Nostalgia & History > Unknown photographer: AT&SF 2926 in action, 1947

There are times when a photo takes your breath away, and this one certainly did that for me.  What we have here is spit-shined Santa Fe 4-8-4 #2926 leading the second section of train 19, the Chief, just west of the Upper Narrows near Victorville, CA in 1947.  It comes from the collection of the late Jeff Moreau, a portion of which was recently donated to the Western Railway Museum Archives.  Unfortunately, the photographer was not listed on the negative sleeve, though it may have been H.L. Kelso, as other negatives in the same set are credited to him.  A higher resolution scan of this negative has been forwarded to the NMSL&RHS, the folks currently returning the 2926 to serviceability, but it begged to be shared here, too.  Oh, what a glorious day it will be when such a scene is once again possible with a fully-restored 2926!

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Wow! I'll bet that made quick work of Cajon's east slope! Just beautiful.....

Bob

ATSF100WEST......Out

Awesome!

I'm gasping for air.  Thanks, Evan.  Gerry

Truly fabulous photo!

Martin

That's about as classic as it gets.  Thanks for posting here.

JBWX

Thanks to Evan for sharing with T-O. My year's subscription just got justified in one image.

Sort of has a Donald Duke feel to it and was certainly photographed in an area frequented by Mr. Duke.

Great photo! That brings me to ask a question. How did the Santa Fe display their train indications on their locomotives (2-19)  etc? I can never find them. The indicators always seem to just have the locomotive number.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/15 09:09 by patd3985.

patd3985 Wrote:
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> Great photo! That brings me to ask a question. How
> did the Santa Fe display their train indications
> on their locomotives (2-19)  etc? I can never
> find them. The indicators always seem to just have
> the locomotive number.

According to a number of my sources, that is all the Santa Fe EVER carried in the number boards. Unlike the SP and UP, the Santa Fe did not put the train number up in the number boards.

Awesome photo, thanks for posting, Evan.  Looks to be the driveway about 100 feet railroad east of the Frost
Crossovers.  Did they exist when this shot was taken?  Just when DID the CTC get done on Cajon Pass?

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA
 

Terrific photo !  Thanks for posting it.
Chris

i concur with all of the comments above

I agree with the others, incredible photo.  Excellent!

I am stymied by the consist.  "The Chief" being an all Pullman train would not carry chair cars. The lightweight cars look from this angle to be 44 seat chair cars built by Pullman Standard.  Could this be a special train operating as a 2nd section of the "Chief" or another train perhaps?

Curios.

And, how about that ancient first car?  Looks like it could be a steel sheathed woodie.  There appears to be no vestibule on the car, and the window arrangement resembles that of a dining car, though no roof stacks are visible.  If this is indeed 2 - 19, my bet is that it is some other train, a special move maybe?, running on 19's number.  Great shot of my favorite era of railroading.  AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> patd3985 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Great photo! That brings me to ask a question.
> How
> > did the Santa Fe display their train
> indications
> > on their locomotives (2-19)  etc? I can never
> > find them. The indicators always seem to just
> have
> > the locomotive number.
>
> According to a number of my sources, that is all
> the Santa Fe EVER carried in the number boards.
> Unlike the SP and UP, the Santa Fe did not put the
> train number up in the number boards.

Santa Fe practice didn't use number boards as train indicators for timetable schedules but used train orders to convey that information.

SECOND 19 HAS ENG 2926

ntharalson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Awesome photo, thanks for posting, Evan.  Looks
> to be the driveway about 100 feet railroad east of
> the Frost
> Crossovers.  Did they exist when this shot was
> taken?  Just when DID the CTC get done on Cajon
> Pass?
>
> Nick Tharalson,
> Marion, IA
>  

No control point at Frost until the TCS (CTC) installation in the early '70s.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/15 16:56 by Chico43.

Many thanks for posting!!  That photo just blew me away!!!  I wish I could have been standing next Martin Hansen and the photographer when that shot was made!!!

I believe the Super Chief was the all Pullman train; the Chief had coaches and Pullmans.
BuddPullman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I agree with the others, incredible photo. 
> Excellent!
>
> I am stymied by the consist.  "The Chief" being
> an all Pullman train would not carry chair cars.
> The lightweight cars look from this angle to be 44
> seat chair cars built by Pullman Standard.  Could
> this be a special train operating as a 2nd section
> of the "Chief" or another train perhaps?
>
> Curios.

Where'is the baggage car? Would baggage for passengers on the second section be on the first section?