The Friant (Clovis) branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad served customers from Fresno to Friant in the San Joaquin river valley.
Industries such as wineries, fruit and vegetable packing, stock pens, agricultural supplies, lumber, and aggregates were located on the line. A variety of products and supplies for those and other local businesses were delivered daily by rail.
The branch was approximately 24 miles long, and trains could service the entire branch in a day. Specialized trains might include rock trains servicing the Rockfield Quarry, or trains of refrigerator cars making a turn from Fresno to Clovis, backing the engine on the return trip.
The arrival of the SP trains in Friant was an exciting event, especially for the children who would run to the turntable to "help" the crew turn the engine on the unpowered "armstrong" turntable.
This was branchline railroading, where crews made do with what they had and used their experience and creativity to service their customers, often on a first-name basis.
Let's return now to the Valley of the San Joaquin in the last years of steam, and spend a day on Southern Pacific's Friant Branch.
