WP Tidewater Southern Pictures

Here we see an SW1500 on the Modesto to Turlock local headed south. The Tuolumne River trestle was a neat location, but rather trying to photograph.

Greg

 

This image was taken on an empty grain train returning to Stockton. It is about half way between Modesto and Turlock. We had three ex-WP GP-35's for power. We hit Modesto right at morning rush hour with this train; luckily it was empty and easy to run down Ninth Street.

Greg

 

Here we see a loaded grain train going down 9th St. in the middle of the day. UP tried to run them at night, but sometimes they arrived at a time that UP had no choice but to run them in the day.

Greg

 

This set of engines has just come off 9th St. and is headed north to get the rest of their train. On days that the train was heavy, WP would add a second engine to the usual 2009, hence the U23B. The crew would leave part of their train outside of town and deliver the cars for the M&ET. Then return for the rest of their train to take it on to the small yard south of Modesto, called Rogers. There the Modesto Turlock job would switch their cars for industries south of Modesto.

Greg

 

As I am only familiar with their name, can you fill in a little background on the M&ET?



Boxcab E50

 

The M&ET started out as an inter-urban in the early 1900's. It ran east and west between Modesto and Empire. It connected with the Santa Fe in Empire eventually and the SP and WP in Modesto. It also didn't stay a passenger railroad long, but soon ran a thriving short line. Their claim to fame was five miles of mainline and 25 miles of sidings and industry track. They are the railroad that scrapped most of the Yosemite Valley steam engines that Pearlman bought. Today, they serve some big name industries such as Gallo Wines. Their motive power is GE 70 tonners that they keep in immaculate condition. They rebuild them and have 12 IIRC. If you want to know more, I will have to dig up my books. As to a web page, there maybe one.

Greg

 

Shannon

The trestle burnt down in early 2000 IIRC. I have a copy of the Modesto Bee article somewhere. Ted Benson wrote it, as one would expect.

Greg

 

Greg-

Thanks for the info. I had no idea that the M&ET still existed. I surmised it had been an interurban. Would be fun to find a web site for some current photos, etc.



Boxcab E50

 

Dave,

I shot and ran on the TS up till early 1999. Those big units on 9th street were neat, got to intimidate a few truckers with them. I never did shoot down from the parking garage, meant to but never got around to it. It was a sad day when they severed the street running, but it made the run a lot less stressful.

So, where do you live now Dave? I'm in Reno, and visit Modesto two or three times a year.

Greg

 

Well, those are nice shots Dave. Sure bring back memories. I don't remember you or your vehicles, but then I was dodging all kinds of traffic. I remember spotting the P&G plant, going through the peach orchard. We would line up the cars, to spot with the doors to be unloaded at the dock side. Towards the end, we were just spotting box cars of raw product and the Pampers were shipped out in trucks. I wonder if anyone else has taken up the building or if it sits empty.

I still work for the UP, as a yard engineer in Sparks.

Thanks for sharing your TS shots and don't hesitate to add to them. I will be scanning more of my stuff this weekend.

Greg

 

Ah the old project and shoot method. Been there and done that.

I left Modesto in June 1999. I started working west out of Portola then bid a yard job in Sparks in October 2000. I've been over Donner, but not as a qualified engineer. It is a cool run; problem is you end up in Roseville.

I missed the last runs on 9th street, and the closing of the depot in Modesto. I did get to see some of the SP and D&RGW power, but at that time we were using SP and D&RGW GP40-2's on the Reno branch. It was a neat period, UP still hadn't started their convoluted power assignments and retirements.

Greg