I made three trips to photograph the Western Pacific in the Feather River Canyon, including one in August 1981 just before the railroad was merged into the Union Pacific. The others were in 1976 with my brother Bruce and in 1978 with my friend Jeff Hartmann, then the last with my friend Bill Compton in 1981.
On the way, Western Pacific power could be seen as far south as Modesto, where the Tidewater and Southern locomotives would lay over.
In August 1976, Western Pacific SW9 606, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1952, in Marysville. It became South East Kansas SW10 1274 in 1993 then Webb Asset Management 1106 in 2009.
Across the Feather River in Yuba City in June 1980 was Sacramento Northern GP7 712, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1953. Upon retirement by new owner Union Pacific, this locomotive was donated in 1985 to the Western Railway Museum near Fairfield, California, where it was repainted and displayed. In 2006, the Feather River Rail Society and Western Railway Museum's successor, Bay Area Electric Railway Association, traded several pieces of equipment, including Sacramento Northern 712.
On Jeff's and my drive back home, we caught three Western Pacific F units being washed in Stockton.
Western Pacific GP7 713 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1953, freshly washed.
Next was the green Western Pacific F7A 917-D, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1950, the only time I saw the F units on the move. It was acquired in 2005 as part of a trade with the Bay Area Electric Railway Association at Rio Vista Junction.
Now onto the Feather River. Right outside Oroville along Table Mountain, Bill and I caught a Western Pacific-Burlington Northern pool train at Kramm in 1981.
Exiting the tunnel and travelling through James was that pool train, led by Western Pacific GP40 3531, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1971. It became Union Pacific 676, then Chicago, Missouri and Western 679 in 1987, was re-numbered Chicago, Missouri and Western 3014, then became Wisconsin Central 3014 in 1992, Progress Rail 3014 in 2014 and CIT Group 4007 in 2015. The second locomotive was Western Pacific GP35 3017, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1965. It became Union Pacific 795 in 1984 and was retired in 1993 and acquired by Arizona Eastern, numbered 2503. Later, it became West Texas and Lubbock 2503 and is currently Lubbock and Western Railway 3538.
In 1978, we saw Western Pacific 3522 West coming through James at the upper Highway 70 bridge.
The train went the long way through the tunnel as I walked along the highway to the lower view at the lower Highway 70 bridge. It was here that I saw a very large rattlesnake in the brush at my feet before the train came and my immediate reaction put me on the roof of my 1964 Chevy Impala. Jeff wondered where I went and I was only able to respond with "snake!" since similar to Indiana Jones, I dislike snakes.
Now travelling into the Feather River Canyon, you passs the bridges at Pulga and the bridge at Rock Creek.
Jeff and I climbed the hill to photograph Western Pacific 3558 East near Merlin above Rock Creek bridge in 1978.
Passing the Honeymoon Tunnels and the Serpertine Canyon, the bridge just west of the tunnel to the Keddie wye provided the view in 1981. Right after the tunnel below us in the previous picture, the Western Pacific line ran out onto the Keddie Wye.
This train in August 1976 came from Salt Lake City.
Western Pacific GP35 3022, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1965, leading a train off the High Line in August 1981. It was re-numbered Union Pacific 799 in April 1984, retired in January 1993 and sold to Watco Incorporated. It then became Palouse River Railroad 799 in Walla Walla, Washington, later Webb Asset Management 3513 and went into service on Pacific Sun Railroad until late September 2020.
Now for a little side trip up the first few miles of the Highline. Here is the same train as above crossing the high trestle outside Keddie.
A little further, a Burlington Northern-Western Pacific pool train from August 1976.
Another pool train in August 1976.
Western Pacific 3554 East in a 1978 view with marked growth of the vegetation. Returning east through the town of Quincy, the next access along Highway 70 was the overcrossing near the Williams Loop.
Western Pacific 3522 West in 1978.
In August 1981, Bill and I accessed the middle of the Williams Loop for the Overland Mail East, which sadly was all Union Pacific power and too short to make the complete circle.
In 1976, further east along Highway 70, we went to the east switch at Blairsden for Western Pacific 3515 West.
In August 1981, Bill and I found the Clio viaduct and were rewarded with this TOFC train with Western Pacific GP40 3516, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1966. It became Union Pacific 665 then Kansas City Southern GP40-3 2779, was re-numbered Kansas City Southern 2824 and was rebuilt as GP22ECO 2824.
As the train proceeded east, it parted the turquoise-painted signals unique to the Western Pacific. Back on Highway 70, we went to Portola, a Western Pacific division point where there was a small yard and engine facility that later became the Feather River Railroad Museum, now the Western Pacific Railway Museum.
In August 1981 at Portola, Bill and I managed to photograph one all-Western Pacific-powered train with Western Pacific U30B 3068, built by General Electric in 1969 and retired in 1983, on the point.
Western Pacific GP40 3521, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1970. It became Wisconsin Central 3004, then Chicago, Missouri and Western 3004 before being acquired by Canon City and Royal Gorge and re-numbered 3104.
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