It was early April of 1985 as #3207 pulled into San Jose with Train #56 and only a short time remained before new CalTrain equipment would replace the 18 year old SDP's.

Replacement on the right

Bicentennail GP40P mixed in with the SDP45s

A truly full-length view of this SDP45

Headed West, The Empire Builder, now a BN train, has stopped at the West Glacier Depot. SDP40 9856 is leading a mostly blue train--toward the rear are two California Zephyr cars.

A Richard Beal photo: The early days of Conrail have come to Detroit, an ex-EL bicenntenial SDP45 hangs out in the evening in this ex-NYC yard.

Here's a nice line-up of CR power on 91 Bay at Oak Island with former EL, now CR, SDP45 6695 west out.

SP's "San Joaquin Daylight" has just crossed the San Joaquin River on SP's lift span at Mossdale. The area to the right is now housing.

There had been no regular passenger trains thru Agnew since the very early 60's. With the coming of Amtrak, the Daylight/Starlight was now running to Oakland on the old South Pacific Coast. The Ag... (more)

Two long units -- then beasts! -- await servicing at Conway, including a bicentennial unit, as part of a Precision National unit peeks out in between.

Passing thru Alviso, a small community north of San Jose, SP #3209 has the Coast Starlight in tow. After passing thru Oakland, at that time the, train became #12 instead of #11 to conform to SP'... (more)

Amtrak's first summer as SP 3205 awaits the highball to leave SP's 16th St. station in Oakland with the Coast Starlight. Thirty-Six years later, the station and tower remain but all else is gone.

Quite a string of power!