Nostalgia & History > Southern Pacific's Permanente' Local

Photos 1 & 2: Here's an excerpt from my short essay on Southern Pacific's Permenante' Local that included the attached photos. The date is August 21, 1975 and the diesels are SD7s 1442 & 1420. Note in the background SW1500 2689 working the Cahill St. coach yard. You might say I grew up with this train which operated between Bayshore Yard, San Jose's Newhall Street Yard and the Kaiser Permanente cement plant in the foothills of Cupertino.

"Standing on the San Carlos Street overpass on this warm summer evening, the photographer's nose is overpowered by the strong aroma of cooking tomatoes forced skyward by the exhaust fans of the Del Monte cannery to the left. Coupled with diesel fumes and the stifling August heat, the scene made a lasting impression as I made a exposed a few photos before escaping down a flight of stairs to the street below and the a/c of my 1972 Dodge van's "factory air."

Photo  3 shows SD7s 1420 & 1419 rolling through Saratoga Calif in 1975. 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/26 23:08 by rattenne.

---

---

---

I followed the tracks up to the cement plant once, but it was on a day the train wasn’t running. And it was UP by then. Your photos are awesome!

Posted from iPhone

Fantastic pics.

When I was a  kid I would wait for the train's arrival at Simla Jct where the Permanente line came down this hil from the plant and joined the Vasona Branch on the siding. On a few occasions I was invited to ride in the caboose up the up the hill to the Permanente plant. I guess that's what really fired my interest in trains. A lot has changed since then! Nice shots Ken!

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/26 20:09 by mojaveflyer.

Many thanks for the photos, Ken!

I also grew up with The Perm, first from tackside in Campbell and later as a trainman. A bonus (for me) is the appearance of #2689, the regular depot goat in the middle/late 1970's. I learned the ropes as a new hire switchman on that loco/job. 

Here's a photo that I took at Permanente last month, just prior to be given the bum's rush by the security guard. Sigh... it was all great while it lasted, eh?

EO
Wx4.org

---

Ken,

Thanks so much for these.  I lived on Prospect Rd as a kid, and loved going to that or the Via Roncole crossing almost every day (except Saturday) to watch the train head up to the plant, and then an hour later, back down from the plant.  If you have more, please share!  I miss watching those trains go by.  Great memories.

Bryce

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/26 08:07 by busdriver.

EO Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Many thanks for the photos, Ken!
>
> I also grew up with The Perm, first from tackside
> in Campbell and later as a trainman. A bonus (for
> me) is the appearance of #2689, the regular depot
> goat in the middle/late 1970's. I learned the
> ropes as a new hire switchman on that loco/job. 
>
> Here's a photo that I took at Permanente last
> month, just prior to be given the bum's rush by
> the security guard. Sigh... it was all great while
> it lasted, eh?
>
> EO
> Wx4.org

Sad so much of the stuff we remember is now gone.  And there's so much stuff I missed, so I really enjoy these threads.

Nathan

EO
Speaking of SW1500 2689,the unit was the Cahill St. depot switcher almost from the day she was delivered. Here's 2689 switching in San Jose's cannery district along Stockton Ave in June of 1973. I remember one day I was shooting F/M H12-44s and then all of a sudden I was shooting SW1500s. The 2689 was built in 1973 and in this photo is brand spanking new!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/26 22:02 by rattenne.

---

rattenne Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> EO
> Speaking of SW1500 2689,the unit was the Cahill
> St. depot switcher almost from the day she was
> delivered. Here's 2689 switching in San Jose's
> cannery district along Stockton Ave in June of
> 1973. I remember one day I was shooting F/M
> H12-44s and then all of a sudden I was shooting
> SW1500s. The 2689 was built in 1973 and in this
> photo is brand spanking new!

Yeah, I also remember the sudden appearance of 2689 after always witnessing Alcos and FM's on the job, although a year passed before I overcame my predjudices against this usurper to actually photograph her. I've always figured that the importance of the depot "evening pulls" as the Fleet came in and the "morning shoves" repletishing the departure tracks precipitated 2689's appearance, as the FM's were showing their age by then. She remained with the "Blue Angels" (the midnight depot crew) until shortly after 1980, I believe, when she went north first to San Francisco and then to Oakland. In 1985 I noticed her sitting in a deadline at The Desert, but I have a 1987 photo of her working on the main near Adeline street. SP retired her in 1993 or 1994, if memory serves. The Blue Angels' crazy high speed switching antics must have been hard on the old girl, since many SP SW1500's lasted much, much longer. As far as I know, 2630 - another 70's San Jose staple - is still kicking around as a CEFX lease unit. 

Here's my first photo of 2689 at a familiar parking place, mid 1974. Note what looks to be the Perm power behind 2350.

EO

 

---