Coincidence?  We think not.

When it comes to the gold standard for published information on SP's Krauss-Maffei diesel-hydraulic locomotives, Mr. Joseph A. Strapac is the undisputed title holder.

Joe first detailed the fleet in his "Southern Pacific Motive Power Annual" publications of the latter half of the1960's.  He featured the 'hydros' in his 1968-69 edition as SP was ending the KM portion of their high-horsepower experiment.  This is where we all first learned of SP 9113's conversion to a photographic 'Camera Car', employed by SP's locomotive simulator training program.

And Joe really hit the mark in 1993 with publication of a 64-page exploration of the hydraulic era which Joe called "Southern Pacific Historic Diesels, Volume 2" -- and which the SP 9010 restoration team respectfully calls "The Bible."

SPMPA Cover

SPMA Inside Page

SPHDV2 Cover

Joe remains a friend of the SP 9010 restoration project and has helped tabulate the myriad modifications and loaned us the use of images from his fine books, all taken by the best photographers around -- including Dick Steinheimer, Ted Benson, Gordon Glattenberg, Tom Taylor, Steve Patterson, and the PLA's own Henry Luna.

Byron, Ca. 1968 Henry Luna

Martinez, Ca. 1967 Thomas L. Taylor

Pittsburg, Ca. 1964 Steve Patterson

Joe's volumes trade with booksellers and occasionally on eBay and other auction sites.  If you're not lucky enough to have them in your collection already, they're well worth the premium.

But one day, after years of perusing these volumes and absorbing everything in them by memory, we came to a startling revelation.  Both 'cover girls' on Joe's feature volumes about KM were the PLA's very own SP 9010/SP 9113!

Did Joe divine something about the future, a long time ago?  We think he might have.  And thank you, sir.

~ Bob Zenk