CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
    TRACTION COMPANY

1905, rebuilt 1912 or 1913

B-B

260 hp (later 440 hp)

GE-207D (4)

81 000 lbs

24 000 lbs

32 ft 0 in

9 ft ? in

25 ft ? in

1200 VDC (later 1500 VDC)

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Racking up a little over 35 years on the TS, steeplecab 100 had the longest service life of any locomotive on the railroad.  It also had a fascinating history, having originally been a lowly work motor.  While it is lucky that iconic TS motive power like RS1 746 has survived, it is truly unfortunate that this stalwart little steeplecab is no longer around.

TS 100 was built in 1905 by the Central California Traction Company as a flatbed work motor, CCT 1.  It was likely the very first piece of major rolling stock on the railroad, predating the arrival of the first city streetcar, CCT 101, by several months.  Little 1 found extensive use in the construction of the railroad, first on the streetcar lines within Stockton and later on the interurban route that eventually reached Sacramento.  Photos of the motor from this time are scarce, but several do exist, including some that depict it, outfitted with an overhead line tower and wire spool, being used as an improptu stage in Lodi.  Dated August, 1907, the photo shows the 1 spotted in the middle of Sacramento Street while a CCT official struts upon its decks, delivering a speech about the CCT's forthcoming passenger service to the gathered citizens.

In addition to linework duties, the CCT also pressed the 1 into an unusual service as a street sprinkler.  As part of its francise obligations in Stockton, the CCT (and fellow streetcar company Stockton Electric) was required to sprinkle the dirt streets, upon which its trains ran regularly, with water.  This kept down the dust kicked up by passing trolleys and cars.  The work motor's line tower was removed and two large water tanks were mounted to the car, one on each end, along with the attendant piping and valves.  The 1 lasted in this configuration for over 3 years, working as both the Stockton sprinkler and out on the under-construction line to Sacramento. During this time it endured two wrecks.  The first, on October 2, 1908, occurred at the intersection of Main and Aurora Streets in Stockton.  The operator failed to yeild to a Stockton Electric streetcar eastbound on Main.  The SE motorman quickly reversed his controller, realizing a collision was imminent, and luckily confined the damage to minor scrapes to the rear of the 1 and the front of the streetcar.

Collision two occurred just over 3 years later, when the "One Spot" tangled with a Stockton Terminal and Eastern motorcar at a crossing in Stockton.  Heavily damaged, the 1 was removed from service and soon replaced by two other pieces of equipment: self-propelled sprinkler car 21 and line car 5.

Accounts differ as to how long the CCT 1 sat forlorn and damaged at the CCT shops.  In either 1912 or 1913, the CCT completely rebuilt the old work motor, adding weight and end hoods to create a freight hauling steeplecab for the newly built Tidewater Southern.  Delivered on January 15, 1914, and renumbered to TS 100, the juice jack provided freight and possibly passenger (by pulling coach 100 before the interurban cars arrived in 1914) power for the fledgling railroad.  Constructed of wood, complete with underframe trussrods, the 100 presented a wonderfully anachronistic appearance and was a favorite of photographers in its later years.  When first rebuilt, it sported the TS' "Sunburst" logo, seen at the top of this page.  It is the only piece of rolling stock ever documented to have worn this early logo.

It and ex-CP 2-6-2T 1 were the sole motive power until second 1 , a former WP 4-6-0 arrived in 1917 and GE steeplecab electric 106 arrived in 1921.  The 100 was rebuilt in May 1920 with more powerful motors, allowing it and new sister 106 to handle the Tidewater's growing freight traffic.  Ironically, although owned by a different company, the 100 would still frequent the CCT's Stockton Shops (along with the 106) until the end, as the TS contracted all maintenance of electric motive power to the Traction.  Confined to Modesto service after the wire north of Aurora came down in 1932, the two steeplecabs spent the next 15 years switching around Modesto and pulling the steam trains down Ninth Street as required by city ordinance.  While these two were the only pure freight motors the railroad ever rostered, they were regularly supplemented by freight motors borrowed from the CCT and Sacramento Northern, and perhaps even the Tidewater's own express motor 300.  During World War II, the 106 went over to the SN while old wood box motors 601 and 602 came to Modesto to joing the 100.  In late 1945, CCT box motor 10 was also leased, giving Modesto residents a rainbow of electric power down their main street.

The wood motor underwent several changes in its appearance over the years.  Early photos show it with headlights on the cab end walls and a Westinghouse signal on one end of the cab.  It had no side handrails and the Tidewater "Sunburst" logo on the cab sides, with its road number down on the underframe.  By the 1930's, the lettering had changed to the familiar initials and number on the cabsides and the engine had acquired headlights mounted on the hood tops, a steam engine style bell and metal boxes on the ends of each hood, likely for sand.  Sometime between 1935 and 1938, full length handrails were applied.

By 1947, the new GE 44 ton diesel was proving its worth and providing the TS with motive power that could operate all the way through Modesto and everywhere else on the line.  While steam would continue, the time of the electric motors on the road was drawing to a close as two GE 70 tonners were ordered for delivery in January 1948.  By November 1947, 106 left for good, moving over to the SN.  Little 100, the first juice jack on the line, would also be the last.  April 1948 found the TS de-energizing the last of its cantenary and the 100 was retired.  Sadly, the unique little engine would be scrapped not long after.  Reports from a railfan who grew up in Modesto indicate that the 100's cab survived as a tool shed at a local scrapyard as late as the early 1970's.

CCT Steeplecab Electric 100

Tidewater Southern Railway