Nostalgia & History > Santa Fe Stainless at La Junta, CO on July 12, 1964

Bill Howes spent some time at the Santa Fe Station at La Junta, CO on July 12, 1964 and took a few photos.  Here's 5.

1. Train 17, El Capitan, arriving at La Junta.

2. Train 17, El Capitan.

3. A Boy Scout Group headed for Raton, NM on Train 2.  Bill's noted they were posing for a picture.  ??



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/19 23:34 by MartyBernard.

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4. Train 23, the Grand Canyon, working head end cars.

5. Train 23, the Grand Canyon.

[EDIT]  See Bill Howes' comments below.


Thanks Bill,
Marty Bernard



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/19 17:34 by MartyBernard.

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Amazing how busy La Junta, Colorado, was as a service stop.  Appreciate these images from July 1964.

Enjoyed these photo's.

Ed

Interesting pics!  Note the ACL 10-6 sleeper on the end of the Grand Canyon in picture #5.

Dave

DavidP Wrote:
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> Interesting pics!  Note the ACL 10-6 sleeper on
> the end of the Grand Canyon in picture #5.
>
> Dave

Okay, this clears up Marty's caption for the Boy Scout photo.  Train #2 would have been the San Francisco Chief which didn't run through La Junta.
The Grand Canyon would be trains 23/24 and likely to carry a tour group the El Cap and Super Chief wouldn't.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Always thought the La Junta depot was a special place . Last time I was there in 2015 with my late friend John Arbuckle , not too much had changed except no ATSF passenger trains. Thanks for posting these slides !!  --Kelly

These are really great - so much to look at.
Plenty of passengers also.
Gary

These are wonderfully candid shots that tell the viewer how it really was. 

I am curious about that 3rd heavyweight car from the end of the Grand Canyon in picture 5.  Is that car serving as a lounge or is it a tourist sleeper?
Thanks to those with sharper eyes than mine that can tell.
Hou74076

Thanks Marty, for your work in posting this exquisite SFe history! And a special thanks to Mr Howes for shooting it!
(Although I'm wondering who's gonna clean up all this drool on my keyboard... ;^)

Lance/199

Hou74-76 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> These are wonderfully candid shots that tell the
> viewer how it really was. 
>
> I am curious about that 3rd heavyweight car from
> the end of the Grand Canyon in picture 5.  Is
> that car serving as a lounge or is it a tourist
> sleeper?
> Thanks to those with sharper eyes than mine that
> can tell.
> Hou74076

Could be a lounge car. (Based on the photos, it looks more like a chair car). Still, Santa Fe did advertise a lounge car on the GC during summer months.
Tourist sleepers were long gone by this date on US railroads



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/19 16:18 by ATSF3751.

The haevywight is a coach. wag216

You can tell it's not a Pullman because of the heavy underframe which was a Santa Fe spotting feature on their heavyweight chair cars, diners and lounges.  The ACL sleeper is one of the benefits of the Pullman pool.  In summer when not needed for Florida service and railroad could go to the Pullman Company and arrange to obtain sleepers for the western tourist trade.

Bill Howes sent me these omments:
 I was a passenger aboard the sleeper "Hidden Valley" on Train 23, the "Grand Canyon", en route from Kansas City, MO to Williams Junction, AZ. The ACL sleeping car behind the "Hidden Valley" on the rear of the train was an extra car. I don't recall if it was occupied or, if so, by whom. The heavyweight car ahead of the "Hidden Valley" was a lounge and crew dormitory. Ahead of it was a diner. The coaches were heavily occupied, including a group of uniformed Boy Scouts en route to Raton, NM.  Train 23 was scheduled to arrive in La Junta at 7:55 AM and, following 30 minutes of servicing, switching and head end business, was due out at 8:25 AM, 27 minutes ahead of Train 17, the "El Capitan" / "Super Chief", due at 8:52 AM. However, Train 23 was running a bit late and was still in the station when First 17, the "El Capitan" arrived. However, I believe Train 23 was on the road again before Second 17, the "Super Chief" arrived. Second 17 finally caught up with Train 23 when it went in the hole at Canyoncito, NM west of Las Vegas, NM.

What a small world!  I had a roomette in "Hidden Valley" in September 1966 from Trinidad, CO to Kansas City, MO on ATSF #24.  Friends had dropped me off at Trinidad after a several days of railfanning the DRGW and ATSF Raton line.  I spent a day railfanning at the great Kansas City Union station before continuing to Chicago on ATSF #12, the "Chicagoan".  Ah, the things one could do in 1966!

And nobody commented on the redhead:)

Posted from iPhone

If those scouts think they are foing to get to Raton, NM from La Junta, CO on ATSF 2, they need to re-take their merit badge studies for navigation.  Train #2 is headed for Kansas, I do believe.

everything is going west here