cwwrman
Member
It is my understanding it was taken at Vail, in 1978. I envy you for your knowledge. Thanks for all this info. I bought a copy of that book for my late Father, but have not yet read it myself. The Don McCune Library also has a documentary of the last days of the railroad with the late Jim Barrett as engineer, on Engine 776, I believe. I'm thinking it was a GP38, but I'm a little foggy. I trust you can shed some light.
The photo may have been taken in 1978. But there is no way if it was in 1978 that it was at Vail. The 684 was issolated from the Vail-South Bay operations between the years of 1976-1980. This is discussed in the Vail McDonald book, I dont know the chapter though.
Engine 776 was an EMD GP7 that was bought in 1977 from Morison-Knudsen, hence the reason the loco ### starts with 77, just like your Dads 493, which was bought in 1949. The EMD GP 38-2 were bought new in 1981 and had the ###s 817, 818, 819, & 810. There was actually a 5th GP 38-2 that was ordered but was cancelled at the last minute following MILWs embargo of the PCE. This is also discussed in detail in the Vail-McDonald book.
Ryan
modeling the Chehalis Western in N scale