Southern Pacific by the Bay

SKU: DVD-CSP-109
(4 customer reviews)

Original price was: $29.95.Current price is: $24.95.

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Producer

Charles Smiley Presents
Run Time

1 hour 30 minutes
Narration

Yes
Shrink Wrap

Yes, Brand New
Technical Details

NTSC, Region Free, View Worldwide on Computer

See the SP “commutes” on the Peninsula in late steam and early diesel days. Visit the old Third & Townsend Station where the SP Coastline really begins. Don’t miss the FM Train Master era, including the smaller FM H-12-44 switchers in various San Francisco Peninsula yards – such as the extinct Bay Shore Yard. There is a lot to see in these 90 minutes! Learn the mechanical details of the FM opposed-piston diesel engines with animated cutaway graphics. See lots of old ALCO, Baldwin, FM and early EMD power – and it is all on vintage film. At one time, there were plenty of freight trains on the SF Peninsula working their way around the fast and numerous SP commuter trains. The old 1920 Harriman type commuter coaches and the first bi-level are seen behind passenger GP9s, SD-9s and FM trainmasters. Newer power includes the powerful SDP45 machines and the smaller GP40Ps – even in 1976 Bicentennial colors!

Plus more freight action on the East Bay side and visit the old West Oakland Yard. See the ALCO switchers and older EMD switchers work the yard alongside the heavy road locomotives at the sand tower. Ride former SP passenger GP9 5623 down Oakland streets switching freight for the Oakland Terminal Railway, on former Key System tracks. The remaining freight on the San Francisco side of the Bay features more street running in the last years of any freight operation on the peninsula. We work our way down to see some yard switching and freight run-throughs in Santa Clara Yard. We stop by the San Jose passenger station to see some local freights that we’ll follow out to the Permanente Plant on the Vasona branch. These locals use up to 3 locomotives to pull long, heavy trains of hoppers with a trailing caboose.

4 reviews for Southern Pacific by the Bay

  1. rickyfreni –

    This program in the Charles Smiley’s Southern Pacific collection contains a variety of diesels on not only the SP with what’s left of some steam in the 50s to modern power like the Fairbanks Morse models & NW2s with GP9 5623 that was 3005 at one time with a cab ride, as well as GP40 number 3197 in 1975/1976, but also Caltrain Commuter with a cab ride, Santa Fe, Pennsylvania with a GG1, Central Pacific (with still images), the San Francisco Cable Cars & PCC Trolleys, MUNI Light Rail, Northwestern Pacific with a ferry boat, Western Pacific with GP40s 1776 & 1976 in the 70s, Key System Bridge electric, Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division, Rio Grande, Cotton Belt, US Army, Oakland Terminal, BART Subway, Sacramento Northern, & Amtrak.

    Locations include Market St. HQ in San Francisco with 3rd & Townshend depot & Yard, 4th street tower, 4th & Barry Street Siding, Bayshore Yard, Oakland with ferry boats, Judah St Loop, Palo Alto, Redwood City, College Park near San Jose, Burlingame, Mission Turntable, the Santa Cruz branch, 7th street, the San Bruno Mountains, Santa Clara, South San Francisco, Brisbane, Quint, Berkley, & others.

    A clip of the GG1 in this program was later used in the late Greg Scholl’s 2010 title: Vintage Rail Journey.

  2. John S. –

    All of the Smiley DVDs contain some great footage but this is one of the best that I’ve seen. It’s got seldom see footage of the SP Train Masters. Lots of commuter train action along with maps for those that don’t know the area well.

  3. rrvideoman, Delisle Saskatchewan –

    The Southern Pacific Railroad is one of the great “fallen flags” of the modern railroad era. One location that the SP was most noticeable was the San Francisco Bay region, in both commuter and freight service. This video gives us an in depth look at the action from early days to the end and Cal-train service. Included are maps of the region, including stops made by the commuter trains. There is a wide variety of power dating back to the earlier days of diesels, including a look at FM Trainmasters and diagrams as to how their unique engines worked with the opposed pistons. A very interesting type of engine. Then there are plenty of Alco’s and older EMD’s in their first generation. Always very nice to see. The history of the region is quite interesting. And this video does an excellent job showing it to us. I believe that the viewer will be quite fascinated with this video. City type railroading is always interesting, but add in the history part and you have a very fine video. This video is just that. I would highly recommend it to all rail fans.

  4. Tuscaloosa –

    As always I appreciate the maps that this publisher puts on their tapes. I have not been to this area of California and so the maps were very helpful. I also liked the passenger trains. SOmething different than all freight thought there is freight too.

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