Kiesel Collection images seen on this page are the property of History San Jose.
Permission to use these images must be obtained from History San Jose.

Page

1

Created
5-18-15

Latest addition
to Descriptions
6-8-15


mlImportant Notes:mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmsprr.coast@gmail.com
  • When sending an email, please refer to the three digit Image number (example: Image 001) in the subject line!
  • Images are thumbnails - click on them for enlarged versions
  • Data contained within quotation marks comes from hand-written notations on photo front or back.
  • Names are listed starting at the left side of the photos.
  • Tentative identifications are given within parentheses with a question mark
  • Seniority dates - E: engineer, F: fireman
  • Images with a letter suffix in Description sections (i.e. - Image 006a) are not part of the Kiesel Collection.
  • See Biography and Subject Index for biographic info / list of photos for people named on this page






Image 001 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-1
Date
circa 1953
Title: Fireman and engineer standing in front of diesel locomotive #1019



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15 ) (Fireman Dean C. Hill?), seniority date 7-17-1953, but need positive I.D.


Image 2 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-2
Date
"1954"
Title: Group photo of pensioners at (Alum Rock Park Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers picnic?)



Description: (last addition: )


Image 003 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-3
Date
circa 1885
Title: Crew and boy standing in front of South Pacific Coast locomotive #9 at Newark



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) #9 is a wood burner in this photo, which may have appeared in a Bruce Magreggor book; when did SPC locomotives begin burning coal; oil? Last narrow gauge loco on SPC roster - vacated 1-1-1908.


Image 004 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-4
Date
circa 1960
Title: Engineers "Mink", unknown, "Hiniker" and "Duchessi" at (Watsonville Jct.?)



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) D.I. Duchessi


Image 005 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-5
Date: Title: Group photo w / Engineer Billy Jones sitting on loco at his Wildcat Railway (opening day?), Los Gatos



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) William, "Billy" Jones worked as a fireman / engineer on South Pacific Coast and transferred to the Coast Division engineers seniority roster on 1-17-1907; see Biographical & Subject Index


Image 006 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-6
Date
circa 1910
Title: Postcard - "Old No. 4 - built in 1865 - the first locomotive to cross the Sierras. Now at Hobart Mills, Cal."

Description: (last addition: 5-18-15)


Hobart Southern Railroad #4, built by Vulcan Iron Works, San Francisco, January, 1865

Image 006a: postcard from the same series





Image 007 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-7
Date
circa 1930's
Title: Crew members standing in front of locomotive #1204



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) Photo was printed "JUN 61" but loco and crew appearance suggest 1930's


Image 008 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-8
Date circa
late 1940's
Title: Yard engine crew standing in front of locomotive #1221 at Cahill St. Depot, San Jose



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) On verso: crew described as Engineer "Old Man", Fireman Nesbit and switchmen C. Clark, Earl Isham and Ben Cook

See Biography and Subject Index for W.G. "Butch" Nesbit

Loco 1221, an 0-6-0 that was built by Baldwin in 1911. In the late 1920's, it was spruced-up with fancy trim by SP for use as the San Jose depot switch engine, first at Market St., later at Cahill St., and served in that capacity until replaced by a diesel. It was vacated on 5-21-58 at Bayshore and later donated to the city of Deming, NM, where it still is on display.


Image 009 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-9
Date
12-29-44
Group photo: Engineer Fred E. Reynolds congratulated by (company officer?) on last run; locomotive 4446 (on Coast Daylight #99?)



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) Sign on locomotive: "LAST RUN DEC. 29, 1944 Fred E. Reynolds 49 YEARS, (9?) MONTHS, 9 DAYS SERVICE"; See Biography and Subject Index for Fred E. Reynolds

Photo caption identities are unclear as to person named, but may be: Mrs. Reynolds, Hoolendyks (sp.?; rear?), Tenney (front?), manager (name unclear) shaking hands, manager Welt, Reynold, unknown manager - rear , Engineer Lynn, Engineer Fleck



Image 010 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-10
Date
circa 1940's
Employee in overalls and sombrero (at Mission Bay RH Garden?)



