Nostalgia & History > ATSF Guthrie, OK - June 1973

Continuing with the 1973 graduation trip.

After our encounter with the Santa Fe in western Kansas, we drove to Wichita at dusk, then headed south on I-35. As we headed south, we found few motels, and those that we found were full. We finally gave up after midnight, pulled into the parking lot of Santa Fe's depot in Guthrie, OK, rolled down the windows and tried to get some sleep on that warm, humid night under the parking lot lights.

The following morning, just as dawn was approaching, a bunch of Santa Fe maintenance of way laborers arrived for work, parking their cars and trucks all around us. Even though we were still trying to sleep, radios were blaring (on 93 WKY from Oklahoma City), and I distinctly remember several of them singing along to John Denver's current hit, "I'd Rather be a Cowboy". Good morning, Oklahoma.

In that first hour of sunshine, a meet took place in Guthrie, with two trains with matched power. First, coming up from the south, from Oklahoma City, was this train behind a set of three GP38-2s, led by 3521. [EDIT: Brought to my attention that these are regular GP38s, not GP38-2s.] At the same time, being held just north of the station, is a southbound freight behind five U23Bs, led by 6306.

Morning in Oklahoma. I would rather be a cowboy. I would rather be 21 again.

Lee Hower
Sacramento



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/09 13:06 by mcfflyer.

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5 AT&SF U23B's on one train! Probably not duplicated too often. Thank you very much for this historic post.
Steve B.

The 3500's and 6300's were used on the Dodge City to Boise City a lot. Then came the 3600's and when harvert was on, it was not uncommon to see four on a train out here.

mcfflyer Wrote:

> In that first hour of sunshine, a meet took place
> in Guthrie, with two trains with matched power.
> First, coming up from the south, from Oklahoma
> City, was this train behind a set of three
> GP38-2s, led by 3521.

Those are plain-vanilla GP38's, built in 1970. The only GP38-2's on Santa Fe were the eleven non-dynamic-brake-equipped units that came with the absorption of the TP&W in 1984. Thanks for the shots!

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mcfflyer Wrote:
>
> > In that first hour of sunshine, a meet took
> place
> > in Guthrie, with two trains with matched power.
>
> > First, coming up from the south, from Oklahoma
> > City, was this train behind a set of three
> > GP38-2s, led by 3521.
>
> Those are plain-vanilla GP38's, built in 1970.
> The only GP38-2's on Santa Fe were the eleven
> non-dynamic-brake-equipped units that came with
> the absorption of the TP&W in 1984. Thanks for
> the shots!


Evan, thanks for the correction. You know, there used to be a time when I could glace at a locomotive and identify it. I just looked the paper air filter box, and thought that was a dash two improvement. I was wrong. But I do want to always strive for accuracy, and I thank you!

Lee