For approximately one hundred and fifteen years, say 1884-1999, two railroads dominated the lucrative California market: the Atchison, Topeka, and Sante Fe (ATSF) and the Southern Pacific (SP). Today these roads have merged with others: ATSF merged with the Burlington Northern (BN) to form the Burlington Northern Sante Fe (BNSF). The Union Pacific (UP) acquired the SP.
Ten years ago, however, both railroads were expanding services. The ATSF started an improvement program featuring new locomotives in a "Warbonnet" livery and regularly scheduled "hot shots," or premium fare, higher speed, shorter transit time trains. The SP finished a merger with the Denver and Rio Grande Western (D&RGW), but also had a cash infusion from a private investor.
Twenty years ago the ATSF and SP applied for a merger with the federal Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). The merger was denied primarily because it would endanger competition in the California market. But anticipating a favorable outcome, both lines introduced a new livery. These units were called "Kodachromes" because the paint colors were similar to those of a Kodachrome® slide film box.
This Tehachapi DVD was created from analog Hi8 footage shot between twelve and thirteen years ago along the SP Mojave Subdivision where both roads shared track rights through the Tehachapi Loop. Join us on this retrospective near the end of a rivalry lasting over a century.
