung heros of the railroad. For only 10 units they were used all over the system and even in UP paint. Up until the end you could find them leading on some trains, locals, work trains, the Oroville yard switcher, and my favorite, mixed in the middle of GP35s and 40s between Oakland and Salt Lake City.

The cut in the 1st photo between right of ways was that an old RR alignment?

photobob Wrote:
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But maybe she was a looker?

Victor B.

> needless to say she wasn't the girl of my dreams.

Nice pair, thanks for the share photobob.  Good memories there.

Kent in CArmel Valley

Was she blonde?

I’m betting you parked down below and had a steep hike to get to where you took this great photo. One weekday morning in 2000, I had to get up to what then had become the UP mainline. Parked just out of sight on the right and climbed up that 45 degree slope to get to this track. Very difficult to climb with a little slip-sliding. Would have used the other (north) side but I was traveling east and 4 lanes of commuter traffic meant a long delay of going to rural Tracy before turning back west and returning to this point. 

If you thought of walking in from the nearest crossing, it was miles in either direction. Yours is the first photo I have seen from this vantage point.

That cut in the distance is for this same WP / UP line. The track below is the old SP Altamont Pass mainline, now gone.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/22 15:12 by Westbound.

These are great, and I love the line you gave the girlfriend. So clean and not a car in sight on 50/580.

Sean

Yes, US 50, and before that it was a section of the original Lincoln Highway (NYC-SF in 1913). Just like the first rail access into the Bay Area, the LH came over Altamont. The improved route through the Carquinez Strait came latter.
SR