Nostalgia & History > Views from SP Roseville Yard Tower (1955)

A buddy asked me to share these pix snapped during a visit to the SP Roseville Yard tower in 1955.
 
First view looks east. The massive ice plant is unmistakenable. My late father worked one summer loading ice into the ice bunkers of PFE refrigerator cars in 1951. He really loathed the job and didn't have fond memories of that job (he preferred driving tractors in wheat fields out by Elverta :).

Second view shows the Repair in Place track and caboose tracks. There's a cab forward which likely cut off from a westbound freight and a couple of switchers (steam and diesel). I believe most of the buttons in front of the tower are for talking to various phones spread throughout the yard.

Third view looks east towards Antelope yard, the Roseville "subway" and the PFE shops (later RAMAC).

Sometimes, railroad yards don't appear to be bustling with activity. This was one of those moments.

Thanks for looking.
Lee
 

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Very nice shots. In the first photo, it looks like Studebaker cars and trucks were popular.
 

Fantastic photos - almost look like they were taken much more recently!

Third pic looks SW, you mean.

Guess the tower must have been built circa 1952?

Great posting.
Thanks
Regards, Jim Evans

Think the main line was just the other side
of those cars past the cab-forward in pic 2?
Or was it past those metal buildings?

The hump was alongside the tower?

Very cool shot!

Larry

gonx wrote:

> Third view looks east towards Antelope yard, the Roseville "subway" and the PFE shops (later RAMAC).

If all the photos were taken from the same yard tower, and if the first two photos were taken looking east, then how could the third photo also be looking east?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/25 13:16 by johnsweetser.