Spadra and the Summer San Gabriels

SP 9600 W. Spadra, California - July 1992

This photo was taken at the same location of the snow covered Mt. Baldy shot, but from the other side of the tracks, and in summer. To the left is Mt. Baldy, to the right is Ontario Peak, and the saddle between the two is almost invisible due to the smog, and that reminds me of a story. I knew of someone who moved to Pomona late in the spring from the Midwest. All summer and early fall he went about the business of establishing his new life in Southern California. Then one fall night, a Santa Ana Wind blew up. The next morning he went outside and was stunned to see a wall of mountains behind the city.

On the point of this train is SP's first GP60, 9600. The appearance of the nose is remarkable in that as the locomotive was delivered in the post Gyralite era, the unit actually has the stock EMD nose indent for the nose headlight.