On the Left
CoastOn the Left
CoastWhile we first visited California in 1978, we really came to know the Southern Pacific in the mid-eighties, when for about a year we lived in classily-named Oxnard, about 60 miles north of LA and hard by the Port Hueneme naval base. Espee was the major game in town, Oxnard being located on the legendary Coast line, but there was a bit of variety with Amtrak's daily Coast Starlight and the Alco-powered Ventura County RR in the mix. Espee freight traffic was relatively light, consisting basically of one or two intermodal trains and a way freight in each direction. Today, things are considerably different, with UP yellow quickly replacing Espee gray, and the increasing presence of Caltrans commuter trains to and from LA.
Back in '85, the peak of activity at Oxnard's small yard was generally midday, convenient for a little lunchtime railfanning, the results of which can be found here. To round things out, we've thrown in a few shots from elsewhere in the Golden State as well. Click on the thumbnail picture or filename to see the full-screen image.
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Espee went for Electro-motive's SD45 in a big way, ordering hundreds of both standard units and so-called "tunnel motors" with modified cooling systems. Here's an (almost) matched set near the crest of Cajon Pass on April 1, 1985 (SP_9013.JPG; 100Kb). |
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A typical scene at Oxnard in the mid-eighties; a rare SD39 ('class engine' 5300) waits in the hole while the Seattle-bound Coast Starlight takes on passengers at the depot. March 1985 (SP_5300.JPG; 69Kb). |
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Within a week or two of the above shot, 3 GE B-30-7's with trailers for LA pull into Oxnard to await the passage of the 'Starlight'. March 1985 (SP_7840.JPG; 72Kb). |
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Shortly thereafter, the mellow hoot of an F40's five-chime horn is heard as the Starlight signals for a highway crossing a mile or so south. This gives us plenty of warning to set up for the meet (ATK_251.JPG; 92Kb). |
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Again in March 1985, a heavily loaded weekend Starlight with 3 F40's on the point accelerates over a dry wash just north of Ventura (ATK_246.JPG; 100Kb). |
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A set of 'tunnel motors' roars across State Street in Santa Barbara with an intermodal train bound for the Bay area. April 1985 (SP_8235.JPG; 79Kb). |
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Somewhere in central California (Richmond?), an elderly SD7 basks in the afternoon sun. This shot was taken from the lower-level vestibule of a coach on the eastbound San Francisco Zephyr. May 1978 (SP_1440.JPG; 86Kb). |
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Classic Espee : long, heavy freights powered by massive 20-cylinder diesels, bounding and swaying over decidedly rickety-looking track. An almost perfect meet on the level crossing in Stockton, California, in February 1985 (SP_STOK.JPG; 67Kb). |