FL9

Yesterday we saw a BN F45 in Dallas in 1973, and by chance today’s random pick shows us AT&SF FP45 #96 leading an eastbound freight at the east end of Fullerville, TX on the Slaton Subdivision in the summer of 1992.  The merchandise train has around 50 miles left to go before reaching Sweetwater as it climbs upgrade passing a windmill below the caprock.

Having been renumbered multiple times–most recently to make room for new GP60M’s in the 100 series–the 96 is starting to show its age after a return to the warbonnet paint scheme, and now also sports a yellow air conditioner from a freight unit.  The 96 did not get to enjoy ultimate retirement to a museum as many of its sister units have, and was destroyed only two years after this photo in a derailment on Cajon Pass in December of 1994. 

Today’s slide finds us in Dallas in 1973 just north of Union Station at the junction with the Missouri Pacific’s Fort Worth main line.  A southbound Burlington Northern freight is passing through on the way to Houston via the Burlington-Rock Island line.

How many examples of things can you find in this picture that are not around any more?

Today’s slide takes us back to 1975 in El Reno, OK as a southbound freight powered by four F-units is making smoke as it accelerates out of the yard on its way to Texas.  I am standing on the Highway 81 overpass looking east as the train approaches Pacific Junction behind me.

The yard was oriented east-west along the Choctaw Route from Amarillo to Memphis on the east side of the diamond with the mainline from Wichita to Fort Worth, and no connection existed at the diamond for southbounds leaving the yard.  A train heading for Texas out of the yard had to first head east towards Oklahoma City, then south and back west to rejoin the north-south mainline at Pacific Junction.

While I was sorting slides today, I came across a set of pictures highly appropriate for this holiday.  In February of 1991 the UP’s Little Rock Shops took SD40-2 #3593 and repainted it in a special camouflage scheme called “Desert Victory” to honor UP employees and other Americans serving in the Gulf War.  I stumbled across the engine on July 19th of that year at Ney Yard in Fort Worth on the point of a northbound military train designated as a SHOFR (Houston, TX to Fort Riley, KS).

(Read on …)