Railroaders' Nostalgia > Snuffy, The Kaiser Yard and The Snuffy Lead

So, I am trying to find out the name origin of the "Snuffy Lead" off the Union Pacific (ex-Southern Pacific) mainline in Fontana, California.  This lead comes off the present day Alhambra Sub at the west end of the Kaiser Yard and heads south a short distance.  It appears it was constructed at least by 1977 but no earlier than 1967.  It originally served a handful of businesses but no longer. Today the southern third is gone (the adjacent property owners have assumed control of the right-of-way in one section) although the track is still in place at two grade crossings, one with its cantilever and lights still in place but in horrible condition (the instrument house is long gone).  The last customer was at the far northern end just south of the mainline and it stopped receviing plastic pellet hoppers about 6-8 years I believe.

Anyway, in researching the name, I see an edition of the Mad Dog Cronicles (see link below) refers to a conductor nicknamed Snuffy.  Anyone have an idea if the spur is named after him, or is he named after the spur.  In either case, how did the name Snuffy come about?

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?18,787446,787446#msg-787446

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The tracks in question were named after legendary conductor Jim (Snuffy) Smith.  He worked around Colton and Kaiser for years and years and I broke for him many times off the extra board.  Not sure how he got the handle "Snuffy," but he was so widely known by this name, I wonder if he'd even answer to "Jim" or "Jimmy."
One of his regular stunts was to make the air test on his outbound train at Ksaiser, and once he got back to the rear end, he'd highball the air, and to save time, he'd ride the rear drawbar all the way back to West Colton.
Hope this helps.

Brian Black
Castlev Rock, CO

I had only one occasion to work with "Snuffy" Smith during my SP career; on December 21, 1962 when firing
for W.J. 'Bill' Douglas on an eastward train to Indio from SP's Taylor Yard in Los Angeles. Our head brakeman,
Mr. Smith, was known as "Snuffy" at that time and I don't recall hearing anyone call him anything other than
"Snuffy" during my time working around Colton, later West Colton and or Kaiser Siding.

A bit about that memorable trip. I was a 18 year old fireman with less than three months seniority and this trip 
was my first experience with either Bill or "Snuffy". We had four 'covered-wagons', 605-705-8055-302. The trip
was going smoothly.....until we entered one of those mid-winter fog banks, so typical of Southern California,
somewhere east of Pomona. Bill kept the speed steady as long as we continued to get a diet of "High Greens".
That changed at Guasti and we now were getting a continuous stream of "Yellow's". We're following somebody.
The radio is silent. Bill brought the speed down and all eyes were riveted ahead. As we passed Kaiser Siding
we could hardly make out the few buildings to the left. Now, Bill dropped the speed to a crawl and "Snuffy" opened
the cab door on the fireman's side, dropping down the ladder to the bottom rung where he could see details of the
hand-throw switches leading from the main track to the yard; yelling distances to the west switch of the controlled
siding at South Fontana to Bill. This 18 year old 'newbie', absolutely useless other than providing another set of eyes,
was now standing with nose almost rubbing the inside of the front window. I look at Bill, the picture of confidence
as he slowly puffed on his cigar. Next came the west switch of South Fontana and its Absolute signal----"High Green!"
three voices yell in unison; the traffic ahead had moved further ahead and we resumed the chase.

I reread Mike's posting and agree, "Snuffy" Smith was a legend around Colton and I'm not surprised SP chose to name
a track or lead in his honor.  

Charlie 

 

   

 


 

 

Great story, Charlie.   Thanks!

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

    There was a "Snuffy" who worked as a trainman in the Bay Area, Ozol specifically, in the early 1990's. I recall being told he got the nickname because he used snuff type tobacco. He had a side hobby selling & trading antique RR padlocks & such. Same guy?

 Desmond Praetzel, "4451 Puff" 

A Snuffy Horn worked out of San Luis Obispo at one point as an engineer.  No idea what became of him or his history.

 

Josiah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A Snuffy Horn worked out of San Luis Obispo at one
> point as an engineer.  No idea what became of him
> or his history.
>
>  Different person

Josiah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A Snuffy Horn worked out of San Luis Obispo at one
> point as an engineer.  No idea what became of him
> or his history.
>
>  

I worked on occasion with JF Horn. Never knew his real name and was always called by Snuffy. He was from Arkansas and still had the twang. He invented the saying at least on the Coast after the rear end passed the hot box detector his response " highball the little white light y'all.".
He chewed tobacco and always spit the juices into the heater out vent. Later down the road if heat was needed the stench was unbearable.
Once he retired in probably the early 80$..he was always good natured and pleasant to work with.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/25 07:24 by SanJoaquinEngr.

