|
Bob Knoll’s Southern Pacific The Southern Pacific Railroad Photos of JR Knoll
Bob Knolls Southern Pacific The Southern Pacific Railroad Photos of JR Knoll
Soft Cover
116 pages
Copyright 2005
CONTENTS
Introduction7
Arizona73
Northern California53
Southern California91
INTRODUCTION
Bob Knoll was born in Michigan in 1935 and developed an appreciation for trains in 1950-51 as I grew up in New York. One of my earliest train pictures, that of a New Haven freight train crossing the high bridge over the Hudson River at Maybrook, New York, was also my first picture ever to be published - in Trains magazine.
This photo was taken from the open Dutch door of a NYC coach as my mom and I were moving out west to Tucson, Arizona, in 1951. We took New York Central's Pacemaker to Chicago's La Salle Street Station and the Rock Island/Southern Pacific Golden State from there. It was a beautiful train in those days. One of the features in the dining car besides the finger bowls was the offer of seconds at no extra charge. We didn't partake. Neither of us had been to the West before and it was pretty exciting for me. I looked for Indians behind every cactus. I also got to see my first segregated drinking fountain in the El Paso station.
I arrived in Tucson in August 1951 and shortly thereafter began haunting Southern Pacific's yard and roundhouse. I had an early 828 film camera and later a 120 Mamiyaflex 21/4 square. I was not quite 16, so I traveled initially by bicycle, which pretty much restricted my radius to about a mile either way of the depot.
Tucson in 1951 was a busy place. The sequence of passenger trains through the terminal went something like this: No.4, Golden State, arrived at 12:50 a.m., No. 5, Argonaut, arrived at 3:25 a.m., followed by No. 1, Sunset Limited, at 5:40 a.m. No. 2, Sunset Limited, departed at 8:10 a.m. followed by Nos. 6, Argonaut, and 44, Californian, in quick succession between 11:00 a.m. and 11:25 a.m. No. 40, Imperial, arrived from the west at 1:55 p.m. and its counterpart No. 39 from the east at 2:25 p.m. No. 43 rolled in at 4:15 p.m. and No. 3 arrived at 9:17 p.m. in the evening. All the passenger trains but Nos. 43 and 6 went via the "South Line" between El Paso and Tucson. The Sunset Limited and the Golden State were allowed but ten minutes at Tucson, while all other trains tarried in Tucson for anywhere from 20 minutes to half an hour to change engines or to be worked. Headend cars were switched, including express reefers. Milk originating in El Centro was cut out at Tucson.
Steam was still present, but the arid Tucson Division was a target for early dieselization. For the most part, through freights were run behind matched sets of A-B-B-A F7s. An exception was 370, the Arizona Overnight, which after conversion to diesel, generally required only a single A unit for its light load. Freights to and from Phoenix also made do with only a couple of units. Steam, in the form of MT, GS, SP and AC power, was used to cover traffic peaks both on the freight and passenger side, as this was of course the last hurrah of "main" trains carrying soldiers during the Korean conflict. Steam also protected the seasonal "Grape Specials" consisting of solid trains of express reefers run at passenger speeds behind MT or GS engines. Interestingly it was small steam, the Consolidations, Mikes, and light 2-10-2s that was at times in short supply, although "stored serviceable" behind the roundhouse. With the exception of the South Line Local (usually operated eastbound as 962) which used one of the hulking, distinctive 5000s, the Casa Grande Local, Sahuarita Turn/Wilmot Local, and Rillito Local as well as the Nogales trains all used lighter power. The Daylight engine off train No. 6 (for which a cab forward was substituted east of Tucson) was taken to the roundhouse, serviced, and turned to protect that evening's train No. 3 in the unlikely event that its diesels should fail.
One of the assistant chief dispatchers gave me the nickname of general manager because I "asked so many questions." Cab rides on the Sahuarita/Wilmot Local were routine Saturday adventures. On one unforgettable afternoon, we had arrived back in the yard from Sahuarita and were instructed to give our small engine to the crew of the Rillito Local. As substitute power, we were given one of the two roller bearing 4-8-4s for the quick trip up to Davis-Monthan AFB located off the main line at Wilmot. We had just one tank car of aviation fuel between that 4400 and the caboose, and we "flew" out of town without ever leaving the ground. On our return the engine went back to protection status before going west on its regular rotation the following day.
After getting a car, my railfanning range expanded to include Cienega Wash east of town and the high bridge on the (ex-EPSW) westbound track where it crossed over the original SP main now used as the eastbound track. I also made frequent trips to Nogales and beyond into the Republic of Mexico to photograph the ex-Southern Pacific of Mexico's Moguls, Ten Wheelers and Consolidations double heading short trains up to the summit just below the border.
ON THE BACK COVER
Bob Knoll was born in Michigan in 1935 and developed an appreciation for trains in 1950-51 as he grew up in the East. A family move to Tucson in 1951 exposed him to Southern Pacific. Camera in hand, he began to document SP's Sunset Route mainline in Tucson, which was still under steam. After getting his driver's license, his railfanning range expanded to include SP's Tucson Division, as well as frequent trips to Nogales and beyond into the Republic of Mexico to photograph ex-SPdeMex steam still in operation. With railroading "in his blood," he jumped at the chance to hire out at Tucson as a telegrapher/clerk on the Tucson Division in 1954. Over the next several years, he worked many of the mainline stations on the division. And on his "rest days" he took the opportunity to explore as much of the SP in California as possible with long time friend Dick Steinheimer. Bumped by CTC which was marching across the division, Bob resigned from the SP in September 1961 and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. His connection with the SP continued in a more formal capacity, however, as the representative of one of its major shippers. Bob took the opportunity to explore SP operations in the Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley and Donner Pass. the railroad trips to such places as Tehachapi, Taylor Yard and Beaumonthill continued after a later move to Southern California. Over the years, examples of Bob's work have appeared in Trains Magazine, and several books, including David Myrick's Railroads of Arizona, Rails to Carry Copper and eventually Western Trains. Throughout, Bob was privileged to have experienced the Southern Pacific on a variety of levels; as a wet-behind-the-ears railfan with a camera, later as an employee, and finally as a shipper and favored Y VIP. The photos in this volume record that journey of over four decades from the steam days in the early 1950s through the merger in 1996.
All pictures are of the actual item. There may be reflection from the lights in some photos. We try to take photos of any damage. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
Shipping charges
US Shipments: When you add multiple items to your cart, the reduced shipping charges will automatically be calculated. For direct postage rates to other countries, send me an email. Shipping varies by weight.
Terms and conditions
All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us before making a return. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding or buying.
Thanks for looking at our items.
|
