Texas Special Departing from Dallas Headed by 2006

Discussion in 'Action Photos' started by rjthomas909, Apr 11, 2018.

  1. rjthomas909

    rjthomas909 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Katy's "Texas Special" train No. 1, southbound, is headed by Frisco's No. 2006 Traveller EMD EA7 (edit: E8?) diesel unit as it departs from Dallas.

    [​IMG]

    Plummer, Roger S.["Texas Special" departing from Dallas], photograph, April 14, 1952; (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth28799/: accessed April 11, 2018),University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Museum of the American Railroad.
     
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2018
  2. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    FYI, SLSF 2006 was an E8, the first of Frisco's fleet of 17 E8's.
    K
     
    Ozarktraveler likes this.
  3. geep07

    geep07 Member

    Ken,
    What E7's where modified to look like E8's?
    Where the side windows round instead of the stock square? and whatever else they did?

    John
     
    Ozarktraveler likes this.
  4. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    All of them were converted...

    Ken posted this article from June 1950 All Aboard

    http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/e7s-made-into-horses.6760/

    Aside from the cosmetic changes, they were re-geared from 100 mph to 85 mph, and the electro-pneumatic brakes were disabled.
     
    Ozarktraveler likes this.
  5. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    John -
    Karl is correct (as always!) in all he posted above about the conversion of the six Frisco E7's (two originally for the Texas Special, SLSF 2000 & 2003, and four for the Meteor, SLSF 2001, 2002, 2004 & 2005).

    Among other details, the top E7 exhaust grills for the E7 cooling fans remained unchanged, and the side panels were different. The E8's had four round portholes on each side, the first located immediately aft of the side cab door. The modified E7's had the bottom half of the E7 vertical side grill remaining, located immediately aft of the side cab door, then a round porthole just behind the grill, then three other portholes spaced along the side. The radiator exhausts and this half grill behind the cab are the telltale signs of the modified "Racehorse" E7's (or EA7's and "Redbirds" if you prefer).

    They all were wonderful looking locomotives! And boy, did they sound good when they started up and accelerated out of Rolla, MO on #9 when we used to take a study break and go down to the depot to watch the Meteor come in from St Louis around 8:20pm!

    Ken
     
    Ozarktraveler and Joe Lovett like this.

Share This Page