Nostalgia & History > The time 4449 had a problem.

On May 11, 1984 the 4449 and her train ran from San Francisco to Oakland. I was among many fans waiting for the train at California Avenue in Palo Alto. I took about 9 shots and watched the train speed past. I jumped into my van to catch up and soon found the 4449 in nearby Mountain View with a hotbox on the auxillary tender. They decided to walk the train to the closest spur in Mountain View and set-out the tender. However, the closest spur was spiked out of service so they went a few hundred feet to the next spur and set out the tender. Here's one shot of the 4449 as she approached Palo Alto. - Tony J.

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Here's a shot I took on the Alma Street onramp of the fire. - Tony J.

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A closer look at the problem. - Tony J.

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Hey Tony, I know that spot well. Looks like just south of California Ave, with the remains of the former Los Gatos branchline disappearing off to the left. That ramp was an old hangout of mine, I'd hit MacDonalds ( back when you got change from your dollar) and enjoy lunch trackside!

sphogger

sphogger Wrote:
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> Hey Tony, I know that spot well. Looks like just
> south of California Ave, with the remains of the
> former Los Gatos branchline disappearing off to
> the left. That ramp was an old hangout of mine,
> I'd hit MacDonalds ( back when you got change from
> your dollar) and enjoy lunch trackside!
>
> sphogger


Correct! At the time there were track remnants of the Los Gatos cutoff still there. I used to sit on the team track ramp and watch trains from there. - Tony J.

Great photos Tony. My father and I were waiting at Palo Alto that day. That was the first time I ever saw 4449 run down the mainline. The south leg of the wye, although buried is still visible from Cal Ave. Since I moved to PG, they could have blitzed it in the Cowtain makeover.

samreeves Wrote:
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> Great photos Tony. My father and I were waiting
> at Palo Alto that day. That was the first time I
> ever saw 4449 run down the mainline. The south
> leg of the wye, although buried is still visible
> from Cal Ave. Since I moved to PG, they could
> have blitzed it in the Cowtain makeover.


Thanks Sam. I didn't know - or have forgotten - you moved to Pacific Grove. I didn't think there was anything left of the old wye. I took some slides of it way back when. I think I'll look for them.

I made a couple moves around the old line towards Los Gatos in the late 70's. On one occasion on the Permanente (out of Bayshore) we took our SD-9's across El Camino to switch some sort of wire outfit, if I remember right it was called "Preform Line" or something like that.

The other trip was a sneak trip on the Redwood Local with a lone SW-1500. We parked the engine on the west side of El Camino where MacDonalds is for a 2am treat to the most excellent desserts at the old Stickney's ( don't remember the exact name) just up the street. It was pretty unusual for any movement on that track, Conductor Railbaron took heat for the move the next day after an angry nieghbor turned us in. Those desserts were worth getting called on the carpet for!

sphogger

Stickney's was closer to University Ave, but man talk about good food. It's a shame when they folded up in the 1990's.