Gallery 10

Oakland to LA
In March of 1981 I was headed down to LA along the Coast Route. A chilly morning found me at the south end of SP's Desert Yard in West Oakland, without a doubt the most scenic location in West Oakland at the time. Awakened from a slumber under the Adeline Ave. bridge, I hurridly packed up as a healthy set of power was ready to back down into the yard and couple up to a southbound train [below].
 
power at south end of SP's Desert Yard in Oakland
 
tramps waiting for train

Moving to a nearby loading dock to wait, I joined two other tramps also headed to LA [above].
 
Western Pacific engine leaving Oakland

While we waited for our train an eastbound Western Pacific train crossed the diamond headed to Stocton [above].
 
tramp in Oakland's Desert yard

Just as our train was pulling out of the yard, this nattily-dressed fellow strolled past [above].
 
tramps catching train

Since my companions had staked out this location before I arrived, they were allowed to "board" first [above].
 
tramps catching train

As they nailed (for some reason) the "windy" end of a grainer [above], I waited and got a nice ride several cars behind them, and had an uneventful ride down the coast.
 
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