date: 1886

location: Monterey

photographer:

print: 8" x 10" landscape b&w

obverse data:
(partially clipped) "Monterey Roundhouse June 1886 Engr Tom Twaits Fireman R. Lawson"

reverse data:
"Engineer Tom Twait on Ground, Frm. Bob Lawson on Steam Chest"

comments:
One of many known copies of SP photo X-970. The original is now in the Union Pacific's collection in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Fireman Lawson was promoted to engineer that year, and was still on the roster in 1922 as #1 in seniority. Reverse side use of "Bob" indicates that he was known by whomever placed this photo on the Mission Bay wall. He is believed to be the first of several generations of Lawsons that worked on the Coast / Western Divisions into the early 21st Century.

date: ca.1895

location: San Jose

photographer:

print: 6.5" x 8.75" b&w probably from copy negative

obverse data:

reverse data:
"Oct 6 1941" [likely date of photo acquisition]

comments:
This well circulated photo appears in many collections. In his book A Centennial, South Pacific Coast, Bruce A. MacGregor states this is South Pacific Coast's West San Jose yards (today's Diridon Station) in the early 1890's. Across the tracks is the Garden City Gas Works, where today's arena sits. The nearest track at left led to SPC's roundhouse at Santa Clara St. and Stockton Ave. The locomotive is sitting on the main track. Note this track has three rails to accommodate narrow gauge and standard gauge (SP). Three rail track was installed here in 1895, and the balloon stack on the locomotive points to near then.

The identity of the individuals is unknown.

date: ca.1905-10

location: Santa Cruz Mountains (Wrights?, Laurel?, Glenwood?)

photographer:

print: 4" x %" landscape b&w

obverse data:
"Ewing Tenney Meyer"

reverse data:


comments: Tenney was a long time Santa Cruz engineer and may have transferred from South Pacific Coast Ry.

date: ca. 1905

location: Los Gatos

photographer:

print:

obverse data:
Frm. W. Labish, Engr. W. H. Thompson, Engr. D. Fifield, [unidentified man on right]

reverse data:


comments:
This unattributed image appeared in a online discussion group. The original may be one of the photos that disappeared from the collection sometime prior to donation to HSJ..

Engineer D. Fifield may be the father of Road Foreman William Fifield.

date: ca.1905-10

location:

photographer:

print: 8.5" x 9.25" landscape b&w

obverse data:
"Lou Wilson C. Miller"

reverse data:


comments:
No "C." Miller seen in available rosters.
Note star painted on boiler front of #1371

date: 1907

location:

photographer:

print: 8.25" x 10.25" portrait b&w on cardboard

obverse data:
"L. D. Courtermarsh G. H. McKenzie"

reverse data:


comments:
Courtermarsh on left.
McKenzie is serving as fireman although senior to Bullard.

date: 1908

location: New Almaden

photographer:

print: 11" x 7.5" portrait b&w

obverse data:
"Arthur (Squeak) Bullard, Geo. McKenzie, Work Train - New Almaden, 1908"

reverse data:


comments:
Mckenzie is serviving as fireman although senior to Bullard. The date suggests that the work train is part of the effort to downsize New Almaden facilities following the discontinuance of the daily (until 9-07, narrow gauge) passenger train to San Jose in early 1908.

date: ca.1909

location:

photographer: Esquire Photographers

print:

obverse data:
"E. E. C[arey], Elmer Carey"

reverse data:
"E. E. Carey"
[stamped]
"Copy Esquire Photographers
12 Seventh Street
San Francisco, Calif.
File No. 9602-1

comments:

date: ca.1906

location:

photographer:

print: 4.75" x 6.75" portrait b&w

obverse data:
"Joe Bowser, Bill Foster"

reverse data:


comments:

date: ca. 1908

location:

photographer:

print:4.75" x 6.75" portrait b&w

obverse data:
"C - Benbow"

reverse data:


comments:
Fireman Bill Foster on left

date: ca.1913-16

location:

photographer:

print:

obverse data:

reverse data:


comments:

date: ca.1910

location:

photographer:

print: 7.75" x 8.75" portrait b&w

obverse data:
"Dutch Ballenger" (scratched out), "Bob Watson, Bill Foster"

reverse data:


comments:

date: ca.1910

location:

photographer:

print: 7" x 7"

obverse data:

reverse data:


comments:
Engineer on left may be C. C. Benbow (see #047)

date: ca.1910-1920

location: likely 16th St. Shops, San Francisco

photographer: R. H. McFarland

print: 4.75" x 4.75" b&w

obverse data:

reverse data:


comments:
Second from left: C.C. Benbow? Forth from left: Bill Foster?

