Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (ATSF) ... Pre-BNSF
Since these photographs were for the most part taken by me in the 1970's and 1980's, it stands to reason that a lot of the map locations shown for where they were taken are markedly different today. Tracks may have been removed, re-aligned or replaced by urban passenger lines such as MetroLink. It might be interesting to compare locations with how they look today.
Southern California
Escondido Branch
Santa Fe's Escondido branch is now owned by North County Transit District and has been totally revamped with double track on concrete ties for most of its length, and some of it has been rerouted and added on to. Back when I lived in southern California in the 80's, there were no light rail or commuter trains; just the as-needed Escondido turn consisting of a couple of locomotives a few freight cars to serve the customers in Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos and Escondido, all followed up by a waycar (caboose).
My how things have changed.
In this photo series, I picked up a train just entering Escondido, switching Bell Milling, and followed it as it went about its business in Escondido and then returned to Oceanside.
Eastbound passing Bell Milling Corporation's Escondido plant
Map location
Once they got to a convenient place, they tied down the train and went to beans.
Map location
Front of CF7 2641 in Escondido
Map location
Turning the power on the Escondido wye
Map location
ATSF 2571
ATSF 2641
Looking down toward the wye lead
Map location
Santa Fe depot in Escondido. It has since been moved to Grape Day Park in central Escondido
Map location
Grape Day Park map location
Working a spur
A different train, a different day. Getting ready to depart from Escondido for Oceanside
GP35u 2938
San Marcos
Westbound at Valpreda Road San Marcos, heading back to Oceanside. This road no longer goes through.
Map location
Buena
Westbound at Buena, between San Marcos & Vista
Map location
Waycar 808 bringing up the rear at Buena
Vista
Passing westward through Vista
Map location
Oceanside
Turning south on the wye onto the mainline at Escondido Junction in Oceanside
Map location
Next: Lake Elsinore Branch