I have bought two PA1 and two PB1 and ordered two E8/9 to use to my Morning Daylight train.
I would like to know in what combination did they use the diesels after the GS-4 was retired?
Nils, As I see you are Sweden, I won’t try to force Richard Wright’s excellent book on the Coast Daylight upon you (US readers SHOULD look it up!). Instead, I’ll try to summarize. The GS-4’s, et al, were pulled off in 1954, final runs behind steam in very early 1955. Coast Daylight power was drawn from the Los Angeles passenger pool which included the E-7/-8/-9’s and some of the PA’s (generally PA-2 and PA-3 models. By the late 1950’s (and even in 1955), SP was mixing power in this pool such that the PA’s could be seen mixed with the E’s. Pure Alco or EMD consists were seen also, so this really is an area where you can choose what you want on any given day. The typical Daylight of that era (presumably up through the June, 1958 paint standard change) required three of these units, generally (with the usual issues of a generalization…) in A-B-A configuration. Now for the “nit-picking”: SP rostered five E-7A, 10 E-7B, one E-8A (6018) and 9 E-9A’s. Note only the E-7B’s as B-units. Alco PA’s numbered 39 units mated to 13 PB’s. Generally speaking, the PA-1’s belonged to the Oakland passenger pool, used on the Overland and Shasta Routes. The PA/PB-1’s were rebuilt in the mid-1950’s, with the PA’s losing their distinctive gutter trim strip behind the cab at this time. For your Coast Daylight operations, the LA pool had PA-2 and PA-3 units, none of which had that distinctive drip strip. That said, the nature of your question implies to me this won’t be a big issue for you, so go ahead, run a PA/PB/E-9 consist with your Coast Daylight and enjoy! Have Fun!
Beaver has pretty much got it nailed down. Motive power usually consisted of A/B, A/A, or A/B/A combinations.
By the mid-1960s, scarlet-nosed FP7As, F7As, and F7Bs were used, usually in an A/B combination. Also, silver-with-red-striped cars became common then, but with Daylighted-painted cars mixed among them.
Mark
Thank you very much for the information. There seems that Kato have choosen the wrong model of PA/B when they painted the PA/B1 in the Morning Daylight colors. I will enjoy my train anyway. (I also have the GS-4 so sometimes I will be running it with steam.).
Oakland-assigned PAs would likely have snowplow pilots since they were used on the snowy Shasta (Cascade Mountains) and Overland (Sierra Nevada Mountains) routes.
I’m now looking at a June 29, 1959 photo of the Coast Daylight. (Actually, its the Oakland Daylight that normally connected with the Coast Daylight at San Jose, but the Coast Daylight couldn’t originate in San Francisco that day because of disruption on the San Francisco peninsula.) The train is powered by PA-2 #6030 (with snowplow pilot), followed by E7As #6000 and #6017, and E9A #6049. So here is an example of an A/A/A/A lashup. The first three units are lined up elephant-style (cabs facing forward). Only the PA-2 and E9A had dynamic brakes. The E7s did not, and that’s one reason (there were others) why the S.P. didn’t favor Es on steeper mountainous routes.
Mark
… and PAs based in Los Angeles would most likely not have snowplow pilots.
My Dad bought me tickets for the Coast Daylight from Glendale, CA to Oakland in 1954. The train pulled into Glendale with three PA units. It was a beautiful trip up to San Jose. While we were stopped I could feel some jostling in my car and then we sped along the Bay, Now and then a wisp of smoke would pass by my window. When I got off the train in at 16th st there was a GS 4-8-4, some headend mail cars and our Daylight cars. What a wonderful surprise.
Rob