06-11-2012, 02:08 PM
There are fewer locals these days, and they're harder to see. During late Santa Fe days, it wasn't unusual to see a single CF7, GP20, GP35, U23B, or B23-7 on some Southern California assignments, like the Watson locals on the Harbor Sub. Others got two units. I haven't seen single units on the trains I've been most familiar with, like the Pasadena/Irwindale local or the San Jacinto, but that doesn't mean they aren't used on some other jobs. The Pasadena/Irwindale also always had two units in late Santa Fe days. On the other hand, things always change. I remember Alco S-4s switching the Santa Fe passenger trains at LA Union Station.