Lancastrian
Western Thunderer
I'll have to dig out my photos from Ogden. although I'm not able to scan any at the moment.
Ian
Southern Pacific Remembered
- Thread starter Focalplane
- Start date
Ian
Stephen
Western Thunderer
Well this is true - I’m tempted by one of the Atlas F7s in the Bloody Nose livery despite the fact I’m aiming for a steam loco of some sorts too…..During the final days of SP steam - last known run was in 1959 but the majority of steam was withdrawn during 1952-56 - it may have been possible to have seen steam and 'Bloody Nose' diesels together. However rule# 1 applies.
cheers,
Stephen
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
Stephen
Personally I prefer F7s in the Black Widow livery, they just look right! But horses for courses as they say!
Paul
Personally I prefer F7s in the Black Widow livery, they just look right! But horses for courses as they say!
Paul
mickoo
Western Thunderer
The ones on the Linda Tinker went live at 5PM yesterday, foolishly I did another wander through the store, prices are so cheap it was rude not to buy and I spent far more than is healthy. All the ones I looked at earlier in the week said out of stock or 2/3 day delivery, come 5PM they were all suddenly in stock, right result.
Dangerous Davies
Western Thunderer
Hi Paul
is this an Alco S1 in your photo above? I'm curious as there were five S1s at Port Talbot works at one time. and there seems to be a dearth of photos of these machines.
Cheers
Dave
is this an Alco S1 in your photo above? I'm curious as there were five S1s at Port Talbot works at one time. and there seems to be a dearth of photos of these machines.
Cheers
Dave
Brian T
Western Thunderer
Not to steal Paul`s thunder....
but that`s an EMD SW1200 locomotiveIf you want to see pictures of Alco S1 locomotives have a looksie here;
All S1's on this site
Brian.
Stephen
Western Thunderer
alas Atlas aren’t currently offering that livery on their F7’s, but I’d be partial to one if they did produce one in the future. For me however, the SD7s in the Black Widow livery look stunning!
cheers,
stephen
mickoo
Western Thunderer
The ones on the Linda Tinker went live at 5PM yesterday, foolishly I did another wander through the store, prices are so cheap it was rude not to buy and I spent far more than is healthy. All the ones I looked at earlier in the week said out of stock or 2/3 day delivery, come 5PM they were all suddenly in stock, right result.
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
I called Linda Tinker at noon and was told to try again a 5pm, the order went through and I am now waiting for the parcel. Thanks to WT friends getting the word out, it seems we are richer in books and poorer in pocket! Thank you!
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Focalplane
Western Thunderer
Dave, I am not that knowledgeable about the more modern diesels (that is post 1955) so I am pleased you got the answer from Brian. I do remember that most SP switchers were EMD, either SW 1200 or 1500.
Paul
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
Here is my SD7 in Black Widow colours:
It's a Life Like Proto 2000 model. I paid $76.50 for it in the late 1980s! I subsequently fitted a TMC decoder (no sound) about 15 years ago. There's room for a modern sound decoder. The detail is not bad for its era, better than Athearn, I think. It has Kadees fitted and I am not sure if they came with the "proper" couplers.
I also have two Like Like Proto 2000 E8s in Daylight colours.
These were used when the steam GS-4s started to be replaced on the California Daylights. Ironically, Alco PAs were used to replace the steam on the Sunbeam in Texas. About 15 years ago I fitted QSI sound decoders to them. I have yet to try them out as I forgot to bring a DCC system with me from France (Digitrax). The big deal with these models when they came out was that they had doors that opened!
It's a Life Like Proto 2000 model. I paid $76.50 for it in the late 1980s! I subsequently fitted a TMC decoder (no sound) about 15 years ago. There's room for a modern sound decoder. The detail is not bad for its era, better than Athearn, I think. It has Kadees fitted and I am not sure if they came with the "proper" couplers.
I also have two Like Like Proto 2000 E8s in Daylight colours.
