Nostalgia & History > SP Officers special-1970's style

The recent thread started by choochoocharlie about the officer special at Eugene brought to mind a special I was the Fireman on back in about 1970.

I was called to deadhead on the Sunset (Train, that is #2) from LA to Yuma to be in position for this westbound special. After laying over for over 24 hours, the special was called. It arrived from the east with Road Foreman Frankie Myers. My RFE, Don Green boarded at Yuma and a freight pool engineer who's name is lost in my memory. We had a 3200, seems like about 3-4 business cars with the SP150 Sunset, on the rear. The Chairman, D.J. Russell was aboard. Also boarding at Yuma was Jay H. Long, Los Angeles Div. Supt. as well as others. I was relieved to find that they did not want the steam generator working since I knew precious little about how to trouble shoot one if anything did go wrong.
Our agenda was to run west to Colton thence over the Palmdale Cut-Off on to Bakersfield and beyond. Since this was an extra, a freight pool engineer would be used from Yuma-Indio and another one from Indio to Palmdale. I was to man the train from Yuma to Palmdale, then deadhead to LA.

Everything was uneventful from Yuma to Indio. Don Green ran the train. At Indio we swooped past the main line change point, where it turned out that our new Engr., Don Radford, was waiting. He looked up curiously from his reading of the Sunday LA Times as we continued on to the regular passenger stop at the depot about a third of a mile beyond. Nobody had thought to mention to Radford that this crew change would be different. Don Green was frantic! "Where is that Engineer?" be bellowed over the radio. Somebody heard this and thoughtfully drove by Don Radford's position to let him know. Unfortunately, they declined to offer Don a lift to the depot, choosing to make a hasty u-turn instead and retreat back toward the yard office. Don gathered up his paper and grip and began the walk to the depot. Passing the Sunset, he offered his appology about being 'out-of-position'. "Yes, yes, just get aboard the engine and go!" was the response.

Off we went. At some point while climbing the grade up to Hiland, a voice on the radio said: "Mr. Russell would like to go 40 miles per hour". The track speed here was only 30 MPH. "Yes, sir." Don Green obediently replied and notched up the 3200. Soon the wheels and rails began their inevitable 'singing' as we were chewing up the rail by the excessive speed. This went on for about 3 or 4 miles when the back door to the cab opened and Jay Long entered. Always the gentleman, after shaking hands all around, he told the Don's; "Thats alright, you can drop it back to 30 now". I guess Mr. Russell had changed his mind. Perhaps he was now wearing his soup!

BTW, today that little speed burst would get an engineer decertified under FRA rules. Things were much simpler back then. Thanks alot Ricky Gates!

Charlie

Whenever the Car Sunset was out on the property occupied by DJR or BFB at least one an generally many more employees seemed to turn "brain dead". All crafts participated. Every trip had a different occurance designed to keep the Division Officers that had to ride with them on the defensive. Very few trips were pleasant.
"My 24 years on the back bench seat in the Sunset"

great story - thanks for sharing! someday I will recreate this scene in scale once I fork out the real dough for some accurate SP brass business cars...

JLY Wrote:
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> Very few trips were pleasant.

Especially if Mrs. Russell ran out of her personal toilet paper!

But you could never recreate the grilling that went on in the car...

In my 8 years riding the car Sunset when Mrs. Russel was along I found her to be pleasant, charming and a perfect hostess. She seemed to have a soothing effect on DJR and made the trips less tense.
If she ever had any complaint about her comfort on the car she would have taken it up with either Leo, the secertary or Willie Green, the car attendent.
JLY

JLY Wrote:
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> In my 8 years riding the car Sunset when Mrs.
> Russel was along I found her to be pleasant,
> charming and a perfect hostess. She seemed to have
> a soothing effect on DJR and made the trips less
> tense.
> If she ever had any complaint about her comfort
> on the car she would have taken it up with either
> Leo, the secertary or Willie Green, the car
> attendent.
> JLY

The West Oakland Passenger Yard had built a jig that was used to transfer her favorite brand of toilet paper onto a spool that would fit in the holders in the car. Apparently the spool it came on wouldn't fit.

I vividly recall Mike Lipovonich, the passenger yard ATM in later years, relating how it was part of his duties to personally ensure that there was an adequate supply of "Mrs. Russell's toilet paper" onboard before the car went out. Apparently there had once been a situation where the supply was exhausted while out on the road.