Frisco Run-Through Operations

Stumbled on to another potentially interesting picture in the archives tonight. It shows a SP U boat behind a Frisco SD45. Supposedly, it was taken in Virginia. The most likely answer is that the label is wrong, and it was taken somewhere in the Frisco system, probably Tulsa. If anyone can ID the buildings in the back, that would help.

IF somehow this actually was taken in Virginia, that would open up a whole new world of power pool possibilities.

http://frisco.org/mainline/wp-conte...smouth-Virginia-in-June-1977-Vernon-Ryder.jpg

 

Ethan,

A quick search on rripicturearchives.net confirms that this photo was indeed taken in Portsmouth, Virginia. The structure seen in the photo you posted can be seen in the background of this photo. Frisco units would sometimes make it out to Virginia in run-through service with the Seaboard Coast Line. Likewise, the Southern Pacific unit is from one of the run-through trains Southern Pacific operated with the Louisville & Nashville and Seaboard Coast Line.

Gabriel G.

 

Interesting. Do you have any details on the SP-LN-SCL arrangement?

 

Ethan,

Moving the Freight has a long and detailed PDF about SCL's run-through operations with a variety of railroads, including both Frisco and Espee.

Gabriel G.

 

Thanks for finding that.

You seem to be a real wiz at finding these documents. Any secrets you want to share on sources for this kind of stuff?

 

Ethan,

I don't have any secrets, really. I get most of my stuff from movingthefreight.com, multimodalways.org and wx4.org, all of which have hundreds of documents pertaining to railroad freight operations. You can also find PDF versions of railroad freight schedules on places like groups.io and on many railroad historical society websites.

Gabriel G.

 

Thanks

 

Tonight while looking for something completely unrelated, I stumbled into a virtual treasure chest. Someone has several pictures of the Purcell, OK area from the late 70's that show many of the possible leased units that I was having trouble finding pictures of. Included are CN, CNW and B&O units. I still haven't found any pictures of the supposed W&LE units on the Santa Fe.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3115122

Notice how the B&O unit has the 9 patched over the 4 in the unit number
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3130290

Notice the CNW SD45 without Dynamic Brakes. I didn't know such a thing existed.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2718603

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3115121

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3113012

While I still haven't found proof that these leased units (other than the B&O) made it in to the Frisco pool via the Santa Fe, it is still possible that it happened.

 

Something I've been curious about, does anyone know how the Santa Fe sent its St. Louis bound traffic in the late 70's? Could it have come in to Tulsa on the QSF?

 

Ethan,

No. Train QSF was a west bound train - Quanah to San Francisco. As a result, Santa Fe would not send its St. Louis east bound traffic via a west bound train.

The vast majority of Santa Fe traffic bound for the St. Louis gateway was routed to Kansas City. This was a longer haul and resulting revenue share for them. At Kansas City they primarily routed St. Louis gateway traffic via the Missouri Pacific, although other direct connecting routes to St. Louis could be selected (CB&Q, CRIP, GM&O/ICG, N&W, etc.).

Hope this helps.

Thanks!

Mark

 

Ah, I got things backwards. I meant the east bound counter part to QSF, train 666.

That does answer my question. I had wondered if the Frisco and Santa Fe's close ties on other shipments garnered any favor for shipments to St. Louis.

Thanks Mark

 

Scaletrains recently delivered their first run of GP30's, which included first time in plastic a GP30B Union Pacific model. I mention it here because the the GP30B was a frequent guest on the Frisco in the power pools discussed earlier. I think they turned out nice and look good in the middle of a consist. They also made regular cabbed versions too that would fit in for power pool purposes.

https://www.scaletrains.com/rivet-c...-union-pacific-dependable-transportation.html