Niles Canyon Railway
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Western Pacific 918-D F7 Diesel Locomotive
WP 918-D is an EMD F7, serial number 8973, built on January 27, 1950. She is powered by a 16 cylinder EMD engine and has 1500 horsepower. 918 is one of 48 F7's ordered by WP (24 "A" units and 24 "B" units). 913 - 921 were built in 1950 while the 922 - 924 four unit A-B-B-A sets were built a year later. 918-D met her end on the Western Pacific on March 30, 1981 while heading eastbound over Altmont pass. She was the trailing unit of the San Jose Turn and managed to have her main electrical cabinet catch on fire. Before much could be done, most of the wiring in the cabinet was in ruins. After being deemed "uneconomical to repair", she was unceremoniously parked next to the Stockton roundhouse to be used as a parts source for the 2 other F units still on the roster. A member of the Pacific Locomotive Association ( Jim Evans by name) wrote the W.P. and asked for the donation of a F unit. We were offered this one as the other 2 (917 and 921) were still in service (the 913 had been donated to the CSRM in 1981). Never being afraid to accept a challenge or blissfully unaware of severity of her condition, the club decided to accept the 918 (on 12/1/81) and it was delivered to Castro Point on June 19, 1982.
