Nostalgia & History > Vacation July 1977

1977 was a good year or vacations, as I was fortunate to be able to take three of them. The first one to the Chicago area I covered a while back, and for the second one we will go to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is. Vacation number three will be covered in the future.

So on July 22, 1977 my buddy and I headed for Texas. Why Texas? Well, two reasons. First we had a over a week to kill before we had to be in Pittsburgh (we were meeting someone who was going to show us around), second, Santa Fe had pulled a bunch of “F” B-units out of storage due to a motive power shortage. Then there were still a few (very few) F7 A-units out running, and if that wasn’t enough the Santa Fe had leased a number of CNW GP30’s and SD45’s, and CN GP40’s and SD40’s.

After driving all night we were nearing Belen New Mexico when we caught our first train. This was the Santa Fe 5599 west with a SD45, SD24, and two SD26’s for power. Then on to Belen, where we found a number of units on the ready tracks waiting for their next assignments.

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After having a bite to eat and resting for a couple of minutes, we headed for the east end of Abo Canyon and the US 60 overpass. It was a really beautiful day and we didn’t mind waiting for a while for the first train to come.

Finally we heard the sound we wanted to hear, and it wasn’t long before the SF5660 East came into view. It was wuite a while before we again heard the sound of an approaching train. Then after several more minutes the SF3171 made it’s way out of the canyon and under the 60 bridge. Trailing the 3171 were two CNW SD45’s. Looking the other way, we noticed that the train was lined into the siding, and after several more minutes of waiting the 3510 West came into view making it’s way past us and on to Belen and points west.

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Finally continuing east, we were making our way through Mountainair when we spotted a west bound with F-units. U-turn time. Fortunately we were able to catch the train not to far out of town. Leading the train was the rebuilt GP7 2064 followed by three “F” B-units, a CF7, and another rebuilt GP7. Not a whole lot of working dynamic brakes in that consist. We catch up to the 3171 again at Vaughn where we shoot it passing the Santa Fe station as a thunderstorm brews.

From there it was on to Clovis and a night of rest before continuing east the next morning.

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SP6190 Wrote:

> After driving all night we were nearing Belen New
> Mexico when we caught our first train. This was
> the Santa Fe 5599 west with a SD45, SD24, and two
> SD26’s for power.

Looks like you're just west of Suwanee.

> Then on to Belen, where we found
> a number of units on the ready tracks waiting for
> their next assignments.

Nice lashup, U30CG and all. I doubt Belen saw that much variety again until BNSF. Even home road GP7's, 9's, and CF7's seemed verboten in central New Mexico during the 80's.

John-

You floor me with all this GREAT Santa Fe stuff. I can remember how "Doug" referred to the aforementioned line......

Wasn't the (wrecked - missing the cab, IIRC) 5599 under the Mt. Vernon overpass in San Berdoo for years in 70's?

Thanks for sharing your images of the first ever Santa Fe diesel leasing year.

Take Care,

Bob

ATSF100WEST......Out

The power shortage is most evident by those CNW non-dynamic brake equipped 45's. Those weren't suppose to go west of Argentine. But then again when you're power short..... Besides that's what G. Westinghouse invented air brakes for........ :-)

DD