Has a list of all known surving Frisco diesels been compiled for reference? This includes units still operating on railroads and those that have been preserved. I still hope to see a GP7 preserved in black and yellow! Joe Toth
Joe, I think all the GP7's were either scrapped by the frisco, turned into GP15-1's or sold to other railroads that scrapped them. Weren't GP7's out of the system by 78 or 79? Ethan
I believe that most of the information on surviving Frisco diesels has been posted in other sections of this forum, mainly under each diesel type. I know I have posted information, including photos, of the two former Frisco locomotives that Watco owns. Below is that information again. WAMX 7013 former ISCX 565 originally SLSF 565 a GP7. Now chopped nosed and working for Watco switching at the International Paper plant in Prattville, Alabama. WAMX 3823 former HLCX 868 originally SLSF 700 a GP35. Rebuilt into a GP38, assigned to Watco switching and currently in storage at International Paper plant in Prattville, Alabama. John Chambers
Thanks for the info! I will run through all the Diesel threads to see what is still left. Sounds crazy, but if I did win the lottery I would do my level headed best to save a Frisco and Katy GP7, providing any are left of course! It must be nice to be born with a golden spike in your hand! Joe Toth
The Witchita, Tillman & Jackson Railroad in Oklahoma was running with Ex-Frisco GP7s. The engines were chop-nosed but I have seen museums take chop-nosed engines in the past and give them their full high hood nose back before so the are salvageable. Their was another Chop-nosed ex-Frisco GP7(It is one of those IC rebuilds not it is a GP10 I think) on the Little Rock & western Railroad a couple of years ago, not sure if they still have it though. I didn't see last month when I went to the LR&W HQ at Perry,AR.
WTJ has rec'd several former UP GP38s for motive power, and as a result has pulled all of their GP7s out of service. There is still one of these Geeps on the isolated Waurika-Walters line stranded by a washout- it could wind up being scrapped on site. Business has picked up enough that WTJ needed the more powerful '38s. IIRC, Mike Murray posted shots on his Facebook page, and in the Yahoo Shortlines group.
Mabie a "Occupy" railfan bunch can capture that stranded x-Frisco GP7 until it can be bought at scrap prices and moved? Joe Toth
Does anyone know of any Frisco diesel preserved in a museum outside of ex Frisco NW-2 261 (BN 421) in Wichita? I thought there was a 44 tonner or a critter somewhere, but I couldn't find anything on-line.
John Chambers has told me that the original GE 45 ton side rod is in Neodesha, KS at the WATCO tank car refurbishing plant. I think someone may have posted a picture of it recently.
SLSF #636 EMD GP38AC is still alive and kicking as BNSF #2113. It was most recently seen in West Burlington, IA on September 1, 2013 by the writer and Mark Davidson (mark). It is still in the white face scheme of that successor railroad of green infamy with a big white B on the nose..
With the MAR having completed the move of the UP Big Boy to Frisco, TX, the Age of Steam museum at Dallas Fair Park is history. Since the MAR is on the former Frisco mainline perhaps the BNSF can be approached to consider donating a former Frisco diesel to the museum to join the x-ATSF power now. I'd still like to see a GP7 donated since they worked everywhere on the Frisco and terminated steam for the most part in yards, on way freights and branchlines. Joe Toth
A news item on the Railfan & Railroad www.railfan.com site has announced that x-DL&W GP7 #959 is being preserved. It was mentioned in the artical that it was, "a complicated effort that required some time and a lot of hard work". I am somewhat disappointed that my proposal to preserve a Frisco GP7 has gone with little or no interest at all. With all of the equipment, structures and related material having been moved from Dallas Fair Park to Frisco, TX by the Museum of the American Railroad (founded as the Age of Steam railroad museum) it seems to me that all members should be thankful that a well organized museum has relocated in the greater Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex on former Frisco mainline track. With two Frisco steam locomotives at the museum it should be every members priority to see that a Frisco GP7 be preserved and what better place to display it but at the new MAR facility in Frisco, Texas! I continue to see the excitement when a new model is announced with Breaking News posted on this site but fail to understand the indifference in working together to make sure that an honest to goodness Frisco geep isn't. Charlie Dix has taken the bull by the horns in a short time and made this organization known to the entire online railfan community with a whole new fresh look and he did it in a most professional manner. A special thanks to you Charlie and please hear my plea of mercy and let's unite and show the other historial societies that we all share the pride in our beloved Frisco to get the job done by preserving a Frisco GP7 while there is one still with us that hasn't been reduced to a pile of scrap like the Royal Gorge RR did with a classic Rio Grande SD7 earlier this year! Time is running out so get off your cabooses and let's get the job done too! I'm certain that if the MAR is contacted they will work with us to see that a Frisco geep is placed on display in her as delivered black and yellow splendor for every Frisco fan to enjoy for generations to come and to tell the world that Frisco was indeed, THE best railroad in the USA...Southeast...Southwest! A caboose wouldn't be a bad idea either... Joe Toth
