Does anyone out there know when the S.P. stopped servicing the four petroleum distributers (Standard, Richfield, Shell and Union Oil) at Keeler, California? A 1950 map still showed spurs to each of the distributers. However, almost all of S.P.'s petroleum tank cars were sold to the Navy in WWII. The only pictures I’ve seen of tank cars on the line were water cars, with the rare exception of company oil trains. The S.P. Owens Line had only 1 oil tank car at end of operations in 1960, which I presumed was only for company service (S.P.'s own use only.)
I think it went completely to truck in early 1942 when the mostly unused oil cars were sold to the Army.
The oil distributors were at Laws, not Keeler.
From Southern Pacific Naarrow Gauge by Mallory Hope Ferrell
In 1946-47 five tank cars were rebuilt. Aux water car #101 became #350, oil car #135 became #351, oil car #145 became #352, ? car #178 became #354, ? car #179 became #354,
Water car #54 apparently was not rebuilt a retained #54, Water car #61 was retired in 1950.
Cars #59, 60, 19, 71, 168-177 left the roster during ww2. Ten of the cars were sold to the Navy and the others apparently retired…