The Daily Commuter

Ever been a train commuter? Can you remember what was it like before automatic sliding doors, air conditioning, PA announcements, and passengers tuned to their  electronic gizmos?

I experienced the life of a daily commuter during the summers of my youth, and later, when trains took me to my local JC. My memory is full of small moments that made lasting impressions. If you're interested in commuter trains, stay tuned for a Wheels of Time announcement, coming soon.

In the meantime, to satisfy your inner old-school railroading habit, I'll share some of my memories, some of the daily rituals I had on SP's commute trains before Caltrain, before the internet, and all the gizmos we use to block out the world.

Inside SP's suburban coach. Newspaper from my collection.What was it like? ... I remember reading the Chronicle in the morning, and the Examiner in the evening; flipping the 'walkover seat' to face backwards to have a friendly chat with a fellow passenger; playing a hand of poker on the wooden board located at each end of the commute car - provided by "your friendly SP."
(Need to catch up on your sleep? No problem. The conductor would rattle your seat with his ticket puncher to wake you in time for your stop.)

Eastbound (by timetable) evening SP commute train stopping at San Bruno in March 1983. Notice the red marker light on the suburban coach ("subs" were class 72-IC-1, 2, 3)
I remember the smooth but gentle swaying of the coach with the ever-familiar click-clack on the jointed rails. It was pretty easy to guess the speed of the train by the timing of the click-clack.

I remember the conductor singing out each stop ... "BROAD-way,  broad-WAY", and hearing the release of air brakes and the slamming of the vestibule trap doors, and the scurrying of passengers with their briefcases and Chronicles.

I remember the conductor's wave of the hand to the engineer that all were onboard. Vestibule trap doors closed and trap doors on the other side (where the platforms will be located at the next station-stop) are opened.

My first Cal-Trans Southern Pacific monthly pass, pre-Caltrain era

The conductor and the brakemen collect our money, punch our tickets, and wedge a zone stub into the clip on the seat, actions repeated a thousand times a day.

As the train makes its way through the many tunnels in San Francisco, passengers instinctively close their windows. The final stop is called: Fourth and Townsend. The train eases it way through the maze of track work before you reach the depot. The brakeman opens the trap doors and vestibule doors, and gets a head start on ratcheting the car's hand brake. The train squeals to a stop and everybody rushes off. Out of the sea of humanity, a commuter waves good morning, reaches up and gives his Chronicle to the engineer. As the sun sets, the tide of humanity is reversed and the rhythm is played over again.

Train Action around Stockton

I like trains. It's my hope that this passion is reflected in the work I do at Wheels of Time, and especially in our commitment to authenticity. Authenticity in train modeling comes from a connection to the past. I've had a lot of opportunities to explore sites that are no more: It's sad to see beatiful and interesting sites disappear, but the memories serve to keep my love of trains alive. Here are photos that I took in Stockton, California on July 19, 1997 -- a fascinating site where the former Santa Fe Railway, Southern Pacific Railroad, and Western Pacific Railroad converged. The context: in July, 1997, the Santa Fe Railway had merged with Burlington Northern seven months prior; Western Pacific had already disappeared under a sea of UP yellow and Southern Pacific was headed that way too. Fast forward 13 years: warbonnet Santa Fe diesels, BN green livery, SP scarlet, red and gray are all now just snap-shots of history. Central California Traction survives, in contrast to expectations in 1997, but much has changed. The venerable interlocking tower is gone.

What period in history do you model? Return with me to the busy and varied action back in July 19, 1997. Maybe your next layout could model this interesting crossroads of history?

