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Re: Cannon?
Author: RVJ refugee
Date: 04-01-2018 - 14:47
Concerning the trackage now owned by BAERA:
After about 1960, the only moves by SN were for equipment coming to or going from the museum at Rio Vista Jct. After the UP takeover, the museum was told that movements would only be made as far as Dozier, and that a museum crew would have to pick up the equipment there. This included the delivery of WP 917 in 1983, also SN 712, SP Harriman coaches, etc., and the three Kennecott electric motors from Utah, during about 1986-88. The museum gained a lease from UP to run revenue excursion trains from Rio Vista Jct. to Dozier in the Fall of 1987. This continued (carrying lots of people and bringing in much revenue) for several years, until the egos of the "trolley people" felt sufficiently threatened to put a stop to it. (This has been discussed a number of times on this board.)
In the meantime, the museum gained the ability to run all the way to Cannon, in order to make interchange moves, which after the UP-SP merger could be done at Cannon with former-SP locals. This included receiving the WP and UP cabooses, SP beet gondola, and Shell Tank car, as well as the equipment (WP 917, SN 712, etc.) that was sent away to Portola ("why" is well known--see above). The only passenger operation(that I'm aware of)between Dozier and Cannon was a trip for the Association of Railway Museums convention on September 28, 1996. My understanding is that the right-of-way between Dozier and Cordero is actually owned by the US Goverment, due to a line relocation to facilitate expansion of the Army Air Base (now Travis AFB) during WWII.
The trackage from Dozier to Saxon was never part of the BAERA lease, and was removed (including two legs of the Dozier wye, unfortunately) in the late 1980s. Track south of the museum towards Montezuma was out of service and unfit for use, although the portion nearest the museum was used for storage of freight cars, etc. Of course, part of this trackage has since been electrified, the track and bridges somewhat upgraded, and opened to regular operation by streetcars and interurbans, which continues today. The immediate goal is to extend operations to the station of Molena(near Birds Landing), where there is a siding. As far as I know, there are no plans to go beyond there, as the rest of the line to Montezuma has considerable washout damage.
Interestingly, during Members' Day last September, diesel-hauled passenger trains were run north of the museum as far as Creed.
After about 1960, the only moves by SN were for equipment coming to or going from the museum at Rio Vista Jct. After the UP takeover, the museum was told that movements would only be made as far as Dozier, and that a museum crew would have to pick up the equipment there. This included the delivery of WP 917 in 1983, also SN 712, SP Harriman coaches, etc., and the three Kennecott electric motors from Utah, during about 1986-88. The museum gained a lease from UP to run revenue excursion trains from Rio Vista Jct. to Dozier in the Fall of 1987. This continued (carrying lots of people and bringing in much revenue) for several years, until the egos of the "trolley people" felt sufficiently threatened to put a stop to it. (This has been discussed a number of times on this board.)
In the meantime, the museum gained the ability to run all the way to Cannon, in order to make interchange moves, which after the UP-SP merger could be done at Cannon with former-SP locals. This included receiving the WP and UP cabooses, SP beet gondola, and Shell Tank car, as well as the equipment (WP 917, SN 712, etc.) that was sent away to Portola ("why" is well known--see above). The only passenger operation(that I'm aware of)between Dozier and Cannon was a trip for the Association of Railway Museums convention on September 28, 1996. My understanding is that the right-of-way between Dozier and Cordero is actually owned by the US Goverment, due to a line relocation to facilitate expansion of the Army Air Base (now Travis AFB) during WWII.
The trackage from Dozier to Saxon was never part of the BAERA lease, and was removed (including two legs of the Dozier wye, unfortunately) in the late 1980s. Track south of the museum towards Montezuma was out of service and unfit for use, although the portion nearest the museum was used for storage of freight cars, etc. Of course, part of this trackage has since been electrified, the track and bridges somewhat upgraded, and opened to regular operation by streetcars and interurbans, which continues today. The immediate goal is to extend operations to the station of Molena(near Birds Landing), where there is a siding. As far as I know, there are no plans to go beyond there, as the rest of the line to Montezuma has considerable washout damage.
Interestingly, during Members' Day last September, diesel-hauled passenger trains were run north of the museum as far as Creed.
