Re: Searles, CA with SP #7450 August 1990
Author: D. Megowan
Date: 10-08-2010 - 21:28
Nice shot Drew! By any chance do you have any other shots from the Lone Pine branch you could share? To answer Charles' question, the use of SP power by the Trona Railway on their road freights between Trona and Searles lasted for many years. I'm not sure of the exact start of this practice, but the practice was in place during the early 80s until late 1992 when the Trona RR took delivery of the red and silver SD40-2 (SD45-2 carbodies) rebuilds from Helm. Prior to that the Baldwins were used for the run to Searles, but as the daily tonnage increased it took multiple trips per day with the Baldwins doubling the hill, which became impractical. As SP power became increasingly unreliable in the 90s, the Trona RR looked for a better alternative, and that's when the rebuilds from Helm arrived on the property.