Frisco Run-Through Operations

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

  1. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    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
     
  2. Gabriel G.

    Gabriel G. Member

    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.
     
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  3. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

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

    Gabriel G. Member

  5. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    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?
     
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  6. Gabriel G.

    Gabriel G. Member

    Ethan,

    I don't have any secrets, really. :LOL: 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.
     
  7. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Thanks
     
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  8. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    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.
     
  9. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Thats some pretty cool stuff there Ethan. Certainly opens up possibilities doesn't it?
     
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  10. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    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?
     
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  11. mark

    mark Staff Member Staff Member

    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
     
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  12. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    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
     
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  13. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    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
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Gabriel G.

    Gabriel G. Member

    Ethan,

    Get a couple of Seaboard Coast Line units and a bunch of reefers and you'll be ready to run your own NWF/FSE in no time.

    Gabriel G.
     
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  15. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    I've been working on building up my collection for the NWF/FSE. I've got plenty of UP/SCL pieces to mix in now. Still working on reefers as they're released. I'll have to take some more pictures when I get a chance.

    On that topic, I've also been acquiring pieces for the QLA/CTB and ATL/UPL as well. I should have both well represented on my future layout.
     
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  16. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    My inability to sleep this morning lead me down quite the rabbit hole. I wound up in the Carr Track's section of the FOTBN website and found some info related to the Frisco power pools.

    As mentioned in a separate thread, I found a missing piece of the puzzle on the UP run throughs. It would appear to me that train 37 was added back to the schedule in 1980 to carry what was originally UPX traffic. Between the entry for that, and another page with info on the 3 other trains we do know about, we now have UP train symbols for the connection at North Platte

    https://fobnr.org/notwp/carr/bntr9.htm
    https://fobnr.org/notwp/carr/bntr0b.htm

    NWF - FCOF
    FSE - AFCOP
    KCX - AFCOF
    UPX (aka 37) - FCOP

    I'll have to start digging in on those UP train symbols now.

    There's also some mention of the Santa Fe run throughs in there, but nothing that would be new info for this thread.
     
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  17. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    While it technically wasn't part of the Frisco, I did want to share info on the PBX and BPF just for sake of clarity since its in the thread earlier.

    https://fobnr.org/notwp/carr/bntr1a.htm

    I'm sure trying to initiate a service like that the first week of a merger would have been chaotic, but they did figure out some version of it eventually. The pair was switched to trains 140/141, and then 120/121. Also worth noting, there was enough traffic that another version was created in 1982 with Trains 21/22. The creation of 21/22 would seem to coincide with the termination of the UP trains mentioned above.

    https://fobnr.org/notwp/carr/bntr0b.htm
     
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  18. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

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  19. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    While looking through old annual reports, I found this cool promotional photo taken to show off the UP-Frisco-SCL run throughs.
     

    Attached Files:

  20. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Someone uploaded a short clip from one of the DVD's of the Santa Fe from the 70's. This clip shows what I believe to be train QSF cresting the Tehachapi pass in California. While it doesn't have any pooled units at this point in the trip, it does show us most of the of the train to give us an idea of its makeup.

     

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