Nostalgia & History > Sunset Limited at Tower 17 -- Feb 78

(1) Eastbound passing SP Tower 17 in Rosenberg,Tx (about 42 miles west of Houston) crossing the Santa Fe Southern Division.

(2) Three deadhead cars going to New Orleans including ex-SP dome-buffet-lounge #9372

(3) The baggage car was ex-Santa Fe built by ACF in 1955.

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(4) Here are the 3 deadhead cars ---

ex-SP dome-buffet-lounge #9372 (SP #3603) - rebuilt in 1955 from an SP lunch counter-tavern car #10310 built in 1937.

The next car was Star Scene built in 1956 by P-S for the UP as a 5 dbl bedroom-buffet-lounge (original name North Platte). It was rebuilt in 1965 to a 11 dbl bedroom car and renamed.

The observation was ex-CZ Silver Penthouse which had been a regular part of the Sunset consist.

(5) Another shot of the SP dome arriving at the Houston station.

Gary

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Gary, #1 rates **** stars ! A truly great photo which belongs in PTJ or Classic Trains.
THANKS for sharing Texas images. --Kelly

Great look back at a neat place.


Bob Jordan

Nice photos back when Amtrak had some really classic passenger cars and although they were getting older, all of them should have been rebuilt for continued service even for today. Honestly, all of those cars could have been rebuilt instead of Amtrak purchasing many newer cars at far less dollars than what new cars cost. But we are a wasteful nation unfortunately.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Photo one is an "A+" image.
Bob

Hi Gary,

These are great shots and reveal a lot about the mixed consists and dead head moves often seen on the Sunset of that era.

Can you please tell me where you were standing when you took the close up views of the ex-SP dome lounge? I am confused which way you were pointing the camera and from where. That may have been my old stomping ground(the old SP coach yard) but I am not sure.

Thanks for your train chronicles.

Hou74-76 Wrote:
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> Hi Gary,

> Can you please tell me where you were standing
> when you took the close up views of the ex-SP dome
> lounge? I am confused which way you were pointing
> the camera and from where. That may have been my
> old stomping ground(the old SP coach yard) but I
> am not sure.

The train is just arriving at the Amtrak(SP) station with the shadow of the platform cover on the car to the right.
You certainly are familiar with the foreground track - the one the Lone Star arrived on and stayed all night while you performed your great mechanical work.
Thanks-Gary

Good stuff Gary! As we've all come to expect, you have another knockout bunch of images here. In image #3 what is that round emblem on the baggage car? I have to confess to never seeing one in person. And I don't recall seeing any photos, either...

Lance

Nice shots!! Old SP RR T&E crews, based at San Antonio, TX and worked to and from Houston.

santafe199 Wrote:
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In
> image #3 what is that round emblem on the baggage
> car? I have to confess to never seeing one in
> person. And I don't recall seeing any photos,
> either...
>
> Lance

It is a United States Saving Bonds emblem.
Thanks - Gary

There is a picture of that baggage car in
AMTRAK by the numbers.It is a great book if
you are into passenger cars.

Uncle Joe