jdb - Thank you for replying. I have the same issue with the dates on my slides. I dug around and found a whole bunch of rolls of Kodachrome I had shot and they were some of the last ever processed. Since then, I found a handful of rolls I will never know what is on them.

I have a specific interest (sometimes an unhealthy obsession) about Espee's GE 70 tons. In particular, trying to figure out which engine where on what job. SP was the largest single owner in North America with 21, which were first delivered to and last worked Oregon. Only the 5119 and and 5120 were built new with mu, the 5100-5106, 5109 and 5114 (xGE 2nd demo) were retrofitted apparently using kits supplied by GE. With only 11 mu equipped units, finding mu sets of SP 70 tons is fairly rare especially in later years.

5101, 5102 and 5113 were soon reassigned from Oregon to the SD&AE in San Diego, where the 5101 and 5102 were apparently retrofitted with mu at Los Angeles where any heavy work was performed. After initial use in AZ/NM (to avoid CA taxes?), 5119 joined them. The 5106 apparently later replaced the 5113, and the last couple of years the 5114 and 5108 were also used there. The El Cajon branch has heavy grades and was 60# rail, so doubles and triples were common power. I think the same set of power was used on the nightly Roustabout that work south from San Diego. Not sure if the Coronado branch was its own job or worked by the Roustabout. There may have been a city switcher/yard job with one unit.

The only other place I know of that SP used their 70 tons in mu was in Oregon. The Coos Bay line between Myrtle Point and Powers was apparently restricted to the 70 tonners, though Coos Bay Lumber ran SW1200s. In later years, this ran a pair to switch the mills and hauled log trains that were not CBL/GP logs. The various jobs between Albany and the Mill City branch also got 70 tons in single, double or triple in the 1950s. I think this was due to light rail on the outer ends of the branches and the Phoenix truss at Mill City. The Marcola branch got 70 tons, though I'm not sure if SP ran doubles, WTCo bought the 5104 and 5105 when they took over the line. The Armitage truss bridge near Coburg was apparently restricted to 70 tons.

What interests me about your slide is that it is 1) very late for 70 tons working on the SP as most photos from the era show them parked on the Eugene garden tracks 2) it is a triple mu set. SP retired six 70 tonners in 1967 and 1968, of those four were a direct result of the SD&AE abandoning most of the Coronado branch and relaying the El Cajon branch with 75# rail allowing the assignment of db equipped SW8s. This left the 5100, 5103, 5109 and 5120 all in Oregon and all with mu.

I know Coos Bay to Powers was running 70 tons as late as 1968 (abandoned soon after), presumably an mu pair suggested by photos. One mu equipped unit would have been held at Eugene as a spare and to lease to WTCo when (5)104 or (5)105 were down. The last non-mu unit 5118 in Oregon was retied in 1964, and the 5114 went to the SD&AE by 1965, so the 5100, 5103, 5109 and 5120 were the only Oregon assigned units. If Powers had a pair in the late 1960s, then that only left a pair out of Eugene or Albany for Mill City? Previous comments have been made that the Coburg job as late as 1972 had 70 tons on them (presumably due to the Armitage bridge), and I have also seen reference that the line was used to store cars before it was salvaged.

I have seen a picture of 5103 in its last SP years by itself at supposedly Springfield, was this for the Coburg or a WTCo lease? So why did SP need to put three of the four remaining 70 tons mued together in 1971? I can't imagine this was for a yard job. They could have easily freed up a bigger switch engine by using one or two 70 tons on a local job. Was this a transfer of storage cars to/from Coburg or something headed to Gates or Mill City? I'm not sure exactly when Powers was abandoned (late 1969?) or 70 tons quit working the Mill City branch.

5120 was sold in 1973, 5109 spent a short time in California the same year. So by 1973 SP could only assemble one double or triple set. In 1974 5109 was sold to OP&E, and 5103 went to Chrome Crankshaft in 1975 leaving the 5100 for lease and eventual sale to WTCo. Obviously by circa 1974 there wasn't any need for the 70 ton on the SP other than to support WTCo. (Did Eugene do heavy repairs to (5)104 and (5)105 until the late 1970s?)

If possible, I would very much appreciate a good copy or the slide and any other SP 70 ton pics you might have. I have a few pics and info I will trade. My contact: boomerwest@aol.com

Thanks