Newrad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Those train numbers ring a bell. They used to
> operate out of Mission Bay Yard in SF as
> California Merchandise East (374) and California
> Merchandise West (373). There was also an advance
> pair, 372 and 371 if I recall correctly known as
> Advance CME and CMW. In the 60's those trains
> carried a lot of beer (eastward), possibly Lucky
> Lager. They had a brewery in SF in those days.
> SP powered them with low nose GP9's.

Coast Merchandise.. They did operate out of SF until the summer of 1970. Not enough business at the end to justify the train. Cheaper to rubber tire the trailers to Oakland. A few breweries in SF, but the beer probably went in trailers. 373/374 were not much of a boxcar train by the 60s. 372 was heavy finished auto trains and 371 brought back the empties