ATSF Old Photos

So, it's not really that green in Texas in the winter?



Doug

 

I think #226C is grinning at me.

 

From the John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library. AC&F builder's signs read Madison, IL. Gondola Dec 23 1901, boxcar Oct 19 1901.

 

Don't see a BUILT date applied to either car.

 

That's an operational aspect I never considered in the age of steam. I'm guessing each engine crew receive identical orders? Amazing that this sort of coordination was once routine.

 

Dates on the sign in front. On the gon, has the year 1901 just ahead of the weight. On the boxcar just below the weight it has a date that is one day before what's on the sign. Just looks like the didn't use the word date or build date maybe?

 

When headlights were bigger than smokeboxes.

 

Note the 'braking power' decorating the tops of the car in the following video clip.



We have come a long way since then, however, it does take POWER to control thousands of tons on descending grades, as much advance notice that the trains is likely to see a STOP signal next is a big safety issue.

 

Dynamometer car 29 is looking almost young...



Either I can't make heads or tails out of the note, or this is a mechanical stoker test.

 

That 1898 video is incredible. The year my grandfather was born.

Doug

 

The Grand Canyon station often had impressive levels of traffic for the end of a branch line.

 

I like this Santa Fe. Nothing wrong with oil-fired 2-10-2s and Texas types conquering two and three percent grades in beautiful mountain passes. But a gaggle of Mikes coaling up at Argentine in KC represents the very thing that made the Santa Fe unique among West Coast railroads during the war--Chicago on their own line.