Nostalgia & History > Ridin' The Friendly for Friday

Oh, alright....I know its a stretch. But I learned a bit while researching this view of a rare model, for SP,
shown climbing the grade west of El Monte, CA---next stop Los Angeles' Taylor Yard in February, 1972. 

SP 7027 was one of four Ex GE U28B demonstrators SP bought in 1966---not repeated. The sharp-eyed reader
will see some unique features: the pilot, a one-piece sans-footboard affair, pump style handbrake replacing
GE's wheel and 'watch-chain' style found on U25B's (but reprieved in later GE models), two-piece windshield
replacing U25B's single pane. There were probably others I've missed.

In the Subject Line of this thread I invoked the word 'Friendly'---an adjective SP used in their advertising 
efforts of prior years, especially in passenger train promotion---but probably freight service too. So the savvy
reader is wondering; just what does the word 'friendly' have to do with this photo. Look closely, dear reader.

The first car in the train, a so-called mill gondola probably picked up at Kaiser Siding--west of Colton, is hosting
visitors to the area who are surveying the marvels of the San Gabriel Valley while their welfare is being watched
over by a trainman riding the second unit. Now friends, if that isn't Friendly, I don't know what is! :o) 

Charlie   



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/24 12:09 by cewherry.

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Charlie,
Those were the good old days....not anymore!  Thanks for sharing.

Kent in CArmel Valley

Very nice catch.
JB

Interesting photo and back-story, Charlie.  And SP crews were usually very friendly toward "railfans," too.  'Lots of cab visits for kids (...and adults) interested in trains, too.  (A ride in a U50 was memorable, LOL.)

Until I just looked it up, I never realized that there were only four of the U28Bs on the Espee.  I used to see them fairly often when I lived in Ontario.  The U25B's were pretty common on the Sunset Route.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

Nice friendly catch Charlie in those still Good SP days!

Larry

Excellent catch.
Bob

Note the two pole lines.
I believe the line on the far side is all communications, it doesn't have long to live as the SP is investing in Microwave.
The one on the camera side of the track is the signal line, it carries probably two pair of code lines (one a spare) and the rest of the lines are how the ABS signals "talk" to each other to know what aspects to display, and maybe time grade crossings.  All of these uses are mostly gone to pulse code track circuits and either microwave, lease lines, or fiber optic.
Thanks for sharing.

So are they hobos who are just being allowed to ride without being hassled?  Or railfans riding with the crew's permission?

Neat photo.

Andy

One other unique thing about the U28Bs.  They had four additional windows on the cab sides, One in front and one behind the sliding windows on each side.
G

AndyBrown Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So are they hobos who are just being allowed to
> ride without being hassled? 

That’s what it appears to be.

Or railfans riding
> with the crew's permission?

If they were railfans I’d think they’d probably prefer riding in the cab; I know I would.
>
> Neat photo.

Thanks!

Posted from iPhone

That's a damn nice shot

Posted from Android