The time has come for me to shift the operating era of my SP Cascade Line back into the 1950s. Such an era shift was always part of my plan for the railroad as I had interests and equipment in both the 1980s and 1950s. The 1980s interest reflected my extensive railfan photography period when I had returned to the West Coast following schooling and Army service on the East Coast. The 1950s formed my earliest memories of railroading.
As I noted in a previous blog post, the choice of operating era and equipment for my railroad was initially driven by ease of equipping the locomotives for Digital Command Control (DCC) compounded by an abundance of new, highly detailed rolling stock. My 1950s locomotives were mostly DC-analog for control and required hard-wiring of decoders in many cases. While I had a fair selection of rolling stock for the era, especially the passenger trains, the freight car fleet would need significant enlargement for my new basement-filling railroad. Since the railroad became active in 2015, I have acquired additional 1950s locomotives—many with decoders already installed and others with easy installation paths. Similarly—and quite surprisingly—several key building blocks of the 1950s freight car fleet have been produced in recent years.
With my usual two-month break in my operating schedule centered around a non-railroad activity weekend around July 4, I spotted a great time to make the major equipment swap. That led to declaring my June 6 (D-Day!) operating session to be the last of the 1984 operation.
A proper celebration for the change of operating eras was called for!
My regular operating crew was alerted throughout the Spring of the impending event and was eager to participate. The June 6, session was the 96th on the full mainline and Number One Hundred when I count the several partial railroad operating sessions conducted starting in 2014 as the railroad was under construction. Three of the four operators of the very first such session were present for this “End of Era” session, with the fourth operator called away on granddad duty.
Follow along in photos and captions as we tour the railroad one last time with gray and scarlet SP locos.
Eugene Arrival-Departure Yard Switcher Randall P. controls his switcher deep into one of the reverse loop tracks that form this yard while Yardmaster Vic N. watches.
Eugene Yardmaster Pat L. (right) watches as West Switcher Rick A. (center) classifies cars in the yard. In the distance, Mike L. (center, rear) reaches to uncouple a car at the Eugene Planing Mill. A Springfield area local freight crew is on the other side of the aisle working the RR-East end of Springfield.
Engineer Loren M. and Conductor Mike L. work the Springfield-B job which switches industries on the aisle side of the mainline in Springfield.
Later on, the Springfield-B crew must wait as a through freight passes on the mainline, crewed by Jim L. (black shirt, left). Note that the aisle is wide enough to permit a lot of operators to be near their trains in spite of the heavy switching taking place on both sides of the aisle.
On the other side of the Springfield track lobe is the Marcola Branch area and in the distance, Westfir. Engineer Greg P. (seated on a stool in deference to joint issues) guides his RR-Eastbound train past Westfir and around the Marcola area as he heads toward Springfield.
Early in the session, Engineer Mark K. and Conductor Jim M. worked the Western Lumber complex at Westfir. Engineer Greg P. (back showing) is behind them controlling his train at Wicopee, the mid-point siding on the mountain climb.
Just past Westfir, the Oakridge Turn crew switches tank cars for the helper engine facilities located in Oakridge. Helper Engineer Rodger C. (blue denim shirt, center) watches their efforts. In the background, Craig P. watches from the Cascade Summit platform as his train works upgrade through tunnels toward the summit.
Helper Engineers Rodger C. (blue denim shirt) and John B. (green shirt) work their light helpers back down grade around an uphill (RR-West) train at Wicopee. Noisy Creek Trestle is in the corner in the background and Cruzatte is above us to the left.
Engineer Greg P. has been holding at Wicopee for the light helper move.
A RR-East train drifts down-grade over the Salt Creek Trestle, a signature element of the Cascade Line.
A RR-West train exits Tunnel 5 and its rock shed on the climb to the summit.
Helper Engineer Rodger C. uncouples his locomotives from the midst of Jim L’s. train upon arrival at Cascade Summit.
Managing all the traffic on the railroad was Dispatcher Dave H., one of the regular Dispatchers for the railroad.
I was surprised by a framed certificate signed by the crew for this final 1984 operation on my SP Cascade Line. Thanks Guys!
