Late 70's Southern Pacific and Santa Fe Railfanning including Tehachapi Loop

[TheBerkeleyGang]

Some very rare (to me at least) stuff. Not one but two SP U28Cs (@1:25 ish). SP's RC master SD40T-2 (8303) controling helpers with a BN Radio Control Car? Wow - I thought the RCC demo predated the SD40T-2s, and sold SP on the concept, and the BN equipment was returned before SP ordered the Master/Slave SD40T-2s. Thank you so much for sharing these films. Please - more!

[Cornelu]

@TheBerkeleyGang Thanks for commenting as well as all the info.

[espeeboy]

@TheBerkeleyGang Agreed, cool video/film conversion! Based on the shiny coat of paint on the SP8303 at 2:05, guessing this is either later 1974 or early 1975 when the first Master SD40T-2's were still fresh on the property. Would be interesting to know when exactly the BN RCC's were returned to up North...

[alladinmoua]

Cool! Thanks for uploading these historical clips. It was very interesting seeing significant numbers of older 2nd-generation EMDs and early GEs intermixing with the newer tunnel motors and SD45s of that time.

From what I learned, SP and Santa Fe were experimenting with remote controlled helpers and SP borrowed some SD40-2 masters and modified B-Unit slaves from BN to see if the idea was plausible.

[Cornelu]

@alladinmoua Thanks for posting. That's really interesting info. I remember from an issue of Trains Magazine that DPU technology actually came out in the 60's but remote control even that far back would have been sweet.

[alladinmoua]

@Cornelu

Thank you. Both wanted to use the technology for the Tehachapis and Cajon Pass but the tunnels and rugged terrain interfered with the radio helpers. Santa Fe's experiment only lasted from 1969-1970 because of a nasty accident inside Tunnel 5 where the helpers broke a train into 5 pieces. SP started in 1974 but it too suffered a serious derailment on its Palmdale Cutoff in 1977. After each, the idea was banished to their transcontinental mainlines.

(Sorry, I'm such an SP nerd........)

[Cornelu]

@alladinmoua LOL don't be sorry. I'm a huge fan of SP also so all the info is very much appreciated.

[TheBerkeleyGang]

@alladinmoua Revitalized for SP's hot coast intermodal trains, where a GP40X master was MU'd to a GP40-2, and coupled (without direct MU) to a second GP40-2 MU'd to a GP40X slave - the BALAT/LABAT. All 4 units on the head end. Technology must have greatly improved to enable today's DPU operations.