George Manley Wrote:
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> 8-01-11
>
> During the fruit season during the steam days..
> the Esparto branch would produce up to 550 loads
> and in the spring SP use to bring cattle and sheep
> via stock cars to the end of the line to fatten
> them up and there was other traffic also....during
> the winter and spring the 4-6-0's 2248 and 2252
> would work the branch until the summer came around
> when they would go back to roseville for fire
> train service.....The 4-8-0 2937 was brought down
> from Oregon to work the branch...but the foreman
> at suisun said he would never run the engine and
> the 2937 finished her days doing nothing...2-6-0's
> 1643 and 1660 did some work on the branch...but it
> was the 2-8-0's that were the main stay.....At
> winters...Union Ice use to handle the loaded
> reefers before they went on to roseville....at one
> time this was a very busy branch....

Thanks for the info George, I had heard that about the 2900 and how she just sat unused, but
did not know that the older Ten-wheelers were used on the branch. This likely explains why
2252 is pictured on an excursion there in the early 50's. The 1660 also worked the Napa Branch too
IIRC. Her bell survived.