|
Part 10: Ernie Kiesel
|
Updated: 9-29-22
Additions, corrections, questions? Contact us at: sprr.coast@gmail.com
xxxOrder of page images: 092, 154, 179, 137, 183, 140
click on images for larger versions
|
Engineer Ernie Kiesel Ernest R. Kiesel was born in Tacoma, Washington on January 23, 1905 and moved to California sometime after 1920. He became a locomotive fireman on the SP's Coast Division on October 2, 1923, but the Great Depression set-back his promotion to engineer until June 26, 1941. Over the course of his career he worked on the entire division, but maintained his home in San Jose, where he worked his later years running Commute engines. His retirement date is unknown, but he performed about fifty years of service. He assumed stewardship of the Seventh St. Diesel Shop photo collection sometime in the early 1970's under unknown circumstances, and his donation to HSJ seems to have been augmented with many other photos. Ernie had a wife, Gladys (Wilson) and an unknown number of children. He passed away on May 20, 1990. |
date: circa 1942-44
location: likely Bayshore Yard
photographer:
print: 4.75" x 7" portrait b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
Although Ernie is approaching forty years old, he has only been a "promoted" engineer since 1941, even though he hired out at age 18 as a fireman. The Depression caused many fireman to remain unpromoted for 15-20 years.
Train #2-766 was the second section of the daily Los Angeles to Bayshore freight, which Ernie took over at Watsonville Junction. The headlight visor seen here was applied to locomotives during WWII to shroud the headlight from enemy airplanes.
The fireman is unknown.
date: 1-21-50
location:
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 4.5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
"Yellowjacket" was the nickname used by Coast enginemen when referring to what is more commonly known outside the craft as "Daylight" locomotives.
date: circa 1953
location:
photographer:
print: 2.75" x 4.5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
The new-hire-appearing fireman may be D.C. Hill, whose fireman service date was 7-17-53.
date: 6-55
location: San Luis Obispo
photographer: H. L. Kelso
print: 8" x 10" portrait b&w
obverse data:
"Train #91 July 1955 S.L.O., Fireman Sullivan, Engineer Kiesel
reverse data:
stamped: "H. L. Kelso, 6602 Sixth Ave., Los Angeles, Calif." handwritten: "7-55"
comments:
H.L. Kelso shot this photo and images #138 and #139 (Part 7 pg. 2) of Kiesel's train that day.
date: circa 1940's
location:
photographer:
print: 4" x 6" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: circa 1969
location: 7th St. Diesel Shops / 3rd & Townsend depot, San Francisco
photographer: Kiesel's fireman?
print: 8" x 10" landscape b&w contact print
comments:
These images listed below come from an 8x11 contact print of 2 1/4" square negatives, as seen at right. The enlargements below are given letter suffixes to distinguish between them, and have been re-arranged in approximate chronological order.
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
Most of the photos on the engineers' room wall in the background later became part of the Kiesel Collection.
Although his identity is unknown, Ernie's friend's choice of headgear undoubtedly elicited derisive commentary from his fellows as well as a knickname such as Commodore, Commander, or Captain.
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
The empty office suggests that these photos were taken on a weekend.
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
Photo recorded at bottom end of 3rd & Townsend depot yard where today's freeway offramp crosses over the tracks (note support pilons under construction).
data: see 1978-152-3-140, above
comments:
Seventh Street Diesel Shop was located directly behind photographer. Note buses parked along Seventh Street in front of the Greyhound terminal. Foreground automobile may be a 1969 Plymouth Valiant.
