At seeing your forum name … I just had to comment!
The SPSF merger effort is remembered well. I lived in Colton, Calif. at the time, a community where the Santa Fe crossed the Southern Pacific, and inspired the coining of “Hub City” for Colton.
Switches where installed so when the merger was finished, SPSF could use the southwest connection / quadrant at Colton Crossing and connect to or from West Colton Classification Yard a mile to the west. Those then future interlocking signals and switch motors were removed soon after the merger was denied. But I’ve always wondered the practicality of THAT arrangement, as UP never did such in the UP and SP merger. It seems a steep incline northward (AT&SF) to a steep incline westward (SP) on a 90 degree curve was a derailment just waiting to happen!
Then, at the time I didn’t realize it, but Ogden to Oakland would have been questionable, as AT&SF had a super route over Tehachapi!
So, while your forum name didn’t become railroad reality in actuality, it brings back memories of what could have been.
croteaudd At seeing your forum name … I just had to comment! The SPSF merger effort is remembered well. I lived in Colton, Calif. at the time, a community where the Santa Fe crossed the Southern Pacific, and inspired the coining of “Hub City” for Colton.
My name isn't necessairly derived from the ill fated merger. I just like Southern Pacific and Santa Fe. My other name is Espeefan.
I gew up in West Los Angeles and Santa Monica and rarely got to see many trains as a kid, though I do remember seeing trains on the SP (or was it Pacific Electric) line that the Expo Line light rail now follows.
In later years, me and some railfan buddies made a few trips to the crossover at Colton, hanging around until chased off by the cops, so I know it well. It just isn't the same since they built the flyover.
Cajon pass is a favoriate of course, as is the Tehachapi route, in particular the area around Caliente.
Cheers,
David
spsffan:
My life was blessed in that for the first half of it I lived across the street from the tracks or near to them.
And, I had friends galore that were trainmen or towermen, and because of those contacts, I was always up on the latest news and rail happenings.
When I was about ten, a few times when my parents passed through Downtown Los Angeles, I saw three or four high stacks and stacks and stacks of Pacific Electric trolley cars that had run their last miles!
These days, I have few friends inside the industry. What a shame hardly anybody works for a railroad anymore!
My name is David, too! Popular name!
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.