Steam & Excursion > SLRG 551 Former Santa Fe Great Dome on TSRR

I shot these on a gloomy Friday afternoon at the TSRR Palestine, Tx. depot, on my way home from my oldest daughter's house for Thanksgiving and shot these pictures of SLRG 551. This is another of the Iowa Pacific's former Santa Fe great domes. TSRR picked up the car that morning at the UP interchange and brought it to the TSRR depot for use in then railroads annual Polar Express trains. It is the first car interchanged with the UP in Palestine for a long time and looks like it will be very popular this winter. The plan is to have the car in service next weekend.

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Great Domes are the Great Northern version. The SantaFe called then by another name.
Steve

BIG Dome

You are right, it is a BIG DOME!

I am informed that this is the first Texas State RR train into Palestine proper in 43 years! Way to go!

I lensed this car at San Antonios' Sunset Station on Saturday, the 17th. I wonder when UP had it available for pick up at Palestine? Will be a great addition to the Polar Express.

Well TSR picked it up on Friday, and it was supposed to go north out of Houston on Wed, so that sort of narrows down when it was dropped off in Palestine, at least as best as I can do right now.

elueck Wrote:
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> I am informed that this is the first Texas State
> RR train into Palestine proper in 43 years! Way
> to go!

I guess the 610 was just dropped in by cargo helicopter in the early 1980's?

That would have had to been SOME helicopter!

When 610 was delivered to TSRR, according to my TSRR employee timetable, UP/MP interchanged with the UP/MP at Vercal,
(MP 25.7)0.7 mi west of the TSRR Palestine depot. This was because UP/MP had rights over TSRR to serve an industry at Calhoun, east of the FM 525 crossing. These rights were granted in 1969.

When the industry at Calhoun closed, UP/MP gave up those rights, but TSRR never used or reopened the track. Iowa Pacific has been working to rehab the track between the Palestine depot and the current UP interchange at Royall Street (MP 28.3)

Friday's train was the first time that a TSRR train ventured to the Royall Street since 1969, thus re-connecting TSRR with the rest of the US rail.

I hope that clears that up.

Yes, that's exciting news then.

The 551 was one of 6 of the Santa Fe Big Domes that as-built had a crew dormitory plus a bar with a very small 8 seat lounge on the lower level.