Surprised: Westbound BN geep running abnormally long hood-forward with a string of pigs bound for Richmond. Maybe the lead engine went dead and was set-out.Horns blowing, southbound Amtrak San Joaquin announces it’s arrival.Minutes later another westward BNSF piggy-back train lead by Santa Fe’s Warbonnet GE C40-8W heads across UP's ex-Western Pacific diamondInterlocking tower provides traffic control on BNSF’s Stockton Subdivision and UP lines; here Southern Pacific engines head up a northbound UP freightCentral California Traction, originally conceived in 1905 as a streetcar system providing the people of Stockton mobility (hence “traction” in the name). At one time, 600-volt “juice jacks” provided locomotion for it’s trainsEMD GP7 No. 60 at the CCT shops, remembering the better days as Reading Railroad No. 607CCT No. 1795, an ex-Rock Island GP18, slumbering

BN Locomotive Shops

Last week I posted photos of Union Pacific's ancient CP/SP West Oakland Diesel Shops.  Here are photos from a more modern diesel locomotive shop on the Burlington Northern.  The first two photos are from Alliance, Nebraska in 1978. The Alliance shop complex services nearly one-fourth of BN's locomotive fleet. Study the details: there are a wealth of modeling possibilities here.

Notice the drop table on the bottom left to change out wheel sets and traction motors; and the overhead P&H crane on the top right of the photo.The silver tanks (located on the aerial structure above the trains) hold sand for the locomotives' sanding boxes. Sand is used to provide extra traction on slippery rails. The big GE U-Boat locomotive is being fueled with diesel no. 2 at a rate of 600 gallons a minute.A view from the inspection pit.

Old--Really Old--Landmark. Perfect modeler's project!

Looking out to UP's locomotive refueling rackTake a good look and cry. As of the end of September 2010, this relic is now history. Obsolete from Omaha's point of view. The seismic fault lines in the area have rendered final judgment for any unreinforced brick buildings. You would be right to protest: it's been in continuous use for some 126-years, making it THE oldest type of this kind in the Golden State, having lasted through the big ones of 1906 and 1989.

Inspection Pit with elevated walkwayHumble beginnings: Built in West Oakland in 1874 as the Central Pacific's Car Shop. Later became the Southern Pacific Car Shop. Modified in 1902 with a building addition, and again in 1942 with the removal of the elegant arched doorways to handle the famous UP-SP-CNW joint train called  "City of San Francisco Streamliner". From that time on, the facility was known appropriately as "The Streamliner Shop."  

Brick arched work over the doors, and to the right, modified opening to fit the City Streamliner train set

Tool room, a 1902 additionIt was further altered in 1949, '54, and '58, including the addition of four inspection pits, elevated service walkways, enclosed machine shop, and a Drop Pit Building -  for changing out wheel sets and electric traction motors. It served Espee's vast empire of diesel locomotives faithfully from the west end of it's Western Division. Countless mechanics, electricians, painters, and others clocked-in to fill 24 hours a day, and called it home. How many diesels like ALCo PA's, EMD SD-45's, and GP-9's were serviced here? How many gothic "SP" initials were reapplied here? How many D-77 traction motors were changed out?

Drop pit to change out wheel sets and traction motors

You can almost hear the talk of shop mechanics, the blaring of megaphones, the clanging of metal on metal, the hiss of the air being released, and the chant of two-stroke cycle of 645E3 and 567 idling impatiently, like race horses ready to go again. Can't capture that again, you might say.220 volt megaphone

Close up of brick work: don't make them like this anymoreBut look again: with a wealth of details, it's a modelers delight. Double gable-roof, arched brick doorways, 24-lite fixed sash windows in segmental-arched fenestration, pilasters carry up into the gable ends, and a loco or two with hood doors swung opened showing green inside.

Model that, and remember a way-of-life.

*All photos by Matthew Young, Sept. 24, 2010. Feel free to repost, but please credit Matthew Young and link back to Wheels of Time (Not for commercial use!)

Close view of drop pit tableElevated walkway detail

More of Robert Diepenbrock's Harriman Headend Cars

As is plainly visible from these pictures, Robert is a master at model building. We've featured his kitbashing before, and I am always impressed.  Here's more of his work drawing from Wheels of Time stock.  They are SP Class 69-BP-30-3 RPO -Baggage-Express cars that we produced a number of years ago. Thanks again for the pictures, Robert!