More Paranapiacaba Siderodders

MRS Hitachi SideRod Electrics at Paranapiacaba S.P. Brazil

MRS Hitachi SideRod Electrics at Paranapiacaba S.P. Brazil

MRS Hitachi SideRod Electrics at Paranapiacaba S.P. Brazil

MRS Hitachi SideRod Diesel with catenary platform car.

MRS Hitachi SideRod Diesel with catenary platform car.

I have received some more photos of this fascinating operation near Sao Paulo, Brazil from Flavio Lage. Flavio informs me that the electrics are still in operation. I am thinking maybe they de-energize the catenary, and use the diesel during maintenance.

I Left San Pedro.......

Sunday Night Musical Interlude - Jr. Brown Lays it Down

Great Song - Funny Video

And without the music:

Sounds like a Baldwin

First Westsider at Carlton, Oregon - 1972

Riding the First Westsider at Carlton, Oregon - 1972
This part of the Westside Branch has been ripped up.

Corvallis and Environs - 1972 and 1973

The First Northsider has just cleared the E. switch of Ashahr, Oregon and is heading for Corvallis Jct.

The SD40 period on the Toledo train 706 E. The train is back on the Toledo Branch and is heading due west, and will soon be threading its way through the Oregon State University campus.

Same spot, different edition of the 706. There was a small pool of low numbered 8400s which were assigned to this train.

Ripping up the asphalt on 6th Street in Corvallis in the summer of 1972.

This was the beginning of the project which would un-embed the Westside Branch out of the asphalt, and onto its own curb separated right of way. Note the A&W Burger Family on the roof of the A&W on Washington St.  I spent may an hour in that place,  feeding my teenage face, and quaffing root beer while I watched S-12s switch.

The SP Corvallis Station, then a police station.

A station building with three locations in Corvallis. The original location was  on Ninth St.  Here it  is on  Sixth, and later it would be moved to a location along Hwy 20 near the Willamette and become a restaurant. The REA building remains. When this photo taken the smaller building  was being used by the Corvallis municipal engineering department.

Hoyt St. Cabooses - August 1968

A trio of SP&S cabooses at Hoyt St. Yard Portland, Oregon - August 1968
Note the MofW passenger car on the left, possibly former GN Oriental Limited.

GN Caboose X206, Hoyt St. Yard Portland, Oregon - August 1968
An SP&S Alco S-2 in the backgroud.

"There they go with all our good power!"

SP and UP trains race downhill, Alray, California - 1982

Besides the fact that Nicolas Morant could not have set this up any better, just as I was releasing the shutter, the UP conductor came on the radio and said; "There they go with all our good power!"

Espee Brooklyn Sub Locals Redux

Dallas, Oregon hometown of Willamette Industries, which had a sprawling complex including a log dump.  

SP Dallas Job, 1988

The Perrydale Branch, originally  part of the narrow gauge Oregonian Railway.
Note the forest fire in the Coast Range.

Broadmead, Oregon junction of the Willamina Branch with the Perrydale Branch which was only being used in the 80s for car storage.  

A Westsider approaches the E. end of Ashahr, Oregon on the Toledo, Branch

Lebanon, Oregon, 1973

Albany, Oregon 1973 - Note the PMT trucks.

An S-12 with cars for Evans Products, Corvallis 1973, last year of service for the Baldwins.

Albany based "Wrens," a job that used to run out of Corvallis as the "Flynn Turn."
Seen from Gill Coliseum on the OSU campus in 1988.

The "Mill City" at Lyons, Oregon in 1986. 

Photoset of Moroccan Railways

From Skyscraper City an interesting set of photographs of railways in Morocco. It is easy to see the French influence.  Construction has begun on a TGV line linking Casablanca with Rabat and Tangiers.

Another SP Wherizit?

Screenshot from Google Maps

Clue: A certain "involuntary country club" is located nearby.


Answer: Sheridan, Oregon - the Willamina Branch crossing of the Yamhill River.

And we have a winner!

SP Corvallis Job switching Evans Products in South Corvallis, 1986.

In the background you can see Marys Peak, highest point in the Coastal Range of Oregon. At one time Evans operated three different factories here, and was a major source of traffic for the SP. Its no longer called Evans Porducts, its now Evanite. Thanks to everyone on Altamont Press.  And thanks to Westin Ashahr who came up with the correct answer.

SP Wherizit?

Kodachromedude can't have all the fun. Can you identify the location of this photograph taken in 1986? The next shot in the series will contain more information and will be posted tomorrow.

