SP Peninsula Commute

A look at the twilight of SP commuter operations out of San Francisco a few months before the advent of CalTrans. These videos were taken by my late friend Bill Farmer on February 26, 1985. First and second generation diesels abound with GP9, SD9, GP40P and SDP45 models, as well as a pair of SW1500's building consists. These scenes were taken from the sidewalk along Townsend St. looking into the engine facility and towards the new station dating from the 1970's.

[@David-nl1zt]

When all the other kids were off playing sports, or playing video games, I was down train watching on the espee, all over the west coast. I never thought I'd be looking back 35 years later on KZbin, feeling a little sedimental of what I got to see with my own eyes as a young man growing up. Long live the happy memories!

[@jontenbroeck7617]

My father, sister and I all worked for SP on the commute fleet

[@mwand89]

I just loved that engine sound of EMD's second generation diesels when they idle in the yards.

[@robertlopez7988]

Chills on my forearms, too, Mabry. Those different lights schemes on the roof/nose are ultra-cool, why don't those Hobby stores have these in stock ? They will make serious business for train buffs like us. Cheers !

[@tallpaul9475]

Feels like just yesterday. Time sure does fly.

[@michlo3393]

The Southern Pacific with its lax attendance policy and exorbitant pay was one helluva place to work. Most guys complained until the UP took over and they all realized how good they once had it.

[@trekkeruss]

I grew up in San Mateo and later Foster City. I loved trains, and it was a special treat when mom would take me into the city on the train. I always wanted to ride on the upper level of the bi-level cars. I rode in the suburban cars once or twice; too bad I did not appreciated them more. I wish I could find pictures or home movies of the model railroad club layout that I remember seeing at the San Mateo county fairgrounds. I also remember the SP steam locomotive that was displayed there as well. Thank you for the video.

[@UncleKenable]

Wow! Very cool. In 1985 camcorders used VHS tape to record on and the lens and recording systems not the best. Plus, they cost a small fortune - like a couple of grand). They were big and bulky so any railfan who had one and shot video of the SP was ahead of their time

[@terrywitkowski6937]

A big thumbs-up FMNUT.

[@jimikrentkowski4073]

I found out SP had Pullman-Standard cars by way of a Walthers Catalogue! Of course had to check and see on You Tube and fmnut has a cool video!

[@seanycarr3226]

The Southern Pacific - California's answer to the Chicago & North Western in Chicago. Nice way for the commuters to go by train from San Francisco to San Jose.

[@straightto8]

Great material, used to ride the SP commutes a lot when I was younger, then into the Caltrain era. And 15yrs later I’m working on the commutes as a trainman, later engineer under Amtrak’s care.

[@JDsHouseofHobbies]

Wow! This brings back so many great memories. I used to layover in SF and would park down by the station and watch trains, and I grew up in the San Jose area near the Santa Clara station. The SP switcher crew even let me ride with them in their SW1500. Who knows, it might even have been the one in this video.

[@jasonpeachrick2037]

What an awesome sight (and sounds). Seeing 4450 and 4451 working together is pretty cool, as the 50 is no longer with us and 51 rests (derelict) only about 20 miles away from where I live in Schellville.

[@spacecalander]

This was amazing history piece thanks for the memories.

[@testpattern701]

I remember when the commute fleet consisted of all Fairbanks Morse Train Masters. I used to commute between the city and California Avenue. Those single-decker "sub" cars were antiques at the time. Fond memories.

[@fmnut]

See my "SP Fairbanks Morse Train masters" video. It should bring back even more memories. Thanks for watching.

[@AleDLTrainsTravel]

Definitely, a piece of history. I loved EMD turbo roaring, great video fmnut, as always! Thanks for sharing!

[@Gretschdude1412]

4450 and 4451 together was a cool sight. Love the turbo whine of the sdp45s. Also pretty sure I saw 3194 in there too.

[@mow4ncry]

I run the 3194 now at the Golden gate railroad Museum

[@gabrielquinones3343]

Pretty neat During the early years of Caltrains new f49phs They had the emergency light and oscillating light They have since removed them

[@mow4ncry]

Got to love that EMD smoke EPA eat your heart out LOL

[@mow4ncry]

I probably work on some of those cars now we have three of the subs at the Niles canyon railway, three of the subs and three bi-levels at the Golden gate railroad Museum and gp9 3194

[@austinyingst5902]

A much neglected model and prototype aspect of rail fans. Nicely done. Thanks.

[@basilorloff1237]

Great Stuff sure do miss the old Southern Pacific

[@iusetano]

I loved watching. Excellent video.

[@hotrail8295]

Thanks for sharing these memories.. Good stuff

[@railroadjim]

Thanks for sharing these awesome recordings!

