Nostalgia & History > " A Midwesterner's Espee"... Pt 5

Kind thanks to all for your comments about this ongoing thread; I am most appreciative. It's gratifying to know that a few of these SP pictures have rekindled pleasant memories for some of you out there. I think I have enough left for a couple more posts. In July 1988, a couple close friends and I made a long weekend trip to El Paso TX. We wanted to spend some time on SP's "Sunset Route" main line west of town, where traffic density was quite high, as well as go across the border and catch the Mexico City-Ciudad Juarez overnight passenger train. As expected, SP did not disappoint around El Paso, providing us with plenty of action and variety. Pleased to share with anyone interested a few of the images I captured on that weekend.


Cheers,

aussiehinz


1. SP's double tracks leading west from El Paso cross the Rio Grande on separate, and substantial high bridges. We made a point of trying to photograph a few trains there, as they runmbled across these impressive bridges. Santa Fe's El Paso-Belen line is visible below the bridge in this first photo of an auto rack train coming across the river.

2. Another eastbound manifest train crosses the Rio Grande. We also captured this train a while later out east of El Paso, after a crew change.

3. Another view of the eastbound crossing the bridge.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/11 14:18 by aussiehinz.

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4. More action on the Rio Grande bridges just west of El Paso.

5. Same.

6. We ventured a little further west up into the desolate New Mexico landscape, near Anapra. The sun was high, and HOT.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/11 08:42 by aussiehinz.

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7. We decided to head east from El Paso to try and again catch a few of the eastbounds we had observed crossing the Rio Grande. This was one of them.

8. Close behind, a second manifest train out of El Paso; one that we hadn't seen earlier, came past us. My notes say these two pictures were at the west end of Fabens, but I wouldn't swear to it.

9. Back in town, we stopped at the servicing facility and shot what was on hand there.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/11 08:42 by aussiehinz.

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10. A pair of switchers work at El Paso Yard.

11. A rather faded looking "Daylight" scheme 7342 was on hand at El Paso.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/11 08:44 by aussiehinz.

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Great time to be on the S.P., I enjoyed the "rent-a-wreck" period! Outstanding Photo's, that SSW GP40-2 on the point is fantastic.

I have almost no memories of the "real" SP. But I enjoy your photos as "histories". Thank you. wag216

Great stuff. Surprised you made it to Anapra without getting mugged by border gangs or run into special agents protecting the area

Things weren't quite the same in 1988. Never saw any Border Agents, or were hassled in any way. We went to Juarez, too, to photograph some Mexican stuff (first time for any of us) and have dinner. All things none of us would even remotely consider doing today. For the pictures around the El Paso locomotive facility, the SP Special Agent actually accompanied us so we could take them.

Superb!

Everyone of these fine shots are Superb.

Gary

Great shot's Aussieheinz. The shot with 9606n leading, is that some of the EMD GP60/59 demo's trailing? Like that shot. Recall the bridges well. Went past them many an occasion while passing by on I10.Thanks for sharing. Ben

OK. I found the symbol on the 8027 East - SXHOT (Sealand/ICTF - Long Beach to Houston Trailers): units were 8027/7272/NHL 6686/8493/7820/8299/8366. Departed Del Rio, TX 26 loads/0 empties, 4673 tons, 5348 feet.

More: found the symbol for the 9606 East...LXHOF (ICTF - Long Beach to Houston Forwarder). Power was 9606/EMD 6/EMD 5/9615. 62 loads/0 empties, 5102 tons, 5521 feet.




Allen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/11 20:59 by bradleymckay.

Wow!! That's really cool! You must have those train sheets stashed in your basement! Thanks for the info; I'm going to update the info on those slides. And for Ben (ns2557), yes, I believe those trailing unuts were the demonstrators. The train was really moving, but I recall watching them blast by.