Santa Maria Valley Railroad

A Work Day on the Railroad

December 15, 2008

The weather was threatening, but we never got more than a few sprinkles during the 7-hour switching day on the Santa Maria Valley Railroad.

See a few more pictures on the Friends web site.

Anthony was our engineer today.

Rafael was conductor/brakeman.

Making sure the Pictsweet setout and pickups are correct.

Grabbing car numbers as we go by.

The Santa Maria Valley Railroad headquarters is now located by the two silo tanks at the old sugar mill location in Betteravia.

The longest train of the day included a string of chemical cars coming/going from storage, with a couple PictSweet reefers in the middle.

Crossing 166 at Guadalupe.

The string of cars lead by the tank car (containing propane for Delta Liquid Energy) is the Union Pacific's setout for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad.

A ribbon rail train sat in the yard today as well.

These two water cars are based here. They were recently called to Montecito for the fires a few weeks ago, and are now back.

We picked up that boxcar on the right at the Okonite dock.

Rafael eases the air in after coupling up.

No. 1801 runs around these two centerbeam loads for Hayward Lumber.