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Re: Heavy power in SP/NWP Willits, CA
Author: OPRRMS
Date: 09-05-2013 - 22:09
Trackside Tommy Wrote:
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> Things changed in mid 1978 when SP shifted SP/NWP
> operations to Oakland from Roseville. Thats when
> SP started running the WCERY/ERWCY via San Luis
> Obispo instead of Bakersfield and it seemed to
> allow more of the big power a chance to get on the
> NWP. Oakland didn't always swap out the power on
> the WCERY, whatever that was, with SD9E's.
>
> The job that ran from Oakland to Schellville and
> return also would get big and sometimes oddball
> power. If the FRA had been in Oakland and BO'ed a
> bunch of locomotives then the turn could have just
> about anything for power.
There was also an Oakland-Lombard/Schellville-Roseville train that was called out of the pool during that time frame. What was it, Wes, the OARVW, or something like that?
I have personal knowledge of one Saturday morning of it being called out of Oakland with three SDP45s, 21 cars and a caboose, setting out the train at Schellville, then running cab hop to Roseville. Total time on duty was something like 5 hours. The best part was somewhere around Dixon, when the rear brakeman suddenly opened the rear cab door of the lead unit. The train was making upwards of 70 MPH, and the surprised engineer asked him - in reference to him having climbed over the drawbar between the caboose and the rear unit, then walking along the running boards of the units - "Do you realize how fast we're going?" The man took a glance at the speedometer, kind of snorted, and said, "A real hoghead would have 'er up to 80 by now." Ah, the Good Old Days, back when railroading was still fun . . .
-------------------------------------------------------
> Things changed in mid 1978 when SP shifted SP/NWP
> operations to Oakland from Roseville. Thats when
> SP started running the WCERY/ERWCY via San Luis
> Obispo instead of Bakersfield and it seemed to
> allow more of the big power a chance to get on the
> NWP. Oakland didn't always swap out the power on
> the WCERY, whatever that was, with SD9E's.
>
> The job that ran from Oakland to Schellville and
> return also would get big and sometimes oddball
> power. If the FRA had been in Oakland and BO'ed a
> bunch of locomotives then the turn could have just
> about anything for power.
There was also an Oakland-Lombard/Schellville-Roseville train that was called out of the pool during that time frame. What was it, Wes, the OARVW, or something like that?
I have personal knowledge of one Saturday morning of it being called out of Oakland with three SDP45s, 21 cars and a caboose, setting out the train at Schellville, then running cab hop to Roseville. Total time on duty was something like 5 hours. The best part was somewhere around Dixon, when the rear brakeman suddenly opened the rear cab door of the lead unit. The train was making upwards of 70 MPH, and the surprised engineer asked him - in reference to him having climbed over the drawbar between the caboose and the rear unit, then walking along the running boards of the units - "Do you realize how fast we're going?" The man took a glance at the speedometer, kind of snorted, and said, "A real hoghead would have 'er up to 80 by now." Ah, the Good Old Days, back when railroading was still fun . . .
