SP When the Empire Was Intact

This incredible film features the efforts of 10 contributors who read like a who's who of railroad photographers, filmmakers and historians. If it was Southern Pacific it is covered in this film.

Plenty of SD-9's, Gp-9's, clean SD-45's and all of the oddball power that made the SP such a fascinating and interesting railroad. Combine this action with all of the locations that made SP operations so difficult on a day to day basis. The rugged Siskiyou Mountains and there lofty 3.6% grades are a highlight as SP impressively moves 80 car lumber drags up to the summit. 

Shots from in the cab, lineside and on the train help to bring every angle to life. Also featured is a lengthy journey to the NWP Railroad when they were in their prime with matched sets of SD-9's and even mid-train helpers!!! Plenty of quarter century old vintage views of the SD-9's shoving trains over Ridge Summit and then descending in brake-shoe smoke into the Redwood Valley. 

These were some of SP's finest lumber hauling moments, witness huge trains and even a trip to the saw mill in Scotia as huge tree trunks are cut into fine clean lumber loads. Visits to Stockton Tower and the San Joaquin Valley line show how much really has changed in the last 25 years. Vintage views of San Francisco and San Jose are well represented with great shots of trainmasters, Alco's, commute GP-9's and early GE power. There is even a cab ride in an E-powered City of San Francisco on an eastbound run to San Jose. Ride the SP Dynometer car behind the German Sultzer powered engines as it tests the technology on different parts of the Southern Pacific. This is a must have for any SP follower.