These were used when the steam GS-4s started to be replaced on the California Daylights. Ironically, Alco PAs were used to replace the steam on the Sunbeam in Texas. About 15 years ago I fitted QSI sound decoders to them. I have yet to try them out as I forgot to bring a DCC system with me from France (Digitrax). The big deal with these models when they came out was that they had doors that opened!
Rob R
Western Thunderer
To save cluttering up Pauls thread I have put what few SP photos I took at Perris in 2019 here:- SP at Perris 2019
Rob
Rob
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
I have just removed the last two posts (Cities Service tank car and Roundhouse prairie kit) and reposted them on my Hempstead Road HO thread. My mistake, I apologize.
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
I just found two more photos of the preserved SP Depot at Hondo:
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
Another book is winging its way to me, Texas and New Orleans - Color Pictorial by Steve Goen. It may get here before the book sale order from Linda Tucker Railway Books as they are not mailing out orders until after August 15. Patient is a virtue. I have not heard of the Goen book before, so it will be interesting to see how much infrastructure is included in the pictures.
Still no additional SP memories have turned up. I think they are on slides so this could take a while!
Still no additional SP memories have turned up. I think they are on slides so this could take a while!
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Focalplane
Western Thunderer
Finally, found a photo of Tower No. 3, Flatonia, TX:
The Tower was moved to the east from the crossing and restored in its present location. The track on the right is the SP main line, Houston to the right (east), San Antonio to the left (west). I can't believe I only took the one photo, in fact it may be that I only scanned just one slide.
The Tower was moved to the east from the crossing and restored in its present location. The track on the right is the SP main line, Houston to the right (east), San Antonio to the left (west). I can't believe I only took the one photo, in fact it may be that I only scanned just one slide.
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
Another photo that I can’t put my hands on is of a historic sign in Seminole State Park, Texas. This park is located just north of the Rio Grande border with Mexico and is famous for its pictographs. Within the park’s area is a sign commemorating the Southern Pacific’s original track bed to cross the Pecos River, a deeply incised meandering tributary of the the Rio Grande. The Pecos was possibly the biggest obstacle to completing the Texas portion of the Sunset Route and the first plan was to cross the river at a lower level, involving severe gradients on both banks. This track bed can still be seen on satellite images.
This was clearly not the best solution and a Pecos High Bridge was constructed. Photos show this to have been a rather slender affair and a more robust bridge has since replaced it. Highway 90 crosses the Pecos with a substantial bridge with a lookout. Unfortunately the Sunset Route took a more northerly place to cross which is not accessible, so I have no photo of it. But the road bridge does give scale to the original undertaking.
For photos of the rail bridge, Wikipedia explains the history, search Pecos River High Bridge. The water level below the bridge changes with the seasons as it is located within the catchment area of the Amistad Reservoir, a major project to provide irrigation to both Texas and Mexico.
This was clearly not the best solution and a Pecos High Bridge was constructed. Photos show this to have been a rather slender affair and a more robust bridge has since replaced it. Highway 90 crosses the Pecos with a substantial bridge with a lookout. Unfortunately the Sunset Route took a more northerly place to cross which is not accessible, so I have no photo of it. But the road bridge does give scale to the original undertaking.
For photos of the rail bridge, Wikipedia explains the history, search Pecos River High Bridge. The water level below the bridge changes with the seasons as it is located within the catchment area of the Amistad Reservoir, a major project to provide irrigation to both Texas and Mexico.
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Focalplane
Western Thunderer
T&NO 982 has disappeared!
While doing more research during this spell of warm weather, I decided to look for SP 982 on Google Maps. It appears to have gone from its perch near Minute Maid Park (what was Union Station). Most references go back to the move from Hermann Park and flights of fancy about restoring 982. Exactly what is now going on is uncertain. I accessed a Facebook page and got nowhere fast, more speculation and silly comments than information. There may be a new attempt at restoration and talk of the tender going to Heber Valley. One satellite image shows the tender missing and the loco under a white tarp. A recent Street View shows the entire loco gone. The stumbling block for restoration is asbestos. One entry suggests the Houston Jaycees now own 100% of the loco.
