Tidewater Southern Railway

Gallery.. 1980-1989

Coming soon.

April, 1980.  Modesto, California.

While some publications have stated that the Tidewater's "light" rail and high crowned grade crossings kept WP's General Electric locomotives off the line, there are actually numerous photos showing that Erie products hauling TS trains.  Here, U30B 3057 rests at the Modesto office with GP20 2009.

Greg Elems photo,

July, 1980.  Modesto, California.

During the 1980's, just about any WP power was fair game to power TS trains.  SW1500 1502 heads cab-forward with GP20 2002 in this fairly rare view of a WP 1501 class switcher on a road freight.

Greg Elems photo,

April 27, 1981.  Modesto, California.

The Tidewater in the 1980's was characterized by massive grain trains bound for the feedlots and grain silos near Turlock.  Long consists of WP's latest motive power were the rule to keep everything moving.  Here a northbound is about to step off the Tuolumne River bridge and onto Ninth Street.

Greg Elems photo,

1984.  Manteca, California.

Soon after the merger, ex-WP GP35s, now clad in yellow, became regular TS local power.  Here UP 789 heads down the Manteca Branch past the venerable Manteca Bean Company, once a TS shipper.  The branch would be gone by the 1990's.  Click the photo for more of Greg Elems' Manteca Branch photos.

Greg Elems photo,