Belen, New Mexico - 1987

ATSF WB at Belen, New Mexico - June 1987

Santa Fe's St. Louis connection was via the Frisco. The connection was formerly accomplished by the Quanah Acme & Pacific via Floydada, Texas, but was shifted in 1973 to a connection at Avard, Oklahoma. BN run through power was usually turned at Amarillo, but it often made it all the way to California. Above we see one such consist at Belen, New Mexico, in June of 1987.
A fine Frisco photo site is here.

ATSF New Mexico - April 1992

Denver-Barstow train 448 arrives in Albuquerque

EB in Abo Canyon

EB at Dalies, New Mexico

WB Dalies, New Mexico

 

WB Dalies, New Mexico

Top photo shows one of the few trains that were operating over Raton in the early Nineties. The other was the hot UPS train 198. Dalies is not only a great place to watch trains, it is also prime Jack Rabbit habitat. Just before sunset they gather by the tracks and just sit for about an hour.

Hitachi Side Rod Electrics - MRS Paranapiacaba S.P. Brazil

Photo from Wikipedia.

Photo from Wikipedia, beginning of rack railway. Cremalheira is rack in Portuguese  

These Hitachi siderod monsters are alive in Brazil, at least for now.  These were built for the rack railiway that begins at Paranapiacaba, which was built by the Sao Paulo Railway, a private British concern. Built to haul coffee, the railroad is now much more important to the steel industry. The line later became Estrada de Ferro Santos-Jundiaí, and is now MRS. The wiki article just linked mentions that replacement locomotives were ordered in 2009. The present rack railway system was built in the 1970s, and a look at the Google map below shows some of the older right of way. BTW, thanks to all the Youtubers who posted these great videos.

Translation from the Portuguese: To drive down the mountain range of the sea with a slope of 10 %, then of Paranapiacaba, needs to be used the rack (Bar notched trail, in conjunction with gears of the locomotive), to maintain traction of ascent or descent. for greater security was limited 500t per train.



Translation from the Portuguese caption: Video of maneuvers on the steering rack from MRS, in Paranapiacaba. These locomotives will be replaced by other models. They are probably the only electrical cargueiras in operation today in Brazil.

View Larger Map

Zoom in and follow the line to the south and west and you can find much evidence of the older line, including tunnels and bridges. Follow the line far enough south, you get to the huge steel mill complex near Cubatao. 

View Larger Map

The Trona Zone

Sounds Like a Baldwin!

A beasty beast made under license of Baldwin Lima Hamilton for Argentina. Shown here in operation in 1989!

BHP - Australia

NP Fuel Tender - Pasco, Washington 1973

NP Fuel Car 862, Pasco, Washington July, 1973

The Challenger is gone, but the tender remains.

BN Caboose Heritage

BN Caboose 10257 in GN red, Parkwater Spokane, July 1973

BN Caboose 10067 in GN blue - Parkwater Spokane, July 1973

BN Caboose 10067 in GN blue - Parkwater Spokane, July 1973

BN Caboose 10256 in GN red - Parkwater Spokane, July 1973

Former SP&S baywindow whitelined at Vancouver, Washington

BN Caboose 10260 in GN blue - Parkwater Spokane, July 1973

A real NP relic at Pasco with a brave little tree.

BN 10360, former CB&Q welded caboose at OE Yard, Albany, Oregon 1973

And on a clear day you can see Buena Park!

View Larger Map

Pan to the left a bit, and you will see a stunning shadow formed by the Matterhorn.

Fuzz Bass, Fuzz Bass, Fuzz Bass, FUZZ BASS!!!!!

Musical Interlude - SVT - No Regrets

The early Eighties weren't all about synth pop. After Hot Tuna broke up in the late Seventies, Jack Casady helped form SVT and found a musical genius in Brian Marnell. I met Brian back behind the Country Club niteclub in Reseda before a show. He was gone too soon. If you can find the vinyl, buy it!

Superior Wisconsin - September 2006

A flock of Assistant Yardmasters supervise a switch movement at BNSF Superior Yard,  September 2006

BNSF SD9 6128 is ex Colorado and Southern

An elephant style EMD popsicle.

Not sure, but I think this inbound loaded coal train is on the old NP line.

Who let the GE in the yard!

More inbound coal at N. 28th St.

The Superior coal terminal as seen from Duluth.

A 40 year old former Santa Fe SD39.

N. 28th St. Superior, Wisconsin