When I was an extraboard engineer at West Colton, I hated catching the Kaiser Job, second only to the Chino Local. I always let Snuffy run the loco when ever he wanted. That made him happy.

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Josiah Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A Snuffy Horn worked out of San Luis Obispo at
> one
> > point as an engineer.  No idea what became of
> him
> > or his history.
> >
> >  
>
> I worked on occasion with JF Horn. Never knew his
> real name and was always called by Snuffy. He was
> from Arkansas and still had the twang. He invented
> the saying at least on the Coast after the rear
> end passed the hot box detector his response "
> highball the little white light y'all.".
> He chewed tobacco and always spit the juices into
> the heater out vent. Later down the road if heat
> was needed the stench was unbearable.
> Once he retired in probably the early 80$..he was
> always good natured and pleasant to work with.
>
> Posted from Android

Never worked with him, but I remember when he came into Los Angeles and someone would call him on the radio, he'd answer, "Y'all got da Snuff, c'mon."  When Don Terry was working AGYM, who was also from the south, the radio conversations could get pretty comical.
Don later took a buyout from the SP, and took a job on some little southern shortline, and last I heard, he was as happy as a duck on a pond.

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO.

tehachcond Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Josiah Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > A Snuffy Horn worked out of San Luis Obispo
> at
> > one
> > > point as an engineer.  No idea what became
> of
> > him
> > > or his history.
> > >
> > >  
> >
> > I worked on occasion with JF Horn. Never knew
> his
> > real name and was always called by Snuffy. He
> was
> > from Arkansas and still had the twang. He
> invented
> > the saying at least on the Coast after the rear
> > end passed the hot box detector his response "
> > highball the little white light y'all.".
> > He chewed tobacco and always spit the juices
> into
> > the heater out vent. Later down the road if
> heat
> > was needed the stench was unbearable.
> > Once he retired in probably the early 80$..he
> was
> > always good natured and pleasant to work with.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> Never worked with him, but I remember when he came
> into Los Angeles and someone would call him on the
> radio, he'd answer, "Y'all got da Snuff, c'mon." 
> When Don Terry was working AGYM, who was also from
> the south, the radio conversations could get
> pretty comical.
> Don later took a buyout from the SP, and took a
> job on some little southern shortline, and last I
> heard, he was as happy as a duck on a pond.
>
> Brian Black
> Castle Rock, CO.

Opal the clerk at Taylor showed me a photo of Don after he moved to Tennessee on his rider lawn mover cutting his huge lawn.

As a former assistant Trainmaster, Trainmaster and later Assistant Terminal Superintendent (with all of the old spins books somewhere)
at Colton and West Colton; I can assure you that that lead was named for "Snuffy" Smith , the conductor described above.

mdo

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tehachcond Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Josiah Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > A Snuffy Horn worked out of San Luis Obispo
> > at
> > > one
> > > > point as an engineer.  No idea what became
> > of
> > > him
> > > > or his history.
> > > >
> > > >  
> > >
> > > I worked on occasion with JF Horn. Never knew
> > his
> > > real name and was always called by Snuffy. He
> > was
> > > from Arkansas and still had the twang. He
> > invented
> > > the saying at least on the Coast after the
> rear
> > > end passed the hot box detector his response
> "
> > > highball the little white light y'all.".
> > > He chewed tobacco and always spit the juices
> > into
> > > the heater out vent. Later down the road if
> > heat
> > > was needed the stench was unbearable.
> > > Once he retired in probably the early 80$..he
> > was
> > > always good natured and pleasant to work
> with.
> > >
> > > Posted from Android
> >
> > Never worked with him, but I remember when he
> came
> > into Los Angeles and someone would call him on
> the
> > radio, he'd answer, "Y'all got da Snuff,
> c'mon." 
> > When Don Terry was working AGYM, who was also
> from
> > the south, the radio conversations could get
> > pretty comical.
> > Don later took a buyout from the SP, and took a
> > job on some little southern shortline, and last
> I
> > heard, he was as happy as a duck on a pond.
> >
> > Brian Black
> > Castle Rock, CO.
>
> Opal the clerk at Taylor showed me a photo of Don
> after he moved to Tennessee on his rider lawn
> mover cutting his huge lawn.

I wonder if Don T. is still living.  Always had a big smile, and I never saw him get mad or rattled.

Brian B.