Nostalgia & History > SP 6453 with Train #99, The Coast Daylight

Damn, has it already been over 33 years since I shot this at San Jose in March of 1971?

During the last few months of SP's operation of the Coast Daylight, matched power was not exactly the rule of the day.

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Yeah, it is hard to believe that so much time has gone by since Amtrak was created Where did the time go?

I noticed that there were 3 locomotives on that train: an F7 (F9?), an SDP-45 [ : ) ], and a GP-9!! What a lash-up!

Was that unusual back then? (That many different models of locomotive on one train.)

The 6453 (as well as 6446 to 6461) were FP7's

and ESPEE still kept them clean.

By the '70s power for the Daylight was usually a single SDP45. After the Sunset went tri-weekly, its consist was run up to coast to SF for cleaning. I forget what days this happened, but then several units were used on the Daylight. Power could be any combination of SDP45, FP7, F7B or passenger GP9, though I never saw a GP9 on the point. Here's #99 in Palo Alto in Feb. 1971 with 3203, 8294 and 3002




MargaretSPfan Wrote:
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> Was that unusual back then? (That many different
> models of locomotive on one train.)

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PullmanPorter Wrote:
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>Here's #99 in Palo Alto in Feb. 1971 with
> 3203, 8294 and 3002

Actually, make that #98. Couldn't shoot Daylight #99 in Palo Alto in February in daylight!

It was whatever days the then tri-weekly Sunset left LA. I know one was Sunday nite and that days #98 could always be counted on for a heavy consist. Somewhere (my usual disclaimer) I do have some shots of 98 and 76 (The Lark) running with GP9's on the point.

98/2 left SF on Sun-Tues and Fri and 1/99 left LA on Sun-Wed and Fri. Yes, GP-9s were sometimes the ONLY power on 98/99 and 75/76.

long live Drew!

54 years ago now and almost 20 since this was originally posted!

Victor Baird