Frisco Run-Through Operations

Discussion in 'Freight Operations' started by Gabriel G., Apr 12, 2021.

  1. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Another excellent find. The page is a little hard to read, so I am working on converting it to a table that should be easier on the eyes. I'll have it ready later this afternoon.
     
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  2. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Did the best I could to transcribe that page into excel and make it into an easier to read table.

    Interesting to note the two MP trains that originate/terminate in Memphis
     

    Attached Files:

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  3. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

    That is a little easier to read than the original. You got got the X to indicate run through power. I think that is important for modeling purposes.
     
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  4. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    I moved the x in the first column to a new column with a yes/no indication
     
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  5. tferk

    tferk Member Frisco.org Supporter

    The MP-SLSF run-through trains at Memphis noted above were MP trains MLF / LMF between MP's North Little Rock hump yard and Frisco's Tennessee Yard. MP initiated various trains that were pre-blocked at Little Rock for direct interchange to connections at Memphis. MLF / LMF were started on March 6, 1976, and were still in effect (on the books at least) in December 1980. Pre-dating the Frisco trains were train pairs with Southern (MLS/LMS), L&N (MLN/LMN) and ICG (MLI/LMI). During the mid-1970's to early 1980s MP operated 4 train pairs between Little Rock and Memphis, with the 4th train being LMY/MLY that handled anything not riding on a pre-blocked train for a specific connecting RR. Prior to the start of MLF-LMF, Frisco traffic moved on LMY-MLY. It appears that the ICG run-throughs were dropped around the time the Frisco trains started, although I have no specific dates.
     
  6. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

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  7. Gabriel G.

    Gabriel G. Member

    Ethan,

    It's likely the Chicago & North Western owed Union Pacific horsepower-hours (calculated by multiplying the rated traction horsepower by the hours a unit spends on another railroad) and was paying off equalization time.

    Gabriel G.
     
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  8. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

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  9. Gabriel G.

    Gabriel G. Member

    Ethan,

    Great find. I said this earlier in the thread, but it bears repeating: Frisco and Chessie power look great together and it's a pity Chessie and Frisco never operated a run-through from Tulsa to Cumberland.

    Gabriel G.
     
  10. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    I can't identify where in Springfield that picture was taken, but if we could figure that out it would be helpful. If its on the QLA-CTB route, then most likely these are units the Santa Fe leased and are on one of the said though trains. If not, it adds to the mystery of the other Chessie GP40-2 photographed in Springfield.
     
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  11. mike_newton

    mike_newton Member

    I believe the Chessie GP40-2s were leased by the Frisco during this period of time. I remember reading that somewhere on the site.
     
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  12. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    I haven't heard that before. Very interesting if it's true. I did a quick search, but didn't get any results. Could be in an old magazine article somewhere?
     
  13. Gabriel G.

    Gabriel G. Member

    Mike,

    Interesting. I knew both Chessie and Norfolk & Western leased out a whole bunch of units to the Santa Fe during 1978-79 because of a combination of strikes and an economic downturn (a prelude to the far more serious recession of 1980-82 brought on by the second oil crisis), but I never knew the Frisco leased units from Chessie during the same time period.

    Gabriel G.
     
  14. RogerRT

    RogerRT Staff Member Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I don't recall Frisco leasing engines from anybody, in fact during 1979 they leased some GP35's & GP7's to BN...
     
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  15. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I think there are other pictures in The archives with those Chessie engines. I remember a prior discussion on the subject too, possibly in the comments on one of the photos
     
  16. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

  17. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Good catch. After cross referencing to google earth it does indeed look like this was taken near Teed while standing on Packer street, which means the train was coming in from St. Louis. Hard to tell time of day because of the clouds, but it could be the 33 or 35 based on the April 1979 ETT. The first photo indicated train 35, so I would lean toward this also being the 35. Very interesting that we now have photos of two separate trains coming in to Springfield from St. Louis with Chessie GP40-2's mixed in.

    I have yet to come across any solid info to indicate why the Chessie GP40-2s were moving through the Frisco's system in March of 1980. My best guess based on what information we have available is the Chessie sent some of these units to the Frisco at St. Louis to send to the Santa Fe via the QLA.

    The source I found on this a while back indicated all Chessie units were returned by 5/1/80. An alternate theory I have is that the Santa Fe could have owed the Frisco HP hours at the time, so the leased units were sent to the Frisco to be used for a short time before being returned to the Chessie at St. Louis.
     
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  18. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Look back at the first page of this thread. There was some discussion there.
     
  19. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    While the UP in later years mostly sent U30Cs and SD40-2s in the power pools, they would occasionally send GP30B units, see these two archive photos.

    http://frisco.org/mainline/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SD40-2-955-location-unknown-in-July-1979.jpg

    http://frisco.org/mainline/wp-conte...929-and-942-location-unknown-in-June-1977.jpg

    To this point, no one has offered a GP30B unit that I know of, until now. Scaletrains just announced they are adding a GP30 to their HO scale Rivet Counter line, and they are producing GP30B's as well. Scaletrains makes a good product, so if you're interested in modeling the UP power pool, this would be a good model to pick up.

    https://www.scaletrains.com/rivet-counter-ho-scale-emd-gp30-chicago-northwestern-oy-scheme-84.html

    They are also offering a regular cab unit if anyone is interest in that as well. I didn't find any pictures of regular GP30's coming through, but it is definitely possible that they came through occasionally.
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2022
  20. Gabriel G.

    Gabriel G. Member

    Ethan,

    Union Pacific's GP30s were used extensively in pool service with a variety of railroads. These included Frisco, MoPac, CB&Q, C&NW, Rock Island and even railroads UP didn't directly connect with such as Pennsy (via. CB&Q), Seaboard Coast Line (via. Frisco) and Southern (via. MoPac).

    Gabriel G.
     

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