OPRRMS Wrote:
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> In mid-1974 the 10 SW900s were rounded up (two
> were on the NWP while the rest were part of the LA
> switcher pool) and hauled dead to Houston for
> upgrading to SW900E units at the Hardy Street
> shop. Your photo on a previous thread of the 1170
> at the Homestead (West Oakland) was taken during
> the brief time it had been captured for use by the
> West Oakland Diesel Shop folks while it was moving
> from Eureka to Houston. Hardy Street had
> previously completed the NW2R and SW1200E
> programs, plus did a semi-upgrade on at least one
> (1105) SW8. Like the other classes, the SW900Es
> received mechanical and electrical upgrades, but
> unlike the others, the SW900Es received the
> SW1500-type headlight/signal light/class light
> packages shown in the photos. After rebuilding,
> they were generally less popular with crews than
> before because of the removal of various in-cab
> creature comforts.
>
> The SW900s were intended for use as replacements
> for Alcos and FMs in the Bay Area. As they were
> released from Hardy Street, they moved dead to the
> Bay Area. Eight were initially assigned to the
> "Pool A" Bay Area switcher pool while the
> remaining two replaced the two SW900s that had
> been assigned to the NWP. As yard jobs dwindled
> and SW1500s could cover most of the remaining
> assignments, they mostly became spare units and
> tended to be stored at the Roseville shop. At
> least two worked (singly) on the Visalia Electric
> after the last Alcos were retired. The last of
> the SW900Es were retired in late 1986 and early
> 1987, and most were resold for service.

Those two SW900s were odd balls in the NWP switcher pool which by 1971 was locked into 2591-2595.