Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society

Dedicated to preserving & disseminating the historical record of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Supporters of railfanning, archeology & scale modeling of this great pioneer railroad

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Welcome to the SP Historical & Technical Society

We are dedicated to preserving and disseminating the historical record of the Southern Pacific Railroad and its affiliates. We support railfanning, industrial archeology and accurate scale modeling of this great pioneer railroad of the western United States.
 
Everyone is welcome to join the Society and share member benefits, which include the excellent quarterly journal TRAINLINE, an informative quarterly newsletter, an exciting annual convention, and the opportunity to serve other dedicated Southern Pacific fans and modelers.
 
Baywindow Mercantile features an extensive variety of widely praised and highly informative books on SP history, operations, and equipment. The store also offers back issues of Trainline and a convenient way to apply for or renew membership in the society.

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Online Registration Now Open!

2017 Annual Convention
Santa Rosa, California
November 8 to 11, 2017
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Just In!


The Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society is pleased to announce the publication of their new book, From Main Lines to Logging Lines : West Coast Steam Railroading in the 1950s by Charles H. Givens
 
What heady times existed for the railfan in the early 1950s. Steam was still king (although diesels were making their presence felt), short lines abounded, and there were still important logging lines feeding the Northwest mainlines. Even the SP narrow gauge was busy.
 
Come ride with us now as we share Charles Givens’s 1950s pilgrimage to these citadels of steam railroading, from the mighty SP and Santa Fe to the always-runner-up WP, to the Georgia Pacific and the Arcata and Mad River, and many other stops that help us realize what railroading was like to the young fan of the day. Were that we could have been there with him.
 
8½x11 library bound, 128 pages with 223 color and 10 black & white photos (81 of the color photos are of the SP).
 
The book is available now! Click here to order. Don't forget your member discount! Not a member? Click here to join.

 

The Southern Pacific Historical and Technical Society is pleased to announce the release of its new book, Southern Pacific Freight Car Painting and Lettering Guide by Dick Harley & Anthony W. Thompson.
 
This guide has been designed as a companion to the Southern Pacific Painting & Lettering Guide for locomotive and passenger cars published by the SPH&TS in 2013. It illustrates how Southern Pacific (and subsidiaries) owned freight cars were painted and lettered over the years, as well as PMT trucking equipment used in TOFC service and rail cars from wholly-owned rail car leasing companies Evergreen and Golden West. Extensive coverage of painting and lettering practices for Pacific Fruit Express equipment is also included. Coverage begins with the emergence of Common Standard practices in the 1880s (1906 for PFE) and continues through 1996. All information in this volume is based on official SP and Pacific Fruit Express, car and locomotive builder documents, plans and drawings. This book will be useful as a tool for historians and modelers. 11" x 8 1⁄2" library bound, 192 pages, full color throughout, Appendix.
 
The book is available now! Click here to order. Don't forget your member discount! Not a member? Click here to join.