Railroaders' Nostalgia > Mad Dog Chronicle #164 Hirailing on the NWP 1980

MAD DOG CHRONICLES # 164 NWP TRIPS

Looking through my 1980 calendar, I find that I spent a lot of time up on the NWP in the first quarter of 1980. In January, February and March I was on the NWP at least once every two weeks. Later during my tenure as Western Division Superintendent, it was unusual if I was up on the NWP more than once a quarter. Why so much attention to the NWP in early 1980?

First. this was mostly unfamiliar territory to me. As the Assistant Division Superintendent in 1978/79, this was not part of my usual territory. I only got involved on the NWP when the Division Superintendent was on vacation. So, unlike the main part of the Western Division, I had spent very little time on the NWP. Second and perhaps, more compelling, Hi Fowler, the District Superintendent was close to retiring and I felt that it was important to get the benefit of his long experience on the NWP. Third, the Vice President of Traffic, R L King was planning to call on all of the important shippers located in the Humboldt Bay area. His message was plain and clear. SP has restored the North end of the NWP, yet again. After both the 1955 floods and the 1964 floods, traffic levels had not returned to previous levels. If this was to happen, yet again, after the 1978/79 shutdown due to the fire at tunnel 27, SP was no longer going to fund restoration of service. In plain language; use it or lose it.

Hirail trips on the NWP usually took at least two days, whether you just started at Schellville, or came all the way from Oakland. The trip on Feb 4 and 5, 1980 is fairly typical. We started out of Oakland with George Meyers and Max Howard. Hirailed the Western Division, Cal P from Sixteenth St. to Suisun. Then hirailed from Suisun through Lombard to Schellville. Next we covered the Sonoma Branch and the P&SR by hirail. Next we returned to Schellville by highway, stopping at the depot at Petaluma to pick up Hi Fowler. Back on the rails we hirailed from Schellville to Ukiah where we tied up for the night. On Tuesday, Feb. 5 we hirailed from Ukiah to Eureka and then on to Arcata and then Samoa. The next day we called on shippers and hirailed the Carlotta branch, then returned to Oakland by highway.

At 8 p.m. on Wed., February 20 the NWP main line was washed out at San Antonio Creek at MP 33.5. We also had minor washouts between Suisun and Cordelia. On 2/21 I met Max Howard at Martinez at 8 am and we inspected the damage to the line to Lombard. I then drove to Petaluma to inspect the damage to the NWP at San Antonio Creek. I then spent Friday and Saturday with Hi Fowler and my Division Engineer, Jack Hall, overseeing the repairs to the NWP. Saturday afternoon we hirailed from Petaluma to the end of track at Greenbrae. My calendar says that the NWP was back in service at noon on Sunday, 2/24

I was back hirailing the NWP on the 5th and 6th of March. Hirailed the San Rafael branch on 3/18 and the whole NWP from Schellville to Eureka with Hi Fowler again on March 20 and 21. We again spent Thursday night in Ukiah and drove home by highway 101 from Eureka Friday night.

2/18/06
mdo

What kind of speed do you make on a hi-railer?

In 1980 hirail vehicles operated on the track under the motor car rules. The only protection against oppposing or following trains were track car line-ups visual sight lines and sometimes the road radio for communication with trains or other motor cars. Basically, the motor car rules required that you not operate at a speed which would preclude stopping short of any train, track car, on-track machinery or other obstruction. This of course then means that you could operate at different speeds on the same section of track depending on sight conditions and weather. That is, you operate at a slower speed if it is foggy or the rail is wet (you stop more slowly on wet rail)

The maximum allowed speed is the posted track speed for the territory, but this must be modified by track, sight and weather conditions. Since the maximum speed on the NWP was generally 40 mph, this was the practical maximum speed.

mdo

It must have been quite a ride, especially over Ridge Hill and in the Eel River Canyon.


AM

San Antonio Creek was one of the easier places to restore.
JLY

The late Wally Papke took an overnight NWP hirail trip around 1977. Upon his return he mentioned that one of the other officers (I can't recall who) brought along a revolver and plenty of ammunition. All took turns target shooting from the moving hirailer during the trip somewhere above Willits. There were no casualties.