I do know that back around 2000 the Gulf Coast Chapter was not interested in joining a restoration effort.
I feel sure the truth is out there somewhere.
While doing more research during this spell of warm weather, I decided to look for SP 982 on Google Maps. It appears to have gone from its perch near Minute Maid Park (what was Union Station). Most references go back to the move from Hermann Park and flights of fancy about restoring 982. Exactly what is now going on is uncertain. I accessed a Facebook page and got nowhere fast, more speculation and silly comments than information. There may be a new attempt at restoration and talk of the tender going to Heber Valley. One satellite image shows the tender missing and the loco under a white tarp. A recent Street View shows the entire loco gone. The stumbling block for restoration is asbestos. One entry suggests the Houston Jaycees now own 100% of the loco.
I do know that back around 2000 the Gulf Coast Chapter was not interested in joining a restoration effort.
I feel sure the truth is out there somewhere.
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
I have mentioned it on my layout ideas thread, but not here. The Texas and New Orleans Pictorial book has arrived and it is a gem for anyone interested in the Espee’s eastern operations. Lots of photos of depots all over the two states, from El Paso to New Orleans, Harlingen to Shreveport. Two I really like are on the line from Houston to Shreveport through East Texas. Rather than scan them and risk copyright, here is a teaser:
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
Today the two books I ordered from Linda Tucker Railway Books closing down sale arrived, well packaged and in excellent condition The T&NO hardback by A S McLennan is superb, lots of useful information, new pictures (to me) and a blow by blow account of each Division. Taken with my other Espee books this is the missing link.
A coupe of photos of the Cities Service refinery at Lake Charles, LA, show Cities' tank cars in line. I shall have to build the rest of the unmade kits I bought in the 1980s this coming winter. And speaking of winter, a night time photo of the streamlined Sunbeam at Ennis, TX in a snow storm. And I thought I had seen all the P-14 photos. (I once flew from Houston to Dallas to Calgary for work. When I left it was 80ºF. Landing in Dallas snow blew in the galley door, then in Calgary a Chinook had warmed up Calgary to 65ºF. Those cold fronts were real and often called "Alberta Clippers" or "Blue Northers").
The second book was a filler, but actually very useful. Volume 6 of Southern Pacific Historic Diesels covers the transition period up to the bloody nose treatment, covers all the locos I might choose for my period payout. I had already guessed from a complete lack of photos that SP never had SD7s etc. on the Texas and Louisiana lines. So the presence of a Black Widow SD on my layout is irregular. A GP-9 would make more sense. Well, beggars can't be choosers. The book also contains useful information on the use of the Alco PAs (No PBs) and E8s. I really need a pair of PAs!
Some of the lash ups of T&NO diesels are quite surprising, it seems "anything goes" was their operating rule, which is kind of fun as long as the Kadees work together!
A coupe of photos of the Cities Service refinery at Lake Charles, LA, show Cities' tank cars in line. I shall have to build the rest of the unmade kits I bought in the 1980s this coming winter. And speaking of winter, a night time photo of the streamlined Sunbeam at Ennis, TX in a snow storm. And I thought I had seen all the P-14 photos. (I once flew from Houston to Dallas to Calgary for work. When I left it was 80ºF. Landing in Dallas snow blew in the galley door, then in Calgary a Chinook had warmed up Calgary to 65ºF. Those cold fronts were real and often called "Alberta Clippers" or "Blue Northers").
The second book was a filler, but actually very useful. Volume 6 of Southern Pacific Historic Diesels covers the transition period up to the bloody nose treatment, covers all the locos I might choose for my period payout. I had already guessed from a complete lack of photos that SP never had SD7s etc. on the Texas and Louisiana lines. So the presence of a Black Widow SD on my layout is irregular. A GP-9 would make more sense. Well, beggars can't be choosers. The book also contains useful information on the use of the Alco PAs (No PBs) and E8s. I really need a pair of PAs!
Some of the lash ups of T&NO diesels are quite surprising, it seems "anything goes" was their operating rule, which is kind of fun as long as the Kadees work together!