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) Class of service unknown. During and after WWII, about 10 temporary tarpaper housing shacks (see photo below) were set up to house employees - presumably mostly Hispanic roundhouse and/or M/W laborers. Frank Maffei speculates that this fellow may be one of them. Appearance of physical photo suggests circa 1930.

Image 010a





Image 011 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-11
Date
circa 1910
Engineer Joe Bowser and Fireman Bill Foster standing in front of locomotive



Description: (last addition: )


Image 012 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-12
Date circa
late 1960's
Kiesel Collection on Engineer's Room Wall, at Seventh St. Diesel Shop (retirement dinner?)



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) This picture suggests that the number of photos in the Kiesel Collection exceeds those that hungon the wall. Ernie also donated the Daylight locomotive painting on the far wall.

The far door led to the "Blue Room", where sleeping bunks were located. A cook shack outside of the building likely was where the meal seen here was prepared by engineer-chefs.


From SP Engineer Mike Gonron: (added 6-8-2015)
2nd from left against wall - tentetively Chet Larson, before he shaved his head and was given the nickname "Lemmon Head"
3rd from left against wall - possible roundhouse laborer, name unknown
4th from left against wall - tenetively Walter Lindley
2nd-in on right (facing downward) - tenetively Electrician Bill Robinson, who later worked in San Jose


Image 013 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-13
Date
"1945"
Group photo of engineers at picnic



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) (At Blackberry Farm, Cupertino?)


Image 014 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-14
Date
circa 1920
Locomotive # 2014 for train #56, with engineer in cab



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) SP 2014 was constructed as Central Pacific #195 in June, 1875. Presumably originally a wood-burner, it was later converted to coal, then converted to oil in January, 1903. The loco was vacated at Brooklyn Roundhouse (Portland) on 2-28-26.


Image 015 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-15
Date circa
1940's
Engineer and fireman posing from cab of locomotive #2368



Description: (last addition: )


Image 016 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-16
Date
circa 1950
Engineer at controls of early diesel switch engine



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) Note cigar


Image 017 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-17
Date
circa 1960
Engineer and fireman on steps of diesel locomotive #153X



Description: (last addition: )


Image 018 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-18
Date
circa 7-14-55
Engineer E.C. Welter in posing from cab of locomotive #4360 (on retirement day?)



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) Engineer E.C. Welter's seniority dates - E: 10-17-27, F: (12-1-18?). The inscription to the left of the date is cut off, making it unclear if this is the date of the photo, or his retirement date. He was not listed on the 1956 roster, making it possible that it was both. He would have been no less than number 26 in seniority when he retired, after 28 years as an engineer and likely another nine years as a fireman.


Image 019 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-19
Date
circa 1950
Old head engineer with young fireman posing from locomotive #4355



Description: (last addition: )


Image 020 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-20
Date
circa 1935
Locomotive 2920 and train #187 (from Watsonville Jct.?) after arrival at Santa Cruz.



Description: (last addition: 5-19-15 ) Wilbur Whittaker or Fred Stoes photograph?


Image 021 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-21
Date
circa 1915
Yard crew posing on footboards of locomotive #1094 (at Mission Bay Yard?)



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15 ) Western Pacific trestle in background?

Verso of photo:





Image 022 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-22
Date
"May 1947"
Locomotive 1243 switching at Seventh and King Streets, San Francisco



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15 ) Twelve years later, the Engineers Room at Mission Bay Roundhouse was relocated to the buildings at upper right, which became part of the Seventh St. Diesel Shops.


Image 023 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-23
Date
circa 1950
Engineers (Frazer and Honnert?) seated at table, unknown location



Description: (last addition: )


Image 024 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-24
Date
circa 1930
Group photo: "Barbecue at Mission Bay Roundhouse" Garden




Description: (last addition: )


Image 025 HSJ catalog number
1978-152-3-25
Date
10-3-1928
Engineer in cab window of derailed locomotive #4358 at Mission Bay turntable



Description: (last addition: 5-18-15) On verso:









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