Nostalgia & History > 6 More of Roger Puta's Southern Railway Photos

1.  SOU GP35 2662 at Riverton Jct., Front Royal, VA on September 6, 1969.

2.  SOU RS3 2058 leads Train 21, mail & express, near Lake Accotink, Springfield, VA on November 16, 1969.

3.  Southern Passenger Train Bulletin Board at Somerset, KY April 11, 1963.  Roger wrote, "Our train #3, the Royal Palm is shown On Time."   Look at the penmanship with the chalk.

Continued  ...



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/16 22:10 by MartyBernard.

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These three are of Southern Ry (Cincinnati New Orleans & Texas Pacific) Train 3, the Royal Palm on April 11, 1963

4.  Heading into curve near Sunbright, TN on the Rathole Division.

5.  On bridge over the New River at New River, TN

6.  Waiting at Oakdale, TN . Building at right is a bunkhouse for crew at this division point (the southern terminus of the Rathole Division).

Enjoy Roger's photos,
Marty Berard



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/16 22:09 by MartyBernard.

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Photos 4, 5, & 6 all show three RPOs in the consist.  Why so many?

They were being used as storage for mail sacks and slugs. One car was active.

Wonderful images, Marty. Love that train bulletin board.
I have to wonder were there any trains that carried more than 
one RPO car in service?

2662 as delivered, with no SR herald and no check digit. Those came later.

Looks like a rare Southern passenger B unit tucked into consist on 4, 5, and 6.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/16 03:39 by ctillnc.

The RS-3 in pic #2 is sweet. 

I love the pictures of the Royal Palm. If any train was "my train" when I was growing up, that was it.

I believe photo 5 is on the old bridge at New River which was bypassed by an even higher bridge during the reconstruction of the CNO&TP in the sixties. Great photos Marty, thanks for posting.
Charlie

The_Chief_Way Wrote:
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> Wonderful images, Marty. Love that train bulletin
> board.
> I have to wonder were there any trains that
> carried more than 
> one RPO car in service?

The "Broadway Limited" carried two RPO's NY-PIT.

Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.

Really like the vestibule shots, Marty!  Thanks for posting!

Randy Lundgren

Thanks for that comment Randy.  I almost didn't post then beciase I was not sure if there would be much interest.

Marty

Marty,

You never know what a photo may mean to someone. The photo of the crew dorm in Oakdale touched my heart as it was where my father had one of his first off of the farm jobs, washing dishes and cleaning tables. He passed away 36 years ago and would be 105 this July if he were still around. That building as well as most of the railroad related buildings in Oakdale are long gone now.

Thanks,
Charlie

MartyBernard Wrote:
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> Thanks for that comment Randy.  I almost didn't
> post then beciase I was not sure if there would be
> much interest.
>
> Marty

The_Chief_Way Wrote:       
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> Wonderful images, Marty. Love that train bulletin
> board.
> I have to wonder were there any trains that
> carried more than 
> one RPO car in service?

​I believe the " Federal" NH-PRR between Boston and Washington, DC frequently carried 2 working RPOs.
​Christmas Holiday mail rush may have had other trains on other lines carry 2 working RPOs
IIRC the last run of working RPOs was the Federal and it did carry 2 working cars  

On another site, it was stated that during this time the "Royal Palm" carried three working RPO's.
Credit to Southern Ry historian Ron Flanary.

The_Chief_Way Wrote:
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> On another site, it was stated that during this
> time the "Royal Palm" carried three working
> RPO's.

I think one RPO was a 60' compartment between Cincinnati and Chattanooga. South of Chattanooga the train had a 30' compartment baggage-mail.  I'd have to see more to convince me about three working RPO's.
 

2nd shot:   Old Southern Railway operating crews on the mail & express train (train 21) were based out of Washington, DC and worked between Washington and Monroe, VA.

4th, 5th and 6th shots:   Old Southern Railway train crews on the Royal Palm were based out of Cincinnati(OH) and Danville, KY​ and worked between Cincy and Oakdale, TN.
Danville, KY engine crews worked between Danville and Oakdale, TN.

6th shot:  Old Southern Railway operating crews about to begin their duty on the old Royal Palm at Oakdale, TN were b​​ased out of Chattanooga, TN and worked between Chattanooga and Oakdale.      Corrections are welcome.

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/16 17:33 by RodneyZona.