[@JuhaVnt]

Nice video! Railway history ❤️ Thumbs up and like 👍🏼 Greetings from Finland, Juha :)

[@ShoresRailfan]

Great nostalgia video for me. I worked in San Francisco from 1969 to 1979 and rode SP commute trains between there and San Carlos. Interesting side note - for a couple of years I worked in the big blue China Basin Building seen in the background of several clips.

[@Rubycon99]

What kind of building was it?

[@ShoresRailfan]

Rubycon99 I believe it was originally a multi-story warehouse where ocean going ships off-loaded their cargo.

[@Rubycon99]

@@ShoresRailfan That's cool, I find the City's industrial history really interesting. What were they using it for when you were there? I kinda lost my "I'm bored and wanna wander around" spot when Mission Bay was redeveloped :P I took a lot of pictures down there for photography class in high school.

[@utubewatcher806]

Looks similar to Chicago although I have not seen Wabash/N&W commuters.

[@rickeyhall4254]

I use to work Right across the street at a Warehouse back in 1980,82 seen Action in the Morning and Afternoon.

[@desertbob6835]

The commutes....where several Western Division men made their conductor's date and later got set up as engineers. Not quite the same without the TMs, though. Nothing shown here, including the "hot wired" SDPs, could equal them in accelleration!

[@fmnut]

There are a few SDPs on commutes in the video, not sure if they were hot wired at that time.

[@StevenTorrey]

What I'm looking for is a video of the old SP train Depot that stood at 3rd & Townsend.

[@raritania7581]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYvSmXqYfqqAgbs It's in this video. Probably not what you wanted but I thought of your comment when I saw the video.

[@StevenTorrey]

@@raritania7581 Thanks....

[@raritania7581]

@@StevenTorrey You're welcome.

[@rickeyhall4254]

Also I use to go to bay shore yard in seen the same power and more there back in the late seventies and early eighties.

[@seanycarr3226]

Just wondering - did Southern Pacific's bilevels come out in the 1970s? I know most of the Chicago & North Western's bilevels came out in the 1960s.

[@fmnut]

31 cars built in 1955-57 by ACF and Pullman Standard. 15 cars built 1968 by Pullman Standard. Total 46 cars in use until 1985 when replaced by CalTrain.

[@seanycarr3226]

@@fmnut Okeedokee thanks for the info

[@Spanderson99]

fmnut Did they have any heating/ac on these cars? Without opening windows, it seems like the California sun would turn those bilevels into a sauna!

[@fmnut]

@@Spanderson99 Steam heat supplied from the locomotives. The Harriman coaches were open window. The gallery cars had on board diesel generator on each car for A/C.

[@Spanderson99]

fmnut thanks for the info. Some great footage here of a truly unique operation.

[@3chimerailfan982]

What were those flashing lights called like on the GP9's? because those looked cool.

[@fmnut]

Generically, they were called "oscillating beam" warning lights or headlights. The original type was the Mars Light, which described a figure eight pattern. A simplified version was made by Pyle National called the Gyralight with a circular pattern and less complicated mechanism. An electronic version made by Mercor caled the Oscitrol light had no moving parts. All were early warning devices to warn motorists at crossings and personnel on the track, similar to the "ditch lights" used today. I believe the ones on the SP Geeps were Gyralights.

[@jimo199966]

SP always had the best lighting package. I'm thinking they were pretty unique among properties. I still think that the Mars or Gyra lights offer much more warning power than ditch lights. Oddly enough I was working at the Greyhound shop down on 7th St from '79 - '86. Man, the memories.

[@trainzguy2472]

Where did they wye the power in SF? Somewhere near the present-day hospital?

[@fmnut]

Yes. At the current location of Mariposa Park, there was a large roundhouse and turntable, known as the Mission Bay roundhouse. Just north of that was a wye where locos or entire trains were turned. The entire area of the current hospital complex was a freight yard and freight depot for public distribution of cargo.

[@lunges62]

I don't think had any bi-level cab cars.

[@westernpacificrr]

They didn’t. Are you asking this because Caltrain does?

[@tommythomason6187]

Are these SDP45's? How can one tell the difference between a straight SD45 freight engine and an SDP unit? They both have the flared vents at the rear of the long hood.

[@fmnut]

At 7:12 the unit reversing is an SDP45. The SP versions which were equipped with steam generators for passenger service had the squared off end and ladder steps. Standard SD45's had a pointed end and full step arrangement as well as shorter frames. Erie-Lackawanna purchased SDP45's with standard EMD rear ends/steps simply to get the longer frame so they could have larger fuel tanks, using the extra length plus the portion of the tank used for boiler water in the passenger equipped units. SP and Great Northern had the passenger versions, while E-L's were freight only. A total of 52 were built.

