Southern Pacific by the Bay

See the SP “commutes” on the Peninsula in late steam and early diesel days. Visit the old Third & Townsend Station where the SP Coastline really begins. Don’t miss the FM Train Master era, including the smaller FM H-12-44 switchers in various San Francisco Peninsula yards – such as the extinct Bay Shore Yard.

Learn the mechanical details of the FM opposed-piston diesel engines with animated cut-away graphics. 

At one time, there were plenty of freight trains on the SF Peninsula working their way around the fast and numerous SP commuter trains. 

The old 1920 Harriman type commuter coaches and the first bi-level are seen behind passenger GP9s, SD-9s and FM trainmasters. Newer power includes the powerful SDP45 machines and the smaller GP40Ps – even in 1976 Bi-Centennial colors!

We bring lots of old ALCO, Baldwin, FM and early EMD power. And, we have that on vintage film. 

Also, we bring more freight action on the Eastbay side and visit the old W. Oakland Yard. See the ALCO switchers and older EMD switchers work the yard alongside the heavt road locomotives at the sand tower. Ride former SP passenger GP9 5623 down Oakland streets switching freight for the Oakland Terminal Railway, on former Key System tracks. 

The remaining freight on the San Francisco side of the Bay features more street running in the last years of any freight operation on the peninsula 

We work our way down to see some yard switching and freight run-throughs in Santa Clara Yard. We stop by the San Jose passenger station to see some local freights that we’ll follow out to the Permanente Plant on the Vasona branch. These locals use up to 3 locomotives to pull long, heavy trains of hoppers with a trailing caboose. There are many other surprises that you won’t soon forget.