Nostalgia & History > F Unit Friday: GN #350A, Westbound Builder, St. Paul

Another slide I purchased from John Benson, a Dick Wallin Kodak-processed Ektachrome duplicate of an A-B-B-A lashup on the westbound Empire Builder, which is coming up the hill from Saint Paul Union Depot, and is about to pass Westminster Tower.  The first 2 units are F7A #350A and F7B #364B.  The #350A was built as a passenger-geared F3A in November 1947, and after a wreck, was rebuilt in June 1952 to a F7A.  It was traded in to EMD in February 1966, although I don't know for what.  The #364B was built in October 1950, and was later BN #9723.  It was traded in to EMD in February 1972 on an order of GP38-2's.  If anyone knows who originally took this shot, or when, that would be very helpful!  Thanks in advance!

Exact location info provided by Railway Preservation News (RYPN) forum member "HudsonL".  Roster info from Ben Ringnalda's Great Northern Empire website: http://www.greatnorthernempire.net/GNEThisMonthsFeature.php

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Must be the eastbound Builder coming down the hill in the morning.

Best regards,

Rob L.

rob_l Wrote:
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> Must be the eastbound Builder coming down the hill
> in the morning.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Rob L.

I agree with this, already past Westminster.  Will have to talk with Hudson about this.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Who ever took it left us a great photo.  Thanks Ted for posting it and doing the back ground research.  

Marty Bernard

MartyBernard Wrote:
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> Who ever took it left us a great photo.  Thanks
> Ted for posting it and doing the back ground
> research.  
>
> Marty Bernard

I'd guess Tom Smart of Louisville was the photographer.  He and his family vacationed in St. Paul every summer throughout the 60s.  And he was trading slides with a bunch of us, including Dick Wallin.

Affirmitive,  Eastbound

ntharalson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> rob_l Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Must be the eastbound Builder coming down the
> hill
> > in the morning.
> >
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Rob L.
>
> I agree with this, already past Westminster.
>  Will have to talk with Hudson about this.
>
> Nick Tharalson,
> Marion, IA

masterphots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MartyBernard Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Who ever took it left us a great photo.
>  Thanks
> > Ted for posting it and doing the back ground
> > research.  
> >
> > Marty Bernard
>
> I'd guess Tom Smart of Louisville was the
> photographer.  He and his family vacationed in
> St. Paul every summer throughout the 60s.  And he
> was trading slides with a bunch of us, including
> Dick Wallin.

Thanks, MP, for the info on the photographer!  I have a number of Al Chione dupes taken in the Twin Cities of GN passenger cars, and I'm wondering how many might be Tom's.