Nostalgia & History > Friday Flares - Above and Behind

A few views from 1973 that I took around Memphis for our weekly Friday Flare session. Photo 1 shows the rear of an unidentified SP SD45 taken from the cab of another SP (or SSW) SD45 in Memphis (I can't locate the roster shots I took here to identify the #'s). Photos 2 and 3 show Frisco train FSE (run-thru with U.P. out of North Platte, NE) which has just arrived in Memphis and is headed on toward Tennessee Yard. Today it is led by U.P. SD40X #3045. Photo 3 shows the 180 degree angle from photo 2 as a westbound (timetable north) Frisco passes underneath and an eastbound Cotton Belt train also rolls through.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/15 16:18 by Rathole.

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Wow...those diamonds in the second photo look they are literally floating :) What is supporting them besides mud?

Bob

Now that's some creative photography (I was going to say you have a flare for the dramatic, but I wouldn't do that)

Your #1 sure brings stirs up memories of many a DH trip riding in trailing units. An SD-45 was almost as cool to ride behind as it was to ride in! And LOOK at all the mud in those crossing diamonds! I'll bet that was a huge headache for the M.O.W. bros...

Lance

The mud acted kind of like glue I guess. When trains would pass over the diamonds mud would splash everywhere! Not too long after this photo the railroads who had tracks thru here (ICG-RI-MP-SLSF) completely rebuilt these diamonds with some proper drainage and fresh ties and ballast. There were 5 north-south tracks crossing here when I took this photo, today there is only one. All 4 east-west tracks are still in use.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/15 16:54 by Rathole.