Nostalgia & History > NWP

Hello,

I lived in Novato,California from 1960 through 1982 and during that time I closely monitored the activities of the Northwestern Pacific/Southern Pacific. I have three questions about the operation of the Roseville to Willits/Eureka freight trains,

1). Where did the crews change after Schellville? Was Willits the only crew change location or did they also change in Geyersville(sp)?


2). In the 1970s I noticed that the northbound freight came through Novato at around 7 PM and the southbound came through at around 1 AM. Where did these trains meet? Also, at Schellville were the SP crews always there to meet the outbound trains or did they have to sit until a crew showed up?


3). Did these trains stop in Petaluma, Santa Rosa...etc to do pick ups and drop off loads and empties? When the northbound trains came through Novato I noticed that there always 10-15 various types of loads up front so I assumed that there was some on-line switching that happened somewhere along the line.

Thanks in advance for answering my questions.

Regards,

DFWJIM

1) Willits was the only crew change point

2a) Geyersville had a beanry and a siding long enough ( over 6000 feet) so this was the meet of choice. BTW, circa 1980, the RVERY would leave Schellville between 4-6p and the ERRVY would leave Willits between 4-6p

2b) Trains would sit at Schellville untill the SP arrived. They would try to time the trains arrival at Schellville, but crew availability ( out of Oakland) would mean whether they sit or meet on connection. The late 1980s sprint trains would end this meet at Schellville as crews would work Petaluma to Suisun and setout the train for a Cal-P train to pickup.

3) Yes, trains setout and picked up at Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Healdsburg and Ukiah. Switchers were based in Ukiah, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa and Petaluma and they did the local work, assembling cars for pickup by the through freight.

Awwwwww.....To have the locals back....The helpers up over Ridge....Solid lash ups of SD-9's....Pair of SW-8's working the Santa Rosa local. Such great memories!!!!!!

Just going to have to look at the pictures and 8mm, George..

Thank goodness I have those still...........