Robert D. Firth's SP Tracy, CA 1950's Photos

You are visitor (graphical counter) to Robert D. Firth's SP Tracy, CA 1950's Page

All photos © David Firth unless otherwise noted.
To email David Firth remove the underscores surrounding the @ symbol on his email address.

Photos 1 through 20 of 31 total   [Next (21 to 31)]

1/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 12:58:09 -0700
Subject: This is a 1953 view of the Tracy yard from the tower looking southwest towards MacArthur Drive and the cemetery. In the foreground is an Alco diesel switcher working while in the background several 1200 class steam switchers wait their turns for water. In the background at the right can be seen the industrial spur curving away to the west which still exists today. Before Prohibition (1919) this spur went out to the local brewery.
image/jpeg, 1021x1007 (256c)
SPT-28-193nf.jpg    72159 bytes
2/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 12:58:09 -0700
Subject: This is another photo of the roundhouse "grease monkey" waiting to grease an arriving steam engine. In the background locomotive #3756 takes on water. Note the overhead pipes. Today these would be buried.
image/jpeg, 900x748 (256c)
SPT-29-199nf.jpg    65890 bytes
3/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 12:58:09 -0700
Subject: Baggage handler Lloyd M. Cole positions the baggage carts. Note that most of the baggage appears to be sacks of mail. Passenger trains in the old days (before 1960) were subsidized by the U.S. Post Office. This train could be the Sacramento Daylight. Two days a week Mr. Cole relieved the regular baggage handler at nearby Lathrop, CA.
image/jpeg, 900x693 (256c)
SPT-30-202nf.jpg    45949 bytes
4/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 12:58:09 -0700
Subject: Here is the steam powered "big hook" wrecker that was stationed at Tracy in 1953. Whenever there was a derailment in the area a work train was sent to clean up the wreckage and repair the damaged track. The "big hook" was the only equipment in the old days that could pick up cars and locomotives and place them back on the track. This hook saw lots of service on the busy Altamont Pass - Niles Canyon line between Tracy and Fremont, CA. Beginning in the 1970's, railroads began hiring private companies like Hulcher and others to clean up their wrecks. Much cheaper.
image/jpeg, 900x690 (256c)
SPT-31-207nf.jpg    63083 bytes
5/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:32:08 -0700
Subject: Inspecting the other side of the train. The city water tank in the background is located behind West Park School, Tracy, CA. Photo by Robert D. Firth
image/jpeg, 1024x730 (256c)
SPT-04-126nf.jpg    46624 bytes
6/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:32:08 -0700
Subject: Inspecting the PFE refrigerator cars. These were the old style ice bunkers indicated by the open roof hatches. The cars were painted orange. Photo by Robert D. Firth
image/jpeg, 1024x799 (256c)
SPT-02-124nf.jpg    86017 bytes
7/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:32:08 -0700
Subject: Icing the cars with a portable conveyor truck. The ends of the cars were hollow and filled with blocks of ice. The cold air was circulated when the car was moving by a chain-driven fan connected to the axle. Since fiberglass insulation didn't exist yet, the cars were insulated with cork. During the summer larger rail yards such as Fresno hired football players from the local college who wanted to "stay in shape" during the off season. Photo by Robert D. Firth
image/jpeg, 1024x818 (256c)
SPT-03-200nf.jpg    77519 bytes
8/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:32:08 -0700
Subject: SP "Mountain class" #4353 with train #432 at Tracy, CA, 1954. This is a solid train of refrigerator cars - "reefers". The 1947 Southern Pacific Employee Timetable shows train #432 leaving Tracy about 9:30 a.m. down the West Side Line to Los Banos and Fresno. The reefers probably mean it's cantaloupe season. Taken from yard tower looking toward Fourth St. Photo by Robert D. Firth
image/jpeg, 1024x965 (256c)
SPT-01-194nf.jpg    118909 bytes
9/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:45:44 -0700
Subject: A roundhouse "Grease Monkey" on his way to service a locomotive. Steam locomotives had to have all of their bearings greased about every 100-150 miles. Photo by Robert D. Firth
image/jpeg, 647x669 (256c)
SPT-08-155nf.jpg    61020 bytes
10/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:59:29 -0700
Subject: Wheel replacement was one of the most common repairs in the old days. This was because the wheels were made of cast-iron in the Southern Pacific Sacramento Shops. Steel lasted longer but was more expensive. All freight cars at the time were equipped with friction bearings instead of roller bearings for the same reason. Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 1024x730 (256c)
SPT-12-125nf.jpg    96338 bytes
11/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:45:44 -0700
Subject: Oiling the journal boxes. After the wool "waste" is replaced with new, fresh oil is added. Friction-type bearings had to be bathed in oil or else they would overheat and melt the axle, as in "hotbox". As the years went by friction bearings were gradually replaced by roller bearings. Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 1024x1039 (256c)
SPT-06-182nf.jpg    94049 bytes
12/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 08:14:21 -0700
Subject: Rotary kiln being shipped from the Best Fertilizer factory in Lathrop, CA to a customer in the east. The Lathrop plant had just installed a new kiln and had found a buyer for the old one. 1955. Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 1024x621 (256c)
SPT-16-180nf.jpg    57309 bytes
13/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:59:29 -0700
Subject: carpenter and his rolling tool box. He's working on a "bad-ordered" box car. Note the small axe in his hand. Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 647x669 (256c)
SPT-10-156nf.jpg    70876 bytes
14/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:45:44 -0700
Subject: Cleaning brake parts. Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 1024x975 (256c)
SPT-07-127nf.jpg    124293 bytes
15/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 08:14:21 -0700
Subject: Two of the new diesels have arrived in Tracy, CA in 1956 and get a ride on the turntable. This is SD-9 #5631. The roundhouse is in the background. Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 1024x938 (256c)
SPT-14-192nf.jpg    92849 bytes
16/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:59:29 -0700
Subject: Carpenters repairing boxcar interior. Note that they have only hand tools, no power tools. Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 1024x932 (256c)
SPT-11-136nf.jpg    111215 bytes
17/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 07:59:29 -0700
Subject: Turntable operator. Zoom in on the sign. Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 647x669 (256c)
SPT-09-154nf.jpg    70994 bytes
18/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 09:01:24 -0700
Subject: Carman David W. Firth boarding #2490 train #54 "Sacramento Daylight" for the ride back to Tracy. He had ridden to Lathrop from Tracy in the cab of train #52 "San Joaquin Daylight" to make the physical connection of the through-car from Sacramento to Los Angeles. David's grandson remembers holding his hands over his ears when #2490 blew down the cylinders to get rid of the condensation.
image/jpeg, 1024x779 (256c)
SPT-27-189nf.jpg    69781 bytes
19/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 08:33:53 -0700
Subject: Subject: Stationary engineer and his stationary boiler. This provided the roundhouse and other work stations with "house steam". Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 1024x1043 (256c)
SPT-20-108nf.jpg    111069 bytes
20/31
From: David Firth davef224_@_pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 08:43:49 -0700
Subject: Servicing the locomotive tender with oil and water. Oil went in the front compartment and water in the rear. Photo by Robert D. Firth.
image/jpeg, 1024x1044 (256c)
SPT-24-121nf.jpg    84505 bytes

   [Next (21 to 31)]