drew1946
Junior Member
Member Central Coast Chapter NRHS since 1963
Posts: 82
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Post by drew1946 on Nov 24, 2008 23:46:36 GMT -5
 On its way to Oakland and then on to Cannon and Rio Vista, seen at Alviso crossing Guadalupe Slough |
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Post by SSW9389 on Nov 25, 2008 9:12:30 GMT -5
Drew you have the history of this unit backwards. The Cotton Belt's only FP7 was built in June 1950 and originally numbered 330. It was renumbered to 306 at Tyler on March 30, 1952. The Cotton Belt leased this unit to the Southern Pacific and it was renumbered SP 6462 on January 6, 1960. The unit had served Cotton Belt in passenger service until the last Cotton Belt passenger trains ran in November 1959. The unit was retired in May 1972 in a trade to EMD. Diesel data from Joe Strapac's Cotton Belt Locomotives.  The Coast Division odd ball---built as Cotton Belt #306 (in Daylight regalia) then #320, it came west when CB passenger service ended. Not equipped without either dynamic brakes or a standard plow, it spent its remaining years in the commute pool. Seen here being added at San Jose to the front of #98 in early 1971. |
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drew1946
Junior Member
Member Central Coast Chapter NRHS since 1963
Posts: 82
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Post by drew1946 on Nov 25, 2008 12:18:08 GMT -5
That's what I get for going on memory alone.
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drew1946
Junior Member
Member Central Coast Chapter NRHS since 1963
Posts: 82
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Post by drew1946 on Nov 25, 2008 20:31:57 GMT -5
 SP FP7 #6456 and GP9 #3009 lead Train #99 at College Park in San Jose. January 1970 |
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drew1946
Junior Member
Member Central Coast Chapter NRHS since 1963
Posts: 82
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Post by drew1946 on Nov 25, 2008 20:43:03 GMT -5
 SDP #3204 and FP7 #6453 with #98 heading out of San Jose and passing thru the cut behind Oak Hill. It is December 1970 and part of today's consist are cars returning to Los Angeles for that night's Sunset. These cars had gone to San Francisco for service as the LA car shops had closed in 1968. |
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drew1946
Junior Member
Member Central Coast Chapter NRHS since 1963
Posts: 82
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Post by drew1946 on Nov 26, 2008 2:48:29 GMT -5
 It was an Amtrak train, but from the power and the consist you could never tell. A Friday afternoon in March of 1973 with The Reno Fun Train ready to leave SP's 16th St. Station in Oakland. It was the second year of Amtrak operation of this train. |
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Post by espeelover on Nov 26, 2008 21:17:08 GMT -5
 #6462 With commute #110 at Santa Clara in April of 1970 Another good one Drew, and this one also has another number and paint scheme variation for my other favorite subject, PFE. One just never knows where the next tidbit of info will turn up... |
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Post by SP 9811 on Nov 26, 2008 21:24:30 GMT -5
Amazing photos!
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Post by thespcaboose on Nov 26, 2008 21:35:57 GMT -5
Great series of photos! What a great piece of history.
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Post by espeelover on Nov 27, 2008 17:22:38 GMT -5
Great series of photos! What a great piece of history. Yeah, you got that right Gary! I missed about 99.7% of SP passenger service, only seeing a few commutes in my time; so Drew's stuff is a real treat for me! I think I only ever saw SDP45's in freight service, behind 4449, or parked on weekends... |
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drew1946
Junior Member
Member Central Coast Chapter NRHS since 1963
Posts: 82
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Post by drew1946 on Nov 27, 2008 23:44:35 GMT -5
 February 15th, 1971, after an overnight run over Donner Pass, SP #6453 leads a Pacific Rail Society special past the Agnew depot in Santa Clara on it way home to Los Angeles. The depot is one of the few remaining structures of the narrow gauge South Pacific Coast. It still survives and houses a model railroad. |
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drew1946
Junior Member
Member Central Coast Chapter NRHS since 1963
Posts: 82
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Post by drew1946 on Nov 27, 2008 23:49:42 GMT -5
 SP's oldest named train, The Del Monte, crossing the so-called Earthquake Bridge,over the Pajaro River due to its proximity to the San Andreas Fault. The bridge also has sensors to detect movement. The 3005 is preserved as 5623 at Niles Canyon. |
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drew1946
Junior Member
Member Central Coast Chapter NRHS since 1963
Posts: 82
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Post by drew1946 on Nov 27, 2008 23:56:01 GMT -5
 PLA's "The Truckee Limited" of April 25, 1971, led by FP7 #6459 seen at Martinez. It would be the last excursion train operated by the SP before Amtrak took over the following weekend |
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drew1946
Junior Member
Member Central Coast Chapter NRHS since 1963
Posts: 82
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Post by drew1946 on Nov 28, 2008 0:02:35 GMT -5
 It was an Amtrak train but with SP power and an SP crew as the "San Francisco Zephyr" pulled out of Truckee. The air temp was about 5 above---note the ice hanging from the fillers for the water tanks. December 1971 |
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Post by spwolf on Dec 2, 2008 16:31:54 GMT -5
Wow,
Sorry for the late response.
Fantastic photos you've taken! Thanks for sharing!
Keep 'em coming.
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