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California Railfanning

California Railroads

  My family and I took a 2-week-long trip to California that had been long overdue. Since my parents moved to Boston 20 years ago, our entire family had only been back once - 11 years ago. Needless to say, I couldn't have done the kind of railfanning or had the kind of memories back then that I have now. Even then, I was only able to devote one afternoon to railfanning, on my very last day in the Golden State. That afternoon is documented here. Enjoy this rare break from nothing but East Coast photos on my site!  


  Click photos to enlarge Description Date

Location

 
 

Vintage MUNI PCC no. 1058, in the colors of the Chicago Transit Authority, motors down Beach Ave.

8/12/01 San Francisco, CA  
 

A new Breda LRV works MUNI's L-Taraval line on a Sunday evening.

8/12/01 San Francisco, CA  
 

A number of historic locomotives and cars are on display at the California State Railroad Museum. Shown here are a Western Pacific F7 and Union Pacific executive car.

8/13/01 Sacramento, CA  
 

Also preserved at the museum is this Southern Pacific two-car articulated dining unit built by Budd.

8/13/01 Sacramento, CA  
 

A classic image: a Santa Fe warbonnet F7A-B set.

8/13/01 Sacramento, CA  
 

Approaching San Jose on Caltrain, I passed a yard of Union Pacific equipment. This SW-1500 was inherited from the Southern Pacific and hastily renumbered.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Looks like the circus was in town! For what seemed like a mile I was seeing various passenger cars, flat cars, and stock cars.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

The UP is very behind with its repainting - shown here are an ex-Denver & Rio Grande Western GP40 as well as an ex-Missouri Pacific unit.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Altamont Commuter Express cab car #3305 brings up the rear of one of this evening's outbound trainsets. Just visible behind it is a second consist.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

A pair of ACE F40PH-3Cs, built by Boise Locomotive, head up today's trainsets. They are nearly identical to engines used by Caltrain, Coaster, MBTA, and other agencies.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Caltrain Geep no. 3842 sits with a caboose and a sister unit at San Jose's Diridon station. Nearby is the train I arrived on, which will shortly depart for the last stop, Tamien.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

On the left, a spare trainset sits in the yard while my train continues on to Tamien.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Just arriving with another train is Caltrain no. 909.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

The 909 is an F40PH-2CAT, a rebuilt version of the F40PH that is becoming popular with commuter railroads. It features a second diesel engine to provide power to the cars.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

A close-up of the air tank detail on the 909. The only part of the F40PH that has changed is the rear end, where the body cowl has been extended to house the extra Caterpillar diesel engine.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

The next ACE trainset, scheduled for a 4:00 departure, waits in the small yard just past the station.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

F40PH-2C no. 922 arrives with a southbound train. Built by Boise Locomotive Co., it is nearly identical to ACE's F40PH-3Cs as well as other F40PH-2Cs and F40PHM-2Cs.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Having dropped off most of its passengers, the 922 departs for the final stop at Tamien.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Here is a close-up of the rear end on the 905, another F40PH-2CAT, showing the extended body and additional grilles and louvers. Also note the extra fan on the roof.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

A close-up of the air tank details on the right side of F40PH-2C no. 922.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Here is an unusual sight - two standard F40PHs lead a five-car train from San Francisco on to Tamien.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

A cab car in the new paint scheme - note the red stripe - rolls past one in the old scheme.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

An Amtrak California bus pulls away from the station, transporting passengers to other destinations not serviced by trains.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

A right-side view of an Altamont Commuter Express F40PH-3C, an extended F40PH with an extra engine for supplying head-end-power to the passenger cars.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

The ACE cars, built by Bombardier, are identical to those used by Coaster, Metrolink, Sounder, and other commuter agencies.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

The bi-level cars feature inside-bearing trucks with disc brakes on the inboard axles.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

The left side of the Boise Locomotive Co. F40PH-3C.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

The 4:00 Capitol has just arrived with an F59PHI leading the set of California Cars.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Car no. 8031 - Mattole River - is a California Fleet coach, built by Amerail. Similar cars are used in Surfliner service in southern California.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Cab car no. 8302, named Mount Shasta, sits in Diridon Station as the ACE train prepares to depart.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Suddenly a Union Pacific freight train appeared, led by a GP40 and GP38-2 no. 2352. Note the odd fuel tank shape on 2352.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Also helping with the train were an ex-SP GP38-2 and UP GP40 no. 2561.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

A UP hopper car rolls by the ACE trainset, which is just about finished boarding.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

The departing ACE train is just barely visible behind the Amtrak Capitol.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

The extra height and streamlining of the F59PHI look good with a train of California Fleet bi-levels.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

Shortly after stepping off my train back to Redwood City, I was again greeted by the 922 with another San Jose-bound train.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  
 

My parting shot at railfanning in California, as 922's train heads south toward San Jose and Tamien.

8/20/01 San Jose, CA  

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