[@rickeyhall4254]

Amtrak Borrowed them,they where order to To Replace the PA,EA units.Amtrak on Borrow six of the ten.

[@rickeyhall4254]

They were made Manufactured in 1967,Amtrak didn't exist until 1971.

[@Henry5623]

@@spacetruckerrob A bit of a correction/fill in on some information here. The SP only had 10 SDP45’s which were ordered on May 9, 1966. The units were placed into active passenger service between May 24 and July 26 of that same year with them being primarily used on long distance SP passenger trains like the City of San Francisco but eventually ended up system wide after SP dropped long distance passenger service. Amtrak didn’t even begin operations until May 1, 1971 so no the SP SDP45’s weren’t ordered for Amtrak. They were however leased to Amtrak between 1971 and 1973 primarily being used on long distance west coast traffic such as the Coast Starlight. SP was still using their 16 FM H24-66 Trainmasters in commute operations so they had little hesitation with leasing out there SDP45’s to Amtrak. However the FM’s started being taken out of service after Christmas of 1973 when the first two SDP45’s (#3200 and #3205) were released from their lease to Amtrak and were placed back in SP’s commute pool operations as the aging FM’s were being replaced. By the end of 1974 all of SP’s SDP45’s that Amtrak had leased were off lease and back on SP property taking over commute pool operations as the FM’s were slowly being retired. Amtrak had no further interest in leasing the SDP45’s from SP as they had only done so as they were waiting on new orders of SDP40F-2’s to arrive to take over long distance passenger service operations. The SP SDP45’s would linger on in commute pool operations until 1978 when they were pulled from Peninsula service to comply with ICC orders regarding freight units having to be used in freight service. However after 1980 the SDP45’s would once again find themselves in lease operations with the newly formed CalTrain service which took over financial responsibility for commuter operations in the San Francisco Peninsula. They would remain under lease until CalTrain’s new F40PH’s were delivered in 1985. After 1985 the SDP45’s would finally be decommissioned from any form of passenger service and received the necessary modifications to ready them for freight only operations where they would work until retirement. A few were lucky to make it into the UP merger although all have sense been retired. Hopefully that helps to fill in some blanks.

[@spacetruckerrob]

Henry. Makes sense! Regarding the dates! In a Railroad Model Craftsman article , they stated something to that affect , by saying that the SP had plenty of commute power thanks to the Orphaned , thanks to Amtrak SDP 45’s I guess they meant off lease! Thanks for correction!

[@brucetharpe762]

What is the state of this lovely station here as of today?

[@fmnut]

Gone. Replaced with modern platforms in the area of the filming of this video.

[@Rubycon99]

A lot of the old SP tracks in this area are gone. The area is pretty unrecognizable these days from what's seen in this video. Almost all of the old industrial buildings here have been replaced with hipster condos and medical buildings.

[@rickeyhall4254]

Got to run 3197,3206,2696,at bayshore,when 3197 was still in the Bicentennial scheme.

[@amtraklover]

Cool. On average what was it like doing a commute run? Also did you ever see the 4449 in excursion service?

[@rickeyhall4254]

Plenty Action after 3:30pm till 6:30 pm.

[@rickeyhall4254]

I seen 4449 back in 1976 in the Freedom Train paint scheme.

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

I never knew SP was around long enough to even get those modern bi levels

[@mikehawk2003]

They weren't modern, they were built between 1956-1968 for the SP.

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

@@mikehawk2003 there more modern than the Pullmans most other roads were still using

[@mikehawk2003]

@@ReadingAreaRailfan Well yes because railroads stop purchasing new passenger equipment by the late 50's. These are SP's last passenger cars and even after they continued to use coaches from the 1920s up until 1985.

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

@@mikehawk2003 which is why i said their modern

[@anthonypinkerton1809]

I wish something could've ben done about the tracking of the video, very hard to watch.

[@fmnut]

Are you talking about the random pixellation or the static at the bottom of the frame?

[@anthonypinkerton1809]

@@fmnut The random pixelization; I realize that the video was lost likely 8mm or 16mm film first put on VHS then transferred to DVD, but there must be a way to solve the random pixelization without distorting the picture?

[@fmnut]

@@anthonypinkerton1809 That pixel thing had nothing to do with the original tape or my edit, both were fine. It was a problem I was having with KZbin at the time, I have a couple of others with the same issue though not as bad. I will re upload it.

[@fmnut]

@@anthonypinkerton1809 By the way, this was originally recorded on VHS with a camcorder, not transferred from film. The tape I had was a direct copy from the original, which accounts for the slightly muddy quality. It was digitized direct from the VHS copy.

[@fmnut]

Well, I tried a really upload but KZbin won't let me do it. So if you want a copy, email me at [e-mail] and we'll work something out.