Pacific Locomotive Association

SP SD9 5472
Happy passengers offer a toast to the photographer from the rear platform of the business car Oakland, near Sunol, CA on Sunday, March 28, 2010.
Click on photo to enlarge

I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do.

Pacific Locomotive Association (PLA)

Castro Point Railway
Niles Canyon Railway (NICX)

The Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. (PLA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the physical aspects and atmosphere of Pacific Coast railroading during the period from 1910 to 1960.
The Pacific Locomotive Association operates the Niles Canyon Railway, and has railroad artifacts on display in the Niles Depot Museum in Fremont, California. It also owns a collection of locomotives and other railroad cars, with restorations complete or in progress.

Steve Sloan's Trains : Preservation : Pacific Locomotive Association

Click on the following links to see pictures related to the PLA and the Niles Canyon Railway:

Former Clover Valley Lumber Company 4, Baldwin 2-6-6-2T

Former Clover Valley Lumber Company 4 is a Baldwin 2-6-6-2T. Reportedly: Clover Valley Lumber Co. No. 4 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1924 builder number 57684. It became Feather River Lumber Co. No. 4, then was bought by Tahoe Timber Co. and then was acquired by PLA in 1973. It was in service, Castro Point Railway, 1973 to 1985 moved to the Niles Canyon Railway, Sunol, CA in service, 2012 to present.
Former Clover Valley 4 near Sunol
Pacific Locomotive Association (PLA) owned former Clover Valley Lumber Co. No. 4 is approaching the Brightside Yard, near Sunol, CA with a train on Sunday, March 10, 2013.

Former SP 1423 EMD NW2, SP Class DS-109

Former SP 1423 is an EMD NW2, SP Class DS-109. Reportedly built in June 1949 as Southern Pacific No. 1423, builder's number 7314. 1965, renumbered by SP to No. 1951, class ES410-2. 1972, rebuilt by the SP Houston Shops and upgraded to NW-2E Renumbered by SP to No. 1335. 1986, retired by SP and purchased by Parr Terminal Railroad, Richmond, CA (date unknown) and renumbered to No.1402. November 2000, donated to the Pacific Locomotive Association by Parr Terminal. Restored to SP 1423 by July 2001.
NW2 in Sunol
Pacific Locomotive Association (PLA) owned former Southern Pacific (SP) NW2 1423 at the Brightside Yard, near Sunol, CA on March 10, 2013.

Former SP 5472 EMD SD9, SP Class DF-125

Happy passengers offer a toast to the photographer from the rear platform of the business car Oakland, on Sunday March 28, 2010.
SP 5472 is an EMD SD9, SP Class DF-125. Reportedly: (According to good sources, including Strapac's fantastic SP Compendium book series), SP 5472 was built in March 1956 by EMD as a model SD9, builders number 21297, SP 5472 EMD SD9, SP Class DF-125. In 1965 it was renumbered to SP 3946 SP Class EF618-5.
This locomotive was upgraded in May 1977 emerging as SP 4423, SD9R SP Class EF618R-1.
The disposition of this locomotive is, the 4423 was sold to Omnitrax in the summer of 1993, along with about 100 other units. It became NWP 4423, purchased by Howard Wise of the Oakland Terminal Railway. According to their website, "The Pacific Locomotive Association contracted to get this locomotive just one day before it was to be scrapped."

SP 5472 in Niles Canyon
Happy passengers offer a toast to the photographer from the rear platform of the Southern Pacific (SP) business car Oakland, near Sunol, CA on Sunday, March 28, 2010. Pacific Locomotive Association's (PLA) SP 5472 is right behind them.
About Southern Pacific #141 "Oakland"
Southern Pacific # 141, now owned by Golden Gate Railroad Museum, was built by the Pullman Company in 1927 and delivered to the railroad on January 20, 1928 as the “New York.” The car joined a distinguished fleet of business cars constructed by Pullman during the 1920’s and was assigned to A. D. MacDonald, Chief Financial Officer of Southern Pacific, with offices in New York. The car was renamed “Oakland” in November of 1928, and apparently was quickly sent to its namesake city. In 1932, A. D. MacDonald became president of the Southern Pacific ( a post he held until 1941) and S.P. 141 was assigned to him. Although the car wandered the nation as a president’s car, it was based in the Oakland business car yard for its entire working life.

Former WP 918D (918), EMD F7A, WP Class D-239

Former WP 918D is an EMD F7. Reportedly: WP 918D was built in 1950 by EMD as WP 918D a model F7, builders number 8973, Class D-239. It became WP 918 in 1980. It was retired in 1981. It was donated to PLA in 1982. It was restored to operation. It was restored in 2002-2005 and moved to NCRY to operate again as the 918D.
WP 918D on the NCRy, 2010
WP 918-D is an EMD F7, owned by the Pacific Locomotive Association, serial number 8973, built on January 27, 1950. She is powered by a 16 cylinder EMD engine and has 1500 horsepower. 918 is one of 48 F7's ordered by WP (24 "A" units and 24 "B" units). 913 - 921 were built in 1950 while the 922 - 924 four unit A-B-B-A sets were built a year later. 918-D met her end on the Western Pacific on March 30, 1981. [Read More]
Click on the links below to see photos of WP 918-D:

Special Notes

NOTE: If anything is my "life's work" it's my train photos. — If you scan an analog photo of mine, or if you share a digital photo I took that does not have my photo credit, add something like "Photo by Steve Sloan" directly onto the image. It's not enough to say "Photo by Steve Sloan" in the text caption. People download photos off the Internet/Social Media platform and whatever is in the text does not stick to the photo. Then, they get reshared and that data is lost. I deserve credit for my work.

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Special Thanks!

To all the great folks who helped me out with information for these Web pages!

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