Heading east on the Union Pacific's Butte Street Line is a Southern Pacific freight heading out of J Yard. This train, with SP GP9E 3355 (ex-SP 3402, née-SP subsidiary Texas & New Orleans 402), SP GP20 4053 (ex-SP 7203) and SP SD7 2735 (ex-SP 5328) for power, is just beginning to cross Washington Boulevard and about a quarter-mile ahead will cross the Santa Fe's 3rd District at Redondo Tower. This trackage was part of (Union Pacific predecessor in the area) Los Angeles & Salt Lake's original line in southern California, and SP had trackage rights upon it. Before Los Angeles Union Station opened in 1939, UP's Butte Street Line, along with Southern Pacific's trackage down the center of Alameda Street, was the route used by the UP's passenger trains to access Southern Pacific's Central Station. Today, this short section of UP's Butte Street Line is part of the Alameda Corridor's northern end, and looks nothing like this as it is now a heavily used double-track mainline. The fireman on this local gives a friendly wave as the train passes in front of the cameras of a quartet of dorky young railfans – Dale Martin, John Hawkins, Ron Hawkins and me. (Los Angeles, California – March 10, 1973)
