Optimized for a screen
resolution of 1024x768
|
Train
time at Riverbank. F40PH 229 waits patiently for the order to Highball
as passengers disembark for the "City Of Action." Amtrak train crews jokingly
called Riverbank The Gateway To Modesto. (To
skip the intro click on the above photo) |
Photography
by Ken Rattenne
(Except
where noted)
The year 2004 marked the 30th anniversary
of Amtrak's San Joaquin service between Oakland-Sacramento and Bakersfield.
Starting off with a single roundtip each day the San Joaquin Corridor
has had phenominal passenger growth over the years. Today's service sees
six roundtrips a day: Four between Bakersfield and Oakland and two between
Bakersfield and Sacramento!
Upon inauguration in 1974, equipment
was but a pair of E9As pulling three or four steam-heated cars. The E9s
soon gave way to a pair of ex-Southern Pacific FP7As, which lasted until
1976. By the late 1970s the train had been converted to Head End
Power (HEP) with the assignment of new F40PHs and Amfleet cars.
The late 1980s saw equipment change again,
this time to the new single level Horizon Fleet cars. And finally, during
the 1990s Horizon Fleet cars were themselves replaced with bilevel California
Cars through the auspices of CalTrans.
This photo feature documents the San Joaquins
between 1974-2004, and serves to illustrate many changes the service
has seen over the years. So enjoy, and please let me know if you
spot a factual error. (rattenne@earthlink.net).
Note: I've optimized
this feature to be viewed at 1024x768 screen resultion. |