Nostalgia & History > Guest Toto Tuesday: Kansas Shadow from 1967

Growing up along the KP in the 1960's afforded me many glimpses of UP's huge double-engine GE's. I can clearly remember the original U-50's during the 60's and the U-50-C's lasted into the 70's. (Once in a great while EMD would be represented with a sighting of a DD-35, but the Centennials were never in regular service on my part of the KP.) If any of GE's U-series of locomotives ever leant itself to the term "boat", I would have to cast my vote for the big U-50s. To be truthful, they were more like a loud & powerful barge. As a kid I was particularly fond of watching "that funny train with the squirrel fans". That's what I used to call them in my grade school years. It was only later as a full-fledged railfan that I heard the term "whirlybird". The first time I heard someone call them whirlybirds my memory immediately flooded with the sound of those fans. It would also have recalled a few "Kodak moments" if I'd known I could have carried a camera in my younger years; even if it was just the family Brownie.

A few days ago a fellow retired railroader & railfan (also TO member "KCCharlie") sent me a few misc. images he had scanned from some of his early photography. When I saw this shot of a U-50 leading a train along Kansas hwy 32 I just had to ask him if I could use it for Toto Tuesday. He graciously agreed. The shadow he cast taking his shot allows me to imagine that it could have been 12 year old future "santafe199" taking the picture. I hope you enjoy that thought as much as I do...

1. UP 46 on a WB manifest near Edwardsville, KS in December of 1967.
(guest Toto Tuesday photographer: Charlie Childs)

Thanks for the memory, Charlie!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/22 21:10 by santafe199.

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Great photo. I like how the train's leaning into the curve because of the track's superelevation shows up so well.
Bob

Great shot KCCharlie and nice story Lance!

Erik

Wowsa! Great shot! I know right where this is. 88th street. There are now 3 tracks and a lumber yard just to the right of this picture. This shot may to be possible today at the same time of day due to the current large building casting a showdown over the tracks. Thanks for posting Lance, and thanks for sharing Charile!

And an SD24B to boot. 2 birds and one stone. Nice work guys.
later...Wes

Wes Chiles
Topeka, KS

Great photo. Sorry I never go to see them in action.

Jim B