Southern Pacific Locomotive Run Through Power Units

Discussion in 'Freight Operations' started by Iantha_Branch, Jan 8, 2021.

  1. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    A while back I stumbled upon a couple pictures of Southern Pacific units setting in the service tracks of Cherokee Yard dated August of 1981, not too long after the BN merger. See links below.

    http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2200096

    http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2200088

    I've put some research in, and here's what I have so far. The Southern Pacific and Rock Island had a run through agreement similar to the Santa Fe and the Frisco. They pooled power and ran trains from LA to at least Kansas City, maybe further, I haven't found anything solid to indicate the end destination of these trains.

    The two lines met at Tucumcari, NM. The Rock ceased operations early in 1980. According to this article, the Southern Pacific didn't finish the purchase agreement for the Rock's portion of the Golden State line until June of 1980.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...line/f4b0aef2-1cbf-4f46-8df2-eedwc1d818cb911/

    According to the article, it was expected to take 3 years to rebuild the line between Tucumcari, NM and Topeka, KS. So theoretically, the Southern Pacific would need to reroute trains from early in 1980 until 82 or 83 sometime. This is where the Frisco comes in. I can find two potential locations for the SP to reroute their KC bound trains.

    #1 Vaughn, NM. The Santa Fe crossed the SP, and they had an interchange that would be pointed the correct direction.

    #2 Tucumari, NM. The Rock Island had an additional line that ran out of town to Amarillo, TX.

    In either case, the trains would have used Santa Fe trackage to Avard, OK, and then used Frisco Trackage to KC via Tulsa. My best guess is option 1. The line from Tucumari to Amarillo was probably in worse shape than the line to KC (via Topeka).

    In this time frame, The SP and ATSF were looking to merge, so trackage agreements probably would have been easy to come by.

    This video I found on Youtube includes some interesting information about the SP going through the process of rebuilding the line.



    This is the best case I've been able to build based off information I was able to find online. If anyone has better information available, please say so.

    I would be real interested to see if anyone has any solid evidence of SP trains on the Frisco in 1980 before the BN merger.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 24, 2023
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  2. Robleese

    Robleese Member

    All I know is some of the six axle SP power could be seen between CY and OC during 1981-82, but could not go further west to Quanah because six axle power was not allowed.

    And the SP power had air conditioners!!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 24, 2023
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  3. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Thanks for that insight.

    A third routing option I hadn't considered would have been over the Rock from Tucumcari, through Amarillo, to OKC and changing over to the Frisco/BN there. That could explain the SP power between OKC and Tulsa.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 24, 2023
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  4. tferk

    tferk Member Frisco.org Supporter

    There is no record, written or photos, of any type of trackage rights agreement for SP via ATSF-Frisco.

    There would not have been any reroutes necessary. SP operated a handful of trains per day over the Golden State Route during the entire rebuilding process. The bulk of its transcontinental traffic traveled the traditional St Louis-SSW-Corsicana route until early 1983. Then SP-SSW started using trackage rights over UP (ex-MP) St, Louis-KC at which point it moved 2 trains/day off the old route to St Louis-KC-Tucumcari-El Paso route.

    The ex-Rock route east out of Tucumcari through Amarillo to OKC was essentially dead after the Rock quit, with only a few trustees trains run to clean up any equipment left on the line. SP didn't purchase that route so would have no right to refurbish it and run any trains along it.

    Frisco and SP had a brisk interchange volume through Sherman, TX, until the BN-Frisco post-merger operational changes were well enough along to divert this traffic to an all-BN routing via the Burlington-Rock Island south of Dallas. In Frisco times, Frisco power ran through Sherman as far as Ennis, and SP power was seen in Tulsa.

    Post BN merger, in 1981 as the referenced photos are dated, there is no great explanation for SP units in Tulsa other than paying back horsepower hours or the BN-SP run through via Sherman. I doubt they were leased, as the recession was in full swing and BN had plenty of power directly after the merger.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 24, 2023
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  5. Robleese

    Robleese Member

    Ditto @tferk.

    I always thought the SP units on us were power equalization moves.

    Add the fact that SP power had been running frequently on the BN, Inc. FW&D route coal trains long before the Frisco merger date. So after the merger there were more than a few sources to create the need for power equalization.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 24, 2023
  6. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Ted,

    I really appreciate you clearing that up for me.

    I can now take that back off of my list of potential items to model.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 24, 2023
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