Carol L. Voss Wrote:
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>
> I think that there is some truth in what you are
> saying about the signal situation and etc but as
> to the UP steam locos coming to the bay area, they
> ran into some high fees for air pollution after
> they were here in '92 for the NRHS convention.
> They have not come closer to the bay area than
> Stockton ever since. THe Niles Canyon rwy is not
> technically in the Bay area air quality sphere of
> influence and doesn't come under those regs, as I
> understand it. ALso, the LA air quality people
> also charged UP with big bucks the last time they
> were there back in the '90's. It's very complex
> but we haven't seen a UP steam loco here for 20
> years. As to the 4449, since it is not a UP owned
> loco, they won't allow it on their tracks for
> excursions so that deprives us even further down
> here. BNSF will allow it .
> C.
> C.

Carol, you seem to overlook the fact that the 844 was in Oakland (which is part of the nine county San Francisco Bay Area), under steam in April of 2009. After display in Oakland it steamed south along the east bay and turned inland, traveling through the Niles Canyon.

So UP steam has been in the San Francisco Bay Area, just not in San Jose or Santa Clara county in the last 20 years. Referring to the entire Bay Area as being what is actually referred to as the South Bay, is incorrect and is a bit too limiting as to what the term actually refers to.