FL9

In reality there is nothing too scary about these pictures except for the amount of hair I have lost since I took these two shots 30 years ago today.  October 31st back in 1976 turned out to be the date for the last run on Santa Fe’s Ringling Branch west out of Ardmore, Oklahoma and David Eads from Oklahoma City and I were on hand to photograph the occasion.  AT&SF GP7 #2842 left Ardmore that morning as a caboose hop to pick up the last cars on the line at Ringling and Healdton prior to the abandonment and scrapping of the line.

When the train arrived in Ringling early that afternoon, the crew agreed to pull on down to the depot for a final shot before picking up the last car in town.  Here is something you won’t find again today either; an almost full crew consisting of an engineer, two brakemen, and a conductor.  All this young bunch is missing is a fireman.

I pulled back for one more shot including the depot, and then too soon this last rail photo opportunity in Ringling for all time was over.

What had started life as the Oklahoma & New Mexico Railroad in the early 1900’s was soon to be as dead and buried as any ghost on Halloween.  I’m just glad David and I were present to record it’s final moments on film.