Southern Pacific 1412 4-4-0

Across the bottom reads:

FRM. W. LABISH

ENGR. W. H. THOMPSON

ENGR. D. F. FIELD

Los Gatos 1905

 

Doug Debs on Train Orders commented:

 

Note the 3rd rail for the narrow gauge to Santa Cruz. Photo is dated 1905. Standard gauging was underway on the mountain. IIRC the changeover to all-standard-gauge operation was supposed to be April 18, 1906, which happened to be the day of the Great Earthquake [and subsequent fire in San Francisco].

 

Ed Gibson on Train Orders commented:

 

Quite possibly, the occasion may have been the first regular run of a standard gauge passenger train to Los Gatos. I haven't been able to nail down the exact date, but I believe that this occurred in 1905.

 

Gents in the photo:

Engineer W. H. Thompson, SP seniority date 9-10-1901

Engineer W. G. Fifield [not Field], SP seniority date 5-28-1903

Fireman W. Labish, no record

 

The two engineers were quite young in seniority, too young to hold down regular passenger runs under normal circumstances, so they may have been extra men or recent transfers from SPC that held prior rights seniority on the territory.

 

Photo from Ken Shattock.

Done