Of PT Cruisers and 70 tonners

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Here’s a shot from just a couple years ago, back when PT Cruisers still ran on the Coast Line.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=321603

And from a little earlier on the same day, one of the Santa Maria Valley 70 tonners running through the fields.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=321593

Does anyone know if Santa Maria Valley assigns any kind of symbols to their trains?

2

Great photos as usual, Charles. One question though – why is that train/locomotive called a PT Cruiser?

3

Thanks Ty… PT Cruiser was a nickname that the Metrolink dispatchers came up with. The trains used to be MWCPDs, and everyone called them PeeDees.

Then the symbol changed to MWCPT and someone at Metrolink came up with PT Crusier (named after the car obviously).

I had heard them call them just “Cruisers” too.

Unfortuantely, UP dropped thet train for a West Colton to Roseville train shortly after I took that picture, and then not too long after that, moved the Roseville train to go up the Valley, leaving the Coast without a standard manifest (There was a short lived train from GEMCO to Guadalupe, which was then dropped… today the Leesdale Local, which is a GEMCO to Oxnard train, runs all the way to Guadalupe on certain days of the week.)

4

I like both of those shots, Charles!

Sorry to hear that you can’t find UP freights like that out there any more. My baby girl lives in Goleta these days (UCSB), and I’d use the trains as an excuse to make the trip. Now it will have to be just her graduation that brings us out there! [;)]

5

Good shots as always, Charles. I especially liked the first. Lovely light.

Thanks for sharing!

6

I want to “second” Chris’s comments.

The lighting, exposure, composition, and choice of lens combined to make a very excellent photograph. There must have been just the right amount of sunlight remaining in the day to really light-up the Union Pacific herald and wings, decorations which appear unusually bright on the nose of the lead unit.

To see big tonnage rolling on a well-manicured right-of-way - with such a serenely lit background featuring a nice swath of a relatively calm Pacific Ocean - makes for an interesting set of contrasts. Altogether it’s a pleasantly “atmospheric” photograph!

7

There is still the Oil Cans. What train could be a better excuse to travel half way across the country to see? It is not like there are a bunch of them out there.