Yosemite Valley?

Yep that's it. If I remember correctly it called South SF home and was used on the Colma branch (which was all within yard limits). It was either the ex-YV car, or similar. I used to know all those details but they have fallen off the hard drive. If it was the former YV car, it probably would be an interesting story how it got from there to yard caboose service on the SP.

Edit. Found this with an quick internet search. The numbers are a bit hard to follow but they are there. One car ended up on the VY and V&T, and a different one became the "caboose" in SSF.

"And the definitive history from Kyle Wyatt

"This car was built in 1911 as Houston & Texas Central (later T&NO) 251 (or 250). It was one of 5 class 40-P-1 40 foot full RPO cars built in that year for the Texas Lines of SP. Others were H&TC 250 (or 251), ML&T 191-192, and LW 193.

"Three similar cars were built for the Pacific Lines in 1909 as SP 4239-4241. These three were later transferred to SP de M. Union Pacific also had several of these cars built in 1909 (UP 2021 and several others). All of these cars remained as full RPO cars. There is a Pullman builder's photo of a UP car available from the Smithsonian.

"The five Texas Lines cars were converted to baggage - 15 foot RPO cars in the 1920s. H&TC 250-251 were converted in June 1925. The Texas Lines were consolidated under the T&NO name in 1931, with cars retaining their numbers. Most were converted to baggage-express service, with the mail compartment removed.

"LW/T&NO 193 was sold to the Yosemite Valley RR as #107 in 1938. It went to the Virginia & Truckee as #23 in 1946. It is presently preserved by the Pacific Locomotive Association, painted as YV #107.

"ML&T/T&NO 191-192 remained on the Texas Lines and were eventually scrapped there.

"H&TC/T&NO 250-251 were transferred to the Pacific Lines in 1944, renumbered as 6008-6009. It is unclear which Texas Lines car received which Pacific Lines number, although it seems likely that they were renumbered in sequence. The cars were used frequently on the San Francisco Peninsula.

"SP 6008 became (MofW?) caboose 2132 in 1956, and was retired in Merced in 1964.

"SP 6009 became caboose 475 in 1956 and was used as a transfer caboose on the San Bruno branch. It was retired in 1972 and acquired by the Pacific Coast chapter, R&LHS. In 1979 it was purchased by the California State Railroad Museum. It was originally planned to restore it as a baggage-RPO for the museum, but the GN RPO was acquired and was nearly complete, so that car went into the museum. SP 6009 remains stored, and is not on display. The number SP 6009 was found on the car body by the museum during paint research."


JBWX



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/2018 04:28PM by John West.