meteor910
08-22-2009, 05:19 PM
The SAL/ACL/SCL Historical Society has yet another mention of operations with the Frisco in their fine publication "Lines South", complete with SLSF pictures. This is the third article featuring joint operations with the SLSF in "Lines South" during the past year or so. (Are we being taken over? :rolleyes:)
This article (page 24 of the 2nd quarter 2009 issue) features the "White Train", which was an Atomic Energy Commission train transporting nuclear weapons from the "Pantex" manufacturing plant in the Texas panhandle to Birmingham, AL on the SLSF, then on to points east (Savannah River Plant) on the Seaboard. The train was known as the "White Train" on both the Frisco and Seaboard as the weapons were carried in white painted containers sitting on what looks like 50ft or 60ft flat cars. One unit powered the train of a dozen cars, followed by a modified US Army hospital car containing security people and lots of antennas, followed by a standard railroad caboose. The train was also always paralleled on highways by security forces in Suburban-type vehicles. The flat cars carried ATMX reporting marks. The timeframe of this article was July, 1977.
The Frisco pics show the train entering the SLSF East Thomas Yard, where SAL power, cab and crews will take over. GP38 SLSF 640 was on the point, while cab SLSF 1710 brought up the markers.
Anybody know where the "Pantex" plant was. I assume it was located on, or close to, the QA&P or the SLSF.
Big Boomers on the SLSF!
Ken
This article (page 24 of the 2nd quarter 2009 issue) features the "White Train", which was an Atomic Energy Commission train transporting nuclear weapons from the "Pantex" manufacturing plant in the Texas panhandle to Birmingham, AL on the SLSF, then on to points east (Savannah River Plant) on the Seaboard. The train was known as the "White Train" on both the Frisco and Seaboard as the weapons were carried in white painted containers sitting on what looks like 50ft or 60ft flat cars. One unit powered the train of a dozen cars, followed by a modified US Army hospital car containing security people and lots of antennas, followed by a standard railroad caboose. The train was also always paralleled on highways by security forces in Suburban-type vehicles. The flat cars carried ATMX reporting marks. The timeframe of this article was July, 1977.
The Frisco pics show the train entering the SLSF East Thomas Yard, where SAL power, cab and crews will take over. GP38 SLSF 640 was on the point, while cab SLSF 1710 brought up the markers.
Anybody know where the "Pantex" plant was. I assume it was located on, or close to, the QA&P or the SLSF.
Big Boomers on the SLSF!
Ken