John Signor identifies this as a 1906 R. H. McFarland photo, probably at 16th St. Note the overhead in the background which may be the one seen in image #052 immediately below.

date: ca. 1907

location: 16th Street Shops

photographer: R. H. McFarland

print:

obverse data:
"Joe DeNoble, A. Baker [written over penciled "Gibson"], Wm. Thompson, Geo. Resing"

reverse data:


comments:
Engineer identified as George Resing may actually be Joe Bowser (see #046)

John Signor reports the location as SP's 16th St. Shops, and the background overhead as supporting the Ocean Shore Railroad tracks leading to its 12th St. Yard. He also identifies the photographer as R. H. McFarland and the time as 1907, the year the shops closed in favor of Mission Bay.

date: ca.1915

location: Mission Bay

photographer:

print: 9.25" x 11.5" portrait b&w

obverse data:

reverse data:


comments:
Thompson identification based upon #052, above, which appears to have been taken at the same time.

date: ca.1906

location: 16th & Harrison Sts., San Francisco

photographer:

print: 3.25" x 5.5" landscape b&w mounted on 5.25" x 7.5" parlor card

obverse data:
[from left] "Smokey Stone, Haney SW [switchman?], Hollings, Keller, Burbank, Simpson, Harry Hunter"

reverse data:


comments:
Known engineers: A. L. Keller, G. W. Burbank, F. B. Simpson. Occupations of others unknown.

The two wooden roundhouses (background) at 16th & Harrison Streets were torn down and replaced by Mission Bay Roundhouse in mid 1906.

date: ca.1906

location: 16th & Harrison Sts., S. F.

photographer:

print: 5.75" x 9.5" landscape b&w

obverse data:
"16th St. Roundhouse, S. F."

reverse data:


comments:
Man 4th from left may be Fireman W. A. Foster, and man at far right may be Engineer Joe Bowser.

Pup tent at right may be "temporary housing" following the S. F. earthquake. The building at left likely stood slightly uphill of the "South Roundhouse", which sat at the corner of 15th and Alabama Sts.

date: 1909

location: Mission Bay Yard

photographer:

print: 2.25" x 5" landscape b&w

obverse data:
"Cotton W. G. Wilson"

reverse data:
[taped to reverse] "Eng 1165 Built by Baldwin 1907, Photo Taken San Francisco 1909, Left to Right [right to left] W. G. Wilson, Engineer, Fireman Unknown, Mr. Cotton, General Yardmaster, 4 Yardmen, unknown"

comments:
Locomotive was built as a coal burner and the tender shows signs of a coal bunker, contrary to a common belief that coal use in San Francisco was discontinued several years before 1909.

date: ca.1920

location:

photographer:

print: 3.25" x 4.25" landscape b&w

obverse data:

reverse data:


comments:

date: ca.1925

location:

photographer:

print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w

obverse data:

reverse data:


comments:

date: 10-3-28

location: Mission Bay Roundhouse

photographer:

print: 2.75" x 4.5"

obverse data:

reverse data:
"Oct. 3, 1928 Engine truck an[d] maine [sic] drivers on the ground coming off of Table, for 76.

comments:
Train #76 was the Lark.

date: ca.1928

location:

photographer:

print: 2.75" x 7" cropped portrait b&w

obverse data:
"Jack Weir"

reverse data:


comments:
Weir was involved in a wreck of the Shore Line limited at Bayshore in 1928. Biographic information and coverage of the wreck is at Wx4.org HERE.

date: ca.1929

location: Santa Clara

photographer:

print: 2.5" x 4.25" landscape b&w

obverse data:

reverse data:


comments:
Train #501 at right is the long time Santa Cruz-Oakland passenger that was discontinued between 1927 and 1931. Locomotive #1449 was sidelined at during the same period. Newhall Yard (aka Santa Clara Yard - photo left) was formally dedicated in November, 1927.

date: ca.1941-46

location:

photographer:

print: 3.5" x 5" Polaroid b&w photo of photo

obverse data:[stamped] JUN 61

reverse data:
"Left to right EA Duncanson CM Sparks"

comments:
Photo probably dates to between Sparks 1941 promotion to engineer and mid-1946, when steam locos received silver paint on their boiler fronts.

date: 1937-41

location: Third & Townsend, S. F.

photographer:

print: 5" x 7" portrait b&w

obverse data:

reverse data:


comments:
Engineer appears to be Charles T. "Pop" Mathews - see enlargement.