Nostalgia & History > Maroon Monday-At Amarillo

Winter's late afternoon sun catches a trio of Rock Island GP40's (357-355 & 323) at Amarillo Texas on February 20, 1979. Richard Yaremko

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Another great photo, Richard.

Would you care to tell us how a guy from BC came to spend so much time in Amarillo?

Tim Costello

Do you have any more? Curious how the rock laid out in Amarillo.

Hi Tim:

The oil company I worked for at the time, Hudson's Bay Oil & Gas, had a joint venture with Amarillo's Mesa Petroleum. And since they were the operator of the project and that is where the financial records for it were kept, I got an all expense paid week long trip to Texas.
After hours and during noon time I always headed for the rail yards. Rock Island was way more interesting to me than BN. Cheers, RY.

tgcostello Wrote:
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> Another great photo, Richard.
>
> Would you care to tell us how a guy from BC came
> to spend so much time in Amarillo?
>
> Tim Costello

I've got one more to post down the road. I don't recall much about the Rock's Amarillo facility other than it was laid out east-west, was located in the downtown area, and was not that large. Sorry I can't be of more help. Perhaps somebody else can chime in. RY
SD45X Wrote:
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> Do you have any more? Curious how the rock laid
> out in Amarillo.

Here is a simple map of the trackage layout in Amarillo, along with a few photos including the 2 towers in town:  http://www.towers.txrrhistory.com/075/075.htm

Mike
 

I think the Rock Island racility was located at 35.213080  -101.823797 

Looks like the old RI enginehouse still stands.

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SD45X Wrote:
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> Do you have any more? Curious how the rock laid
> out in Amarillo.
When Amarillo AFB was expanded in the early 60's the Rock Island line needed to be move south to accommodate the runway extension.