Western Railroad Discussion > Signal Sunday: Upgrading NR Jct

The arrival of March 1st is always a welcomed event. The bulk of cold winter weather has slipped by and is now astern. Pitchers & catchers are already getting those zillion dollar arms into shape. And just under the surface everywhere is a green explosion which is just waiting for its cue from Mama Nature.

Pretty soon we’ll be able to post current images with green foliage, rather than dig back for an 8 year old rerun, which I believe this one is. And if I remember correctly, our good man, TO member 'SantaFe' was the working conductor on this train. But there is bad news to dampen this lively scene. New PTC signals are in place, ready to put to pasture a few more of our beloved searchlights. A sad occasion for most of us picture-takers...

1. In westward directional running BNSF 4016 is just coming off the Topeka Sub at NR Jct in Emporia, KS. The Peyton St crossing here is the spot where Mr Holliday’s fledgling Santa Fe bravely entered its first significant town. This track was in place by 1870. Already a thriving commercial center, Emporia would later become an important division point as the young Santa Fe doggedly pushed west to the Colorado border. On the right is the Emporia Sub main line directly to Kansas City, but it wasn’t completed until the late 1880s. We never called it the transcon back in my working days. It was simply the main line or, to use obsolete Santa Fe vernacular: “Ottawa Cutoff”.
Photo date: April 17, 2012.

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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The head end being right about where Miss Katy crossed on her way to Parsons. Thanks for the looks as to how much has changed.
Dave in Msla

What I have been told by a BN dispatcher is that the term "Transcon" originated in the BN dispatching off just before the BN-Santa Fe merger, and BNSF ran with it after the merger.
Dick Eisfeller

Nice shot, Lance!  Where is the searchlight or governing signal for the NR Junction in this picture?

Thanks.

Randy Lundgren

texchief1 Wrote: > ... Where is the searchlight ...

My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I think the old signal governing trains off the Topeka Sub is hidden behind the approaching 4016. And you can see the old signal governing main #1 sorta hiding in the trees. The old signal governing main #2 is out of frame to the right...

Lance