It's just after sunset as Santa Maria Valley GP9, No. 1801, switches out industries at the end of the Airbase Branch on the Santa Maria Valley Railroad. Today has been a busy day for the crew was ... (more)
Pacific Coast 2-8-0 number 106 leads five cars northbound at 25 MPH on the narrow gauge line near Santa Maria California in 1938. Otto Conrad Perry photo, from my collection.
With the conductor on the ground flagging the crossing, BUGX 1322 leads its nine car train toward the Black Road grade crossing and past an aging barn as it heads for Osborn Yard. Once there, the ... (more)
With half their day's work complete, the crew of this morning's Santa Maria Valley Railroad run to Guadalupe has broke for lunch upon arriving back in Santa Mara and headed into town to find somet... (more)
BUGX 1322 switches out refrigerator cars from the PictSweet spur on a sunny afternoon. *This photo was taken with permission on SMVRR property while wearing full PPE*
After bringing four cars laden with lumber down the Airbase Branch, BUGX 1322 brings one of the loaded center-beams north to spot it for unloading at the Hayward Lumber yard. After running around ... (more)
Deep in the heart of the Santa Maria Valley lies BUGX 1322, former ATSF 2109 built in 1952 and based out of Barstow. The locomotive has been leased to the new Northwestern Pacific and SMVR since b... (more)
Although painted in Celite colors, this ex Southern SW1500 is actually NREX 8444. Usually behind fences and guard shacks on the property of a local mining company, the switcher is brought on for m... (more)
This is not a display at a railroad museum, but rather two very active pieces of equipment getting a rest on the Santa Maria Valley Railroad. The 61-year-old 70 tonner is still used by the railroa... (more)