Nostalgia & History > BB: AT&SF E8Am #81 w/Denver-La Junta train 1968

Bruce Black shot quite a few slides of the Santa Fe's Denver-La Junta passenger train, warbonnets were the primary power with E8Am's #81 and #84 being the 'regulars' E's and warbonnet F's were also used. This shot was at Castle Rock,CO on July 21, 1968.

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Could someone fill us in on the building to the right.

Marty Bernard

x sf station still there

Haven't seen many photos of the Station, it was still there last year but tough to find. You can see it right above the freeway interchange, forgot the name of the cross street though. Curious what it's used for now, it did seem to be an active Company building though.

it ws used as a residence i think castle rock may preserve it

Thank you very much for posting this shot. This train was the first one I would ever rail fan on my own. I was 11 in 1969 and would ride my bike down to see it pass through Englewood, south of Denver. If you have time I would appreciate seeing more.

Thanks again, 

Randy in PHX where it is a balmy 79F

I bet a before and after shot would show some huge changes with that coummunity scene!

I've heard stories that, had the ICC allowed Santa Fe to discontinue this train, they would have made the decision, like DRGW, CRIP and SOU, not to join Amtrak.  Being saddled with this train as of May 1, 1971 was enough for ATSF to decide to join Amtrak, and then, ironically, Amtrak promptly discontinued it as it did not fit into their national network plan. 

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
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> I've heard stories that, had the ICC allowed Santa
> Fe to discontinue this train, they would have made
> the decision, like DRGW, CRIP and SOU, not to join
> Amtrak.  Being saddled with this train as of May
> 1, 1971 was enough for ATSF to decide to join
> Amtrak, and then, ironically, Amtrak promptly
> discontinued it as it did not fit into their
> national network plan. 

Santa Fe was also asking to discontinue the SF Chief and the Grand Canyon as well.

Everything but the Super Chief, yes?

John Reed was attributed in Frailey's "Twilight of the Great Trains" as saying if he could have only
run what Amtrak kept, he could have convinced his board to stay out.  However, an intrnal study
showed had they stayed out with what they had, it would have wiped out the company in three years.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Even if ATSF had initially stayed out of Amtrak, I bet they'd have ended up joining about the same time SOU did when their equipment and motive power started coming due for major service/overhaul.