Jawbone Branch Engine Roster

This is a quick reference page I'm setting up to show the evolution of the engines assigned to the Owenyo Local over the years.  I'll be modeling around 1940 at the earliest to about 1954 and the regular use of ALCo RSD-5 on the branch.

SPNG 9 leads it's train south out of town, while SP 3203 prepares its own train on the Standard Gauge at Owenyo 2, 1951 - Martin Hansen collection 

One of the ways that I'll be able to set the era that I'm modeling is by what road engines are bringing the Standard Gauge trains into Owenyo.  Because I designed the Jawbone Branch layout to have a 4+1 track staging yard, I could have multiple era trains staged and ready to send up the branch.  Each one could represent a progressively later era 'day' with 1-2 hours per trip.  Of course the staging yard could also be live-switched if I have a couple friends over, and then cycle trains indefinitely back out of staging.

SP 2850 - 1946-1951 (if backdated details and lettering - 1920-1946)

SP 2850, pulls a stock train, Sunset Models C-class with RedCaboose S-40-5/8 class stock cars.

For most of the early years of Jawbone Branch operations the regular mixed Owenyo Locals were pulled by standard SP C-class 2-8-0s.  For the times I want to back-date my operations to pre-1951, I'll be using my Sunset C-class with 100-C-1/2 tender from my Balboa Mk-5/6 (which is becoming SP 3266) or one of my converted Bachmann 2-8-0 using the upcoming OwlMtModels conversion kit.

The C-class were used as-needed after 1950 when a few of the Mk-2/4s were allowed to work on the Jawbone Branch.  They continued to be used as helpers over the years, especially on the very heavy stock train's seasonal movements.  M-class (2-6-0s) and T-class (4-6-0s) were also rated on the Jawbone through the early 1950s.  Two T-class were used in 1954 for the excursion to Owenyo for the commissioning of the new SPNG diesel #1.  While I'm not discussing them here, as I don't have photos of them in regular service on the branch, I do plan to finish one or two of the WSM T-28s for occasional use.

SP 3203 - 1950-1954

SP 3203 - Eddie Sims Collection

I have several photos of SP 3203 on the Jawbone Branch after 1950, into about 1954.  I was able to pick up a Sunset "Pacific Lines" Mk-4 without tender in 2018.  I plan to scratch-build the 120-SC-tender to match the photos.

Sunset Models "Pacific Lines" Mk-2/4 with "Sport Cab".

This model had been somewhat damaged by someone who decided to attempt to renumber it with a No.11 blade and scratched the brass on the sides of the cab pretty badly.  So to get the new numbers on, I had to do some work, then repaint and decal.

Here's a 2024 shot of 3203 with photoshopped backdrop photo of Owenyo.

I'll still be needing to add a smoke deflector to the stack and at some point perhaps rebuilding the pilot with the switcher-step style pilot... But most of the effort will go into the stack and building a correct new tender. - Note the tender I have behind it for this March 2024 photo is a model that I'll be measuring to do the correct tender from.

SP 3237 - 1950-1954

SP 3237 Bartlett on the Jawbone branch - Leo Barusch photo - Dani Collection

The SP 3237 was one of the Mk-2/4s show on the Employe Timetable Special Instructions after 1950.  It seems that the ETT:SI were published with the Mojave assigned engines that were expected to work the three regular locals out of Mojave which used the smaller C-class and Mk-class engines.

The SP 3237 that I painted and then bought in 2022.

My model of the ex-Arizona Eastern "Mk-4", which became SP 3237 will also need a smoke defector installed, replacing the straight stack.  Otherwise the model is pretty much correct, I'll just need to install a DCC decoder and do the rest of the mechanical setups for it.

SP 3266 - 1952-1954?

SP 3266 near Olancha with excursion 1952 - Phil Serpico - owensvalleyhistory,com - southern_pacific012_t - Cropped

SP 3266, the only Mk-5/6 class allowed by Employe Timetable - Special Instruction rating, seems to be in the limelight on the 1952 excursion to Owenyo and the SP Narrow Gauge.

SP 3266, starting from Balboa Mk-5/6 with stack replacement in-progress.

I was able to pick up a well-run Balboa Mk-5/6 from a friend in Colorado for a very low price.  I've made a couple of blog posts on how the rebuild and repairs are going on it.

SP 5301 - March 1953-1959

SP 5301 KI Local Cable with GS gondola and tank cars - Stan Kistler photo

The SP received 14 new RSD-5 Road-Switchers from ALCo in March 1953.  The last three units of this first order were set-up as dual-control engines for branchline service without turning facilities, the remaining 11 units pretty well wiped out the ACs in helper service over Tehachapi Pass between LA and Bakersfield.

For a short period of time the SP tried them on the Owenyo Local, but quickly reassigned them due to throwing sparks and fears of burning the 3400 foot long Tunnel 29, just west of Searles, which would cut-off the Trona Rwy from rail access to Mojave.  The RSD-5s were quickly were refitted with the large smoke stack spark arrestors, which allowed them to go back out on the Jawbone Branch around 1954. 

SP 5301 idles at Mojave before going out in local service.

The Atlas RSD5 is a good running starting point for a good HO-scale RSD-5 model.  Depending on how much kitbashing a modeler wants to do, there's plenty to work on.  I'll be covering my kitbashes of the Atlas-Kato RSD-5s in a series of posts.

Edit: 2024-04-16 - Regauged one wheelset which had slipped 'tight' in gauge.  Engine runs through East Owenyo switches more smoothly now.

SP 5360 - 1959-1970-ish

An SD9 pulls the Lone Pile Local 1962 - Bartlett - owensvalleyhistory,com - southern_pacific008_sml

The SP's new 1954-built EMD SD9s also joined the Tehachapi freight pool and after the RSD-5s were withdrawn from service in the late 1950s, they took over the Owenyo Local until the 1970s and the arrival of the SD39s in the pool.  Of course, Owenyo was torn up and abandoned in 1960 with the rails pulled back to Lone Pine.

In Closing

SP 3203 Owenyo - Eddie Sims Collection February,1951 Ronald Grau photo

For now that rounds out the stable of engines for the Jawbone Branch.  Hopefully, more posts on the construction of the layout and car roster will be coming soon.

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

Jawbone Branch Layout Build Index Page - Chronological list of all my blog posts on the Jawbone Branch layout design and construction.

Freight Car Roster Page of the Jawbone Branch - Some examples of the freight cars that will be used on the Jawbone Branch.