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Charles Knox Freericks's Collection
 
4/20/2024
 
 
 
 
 
Owner: Western Pacific
Model:EMD F7ABuilt As:WP 917D (F7A)
Serial Number:8971Order No:3006
Frame Number:3006-A10Built:1/1950
Notes:ex-917D
Other locos with this serial:  WP 917(F7A) WP 917D(F7A)
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Western Pacific GP7 and F7 on the APF
Title:  Western Pacific GP7 and F7 on the APF
Description:  Well, honestly, my dad took this picture about two seconds too late, but I've posted it anyway for the historic value of that freshly painted GP7 and F7 under the Calaveras Boulevard overpasses. At the time, Milpitas was the home to the "Final Four," Western Pacific's last four F7(A)s, which were still in service, mainly handling Stockton to Milpitas runs like this "Auto Parts Forwarder." Sadly for us, #917 was the only F we saw even though we had actually included Milpitas as part of a non-railfanning family vacation just to get them. GP7 #713 was delivered to the WP in April of 1953. F7 #917 was delivered to the WP in January of 1950.
Photo Date:  8/2/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2008 12:43:52 AM
Location:  Milpitas, CA
Author:  Charles Knox Freericks
Categories:  Roster
Locomotives:  WP 713(GP7) WP 917(F7A)
Views:  1905   Comments: 0
WP APF "Auto Parts Forwarder" in front of Ford
Title:  WP APF "Auto Parts Forwarder" in front of Ford
Description:  The three trailing units on the APF are seen along side Piper Drive at the at the southeast corner of the Ford Plant in Milpitas (today the site of the Great Mall of the Bay Area). This is the mainline of the Western Pacific "San Jose Branch." At this point in time, they are pulling the whole train south, before beginning the work of dropping their loads and picking up their outbounds.
Photo Date:  8/2/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2008 12:44:19 AM
Location:  Milpitas, CA
Author:  Charles Knox Freericks
Categories:  Roster
Locomotives:  WP 713(GP7) WP 917(F7A)
Views:  1617   Comments: 0
WP APF "Auto Parts Forwarder" in front of Ford
Title:  WP APF "Auto Parts Forwarder" in front of Ford
Description:  The "Auto Parts Forwarder" is probably beginning to bleed off its caboose now before kicking it to their outbound cut. Then they would shove the rest of their loads into the track they were delivering to. The "Auto Parts Forwarder" had begun its journey in Stockton about six or seven hours earlier. Called at midnight 7 days a week for San Jose. It carried South Bay manifest and Ford products that were less time sensitive. Three three lead engines all made it to museums, 712 and 917 to Porola and 713 to Niles. Only the U-Boat (the baby in the bunch) doesn't survive today.
Photo Date:  8/2/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2008 12:44:38 AM
Location:  Milpitas, CA
Author:  Charles Knox Freericks
Categories: 
Locomotives:  SN 712(GP7) WP 713(GP7) WP 917(F7A)
Views:  1728   Comments: 1
Western Pacific SJM "San Jose Manifest"
Title:  Western Pacific SJM "San Jose Manifest"
Description:  The "San Jose Manifest" outbound waits silently on track #1 of Milpitas Yard while its crew has gone to beans. The cut of cars on track #3 (with the mid 1950s era International bay window caboose) may be the FF "Fast Ford" or a local. If you look to the far right, there are some garbage truck bodies on a flat car, probably being delivered to Ford. U23B #2265, which rode on Blomber trucks from an EMD trade in, was delivered in June of 1972, making it 22 years younger than the F7 right behind it.
Photo Date:  8/2/1978  Upload Date: 11/18/2008 12:44:57 AM
Location:  Milpitas, CA
Author:  Charles Knox Freericks
Categories: 
Locomotives:  WP 2265(U23B) WP 917(F7A) WP 713(GP7) SN 712(GP7)
Views:  2212   Comments: 0


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