Vernon, LA county

[lajry]

faraway
Maybe one of the current LAJ employees can give you the current BNSF "loaner" info. They probably come & go according to their maintenance cycles. And all kinds of ex Santa Fe GPs are being used not just GP30s. So you have a good excuse to use whatever GPs you have in your stable.

[faraway]

Andy, I have got lots of information from the West Coast Rail forum ( http://www.westcoastrailforums.com/forum-60.html ) where current and former LAJ employee and local residents are very helpful answering questions.
LAJ had also various ATSF CF-7 with ATSF color prior to their own CF-7 in LAJ color. It is very interesting to read (sometimes between the lines) how ATSF/BNSF manages the LAJ roster.
Another importand topic for us model railroaders are the in and out bound transfers of the LAJ. Those trains are welcome guests on our layouts. UP and BNSF use some interesting engines serving the LAJ. However, I hope you have the size to handle them. BNSF likes to come in with two huge GP60M No body runs cute SW1500 or short MP15DC/AC interfacing with the LAJ today.

That is one of the reasons why I am drifting some what in the freelance direction. To much prototype would put to much restrictions on my layout.

[Russ Bellinis]

Brakie, Santa Fe had only 6 Rs1s and 1 Rs3. They had no Rs2s. The Rs1s and 3s were equipped with steam generators, so they were used in passenger coach yard service, but I think Rs1 #2394 used in San Diego for many years, not only did coach yard switching but also handled industrial switching duties as well. Sand Diego was at the end of a branch line from Los Angeles, and really had a small coach yard, I think only two or three tracks at the San Diego station. The only passenger service By the Santa e in San Diego were the San Diegans, and I think the maintainence was all done in Los Angeles. I'm not sure how much coach yard switching work was even done in San Diego. #2394 started out in a zebra stripe scheme and finished it's career in the blue & yellow book ends scheme. The Santa Fe had 62 Rsd-4s or Rsd-5s that were used for switching and locals in areas where they had very light rail. Six units had steam generators. I don't know if those 6 were used for back up on local passenger service or coach yard switching. They also had 34 of the Alco S-2s that were used extensively in local switching all over the system. These of course were the units that the LAJ loved until Santa Fe decided to get rid of the Alcos and forced the LAJ to use the Cf7's.

Off topic, have you looked at Bob Chapparo's yahoo group on citrus Modeling in Southern Cal? There is a lot of interesting information on that site.

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