Nostalgia & History >

In 1992, Southern Pacific inaugurated a “Quality Train” special to tour the system trying to lure shippers to utilize their rails. The train consisted of several types of freight cars to demonstrate different shipping capabilities plus several SP and DRGW passenger cars. In May 1992, the special visited Chicago IL on the eastern end of the system. In the pictures found below we see the special powered by a pair of GP60s (utilizing train symbol “SPQTY”) heading westward in Illinois utilizing trackage rights on the Burlington Northern at a location on the “Quincy Main” in Galesburg, IL known as Thirwell on May 16, 1992.

Thanks for looking.

Gary Helling

I went to see it when it came to Sacramento.

Adam

Those were some very beautiful and historic business cars. The ones that survive are all the wrong color now. Just my opinion.

KR

I remember this train coming through SLC-- I could have sworn it was pulled by borrowed Amtrak F69AC's though. Does anyone else remember that?

The passenger cars in D&RGW colors here are still in D&RGW colors... even though only one of the three (Wilson McCarthy) was an original D&RGW car. The SP cars-- yeah, it's a shame the Sunset & Stanford ended up in Armour Yellow. At least they're still running, though. Speaking of colors, I was surprised at how quickly the 'golden west service' paint scheme SP put on their freight cars faded and/or got vandalized to the point of looking really terrible.

What were the trackage rights the SP had on the BN in Illinois? I had thought they used a former GM&O route up from St Louis to enter the Chicago area.

Thanks for sharing those photos.

RE: What were the trackage rights the SP had on the BN in Illinois? I had thought they used a former GM&O route up from St Louis to enter the Chicago area.

You are right that the SP bought the old Alton/GM&O/ICG line from St. Louis to Chicago after the demise of the Chicago Missouri & Western. However, they also negotiated with the BN a more direct route from Kansas City to Chicago utilizing the old CB&Q single track Brookfield MO line (via Quincy IL)to Galesburg where it took the Q's double track mainline to Chicago. Later with the BNSF merger, the SP was also able to also gain trackage rights on the old Santa Fe from Kansas City to Chicago, which the UP still utilizes today.

Thanks for your comments.

Gary

What a nice looking train!! Those engines look spiffy.

Alex

When the train came to Salt Lake City, the locomotives (new GP60s) stayed with the train while it was parked at the Rio Grande depot. At that time, Hercules Aerospace was shipping solid-fuel Titan IV-B rocket motor segments, and I was a guest for lunch on the train. I still have the "swag" bag and other items from that day -- we got the full spiel on the "new" Southern Pacific. It was interesting to note that their were no SP reporting marks on the new freight cars -- only those of little-known affiliated lessors.

Craig Lacey

chlacey Wrote:
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> When the train came to Salt Lake City, the
> locomotives (new GP60s) stayed with the train
> while it was parked at the Rio Grande depot. At
> that time, Hercules Aerospace was shipping
> solid-fuel Titan IV-B rocket motor segments, and I
> was a guest for lunch on the train. I still have
> the "swag" bag and other items from that day -- we
> got the full spiel on the "new" Southern Pacific.
> It was interesting to note that their were no SP
> reporting marks on the new freight cars -- only
> those of little-known affiliated lessors.
>
> Craig Lacey

All the freight cars were rebuilt Golden West Service, ex-SP/SSW