Nostalgia & History > SP/WP RDCs NOT on Oakland Pier (more CGH slides)

So, there are two fantastic posts on the SP and WP RDC cars, one yesterday on this board and another one the day before on the Passenger board.  

I thought I'd share another trio of C.G. Heimerdinger shots of the RDCs not in that location. 

First up is a general view of the Sacramento depot, while SD-7 #5333 is in the foreground and takes up much of the scene, the RDC car #10 can be seen tucked back in the platforms.  

One or both of the other posts reference the nocturnal operations of the WP RDC cars on the west end of that railroad, what this of course translates into is daylight operations out on the east end.  Sometime prior to the end of service Chas caught the WP #375 at two places near the Nevada/Utah line.  First up we see the car stopped in front of the Wendover, Utah, depot, with an Alco switcher and a pair of geeps tied down in the background.  Second up is the car a few miles over the state line in Nevada on the upper level of Silver Zone Pass approaching the top of the grade, note the lower level of the loop visible to the right of the car and Pilot Peak off to the left.  I've stood on or near this same spot several times taking some of my own photographs...

Thanks for joining me on this fascinating look back at a different world!

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

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Great scenes.
Bob

JDLX Wrote:

> Sometime prior to the end of service Chas caught the WP #375 at two places near the
> Nevada/Utah line.  First up we see the car stopped in front of the Wendover, Utah, depot,
> with an Alco switcher and a pair of geeps tied down in the background.  Second up is the car a
> few miles over the state line in Nevada on the upper level of Silver Zone Pass approaching the
> top of the grade, note the lower level of the loop visible to the right of the car and Pilot Peak off
> to the left. 

The date was July 3, 1960, and the occasion was a Cal-Nevada excursion to the Nevada Northern.  Technically, 375 was on its regular run as westbound No.1, but the Arnold's Loop shot was a photo runby for the excursionists.  Ed Graham was on this trip too, and his slides at the Western Railway Museum Archives include both scenes, with the same power in the background at Wendover.  The flyer is below.

About the SP RDC at Sacramento, reportedly it sometimes towed a mail car between Sacramento and Davis, CA westbound.  I've seen photos of SP 10 at Sacramento with a mail car behind it but not coupled:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3411843

Still haven't come across a shot of the car actually out on the line with the mail car attached.

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Thanks, Evan, I appreciate the note and update!  That flyer answered the question as to why an excursion involving the NN was east of Shafter. 

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

Great photos...Curious is Charlie still alive ? I worked with him 40 plus years ago.

Posted from Android

Jeff:
Keep posting these great old Heimerdinger photos!
There must be more for F Unit Friday!
Thanks, Jim Evans

Very interesting series and nice photos

Larry

Great shots!  I especially like the RDC on the Silver Zone Pass loop.  Thanks for sharing.

Stan Praisewater

Unfortunately Charlie passed a couple years ago, I think in late 2020.  I miss him, as I'm sure everyone who knew him does. 

Thanks for the comments, I appreciate them a lot. 

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

Fantastic shots, Jeff.  And thanks for the background on the WP RDC trip, Evan!  Love seeing shots of WP RDCs.

Portola tried to save one early on but to no avail.  Member Jack Grasso was on a crusade to replicate one before he passed.  Maybe one day we'll have an RDC-2 in Portola.

Z

Thanks for sharing Charles photos. The front(?) end of the 375 had taken a beating.

Forgot about the RDC on the WP, nice stuff.