Nostalgia & History > Sunday shadows

The first time I ever got the opportunity to look at a Santa Fe Eastern Division employee timetable I naturally gravitated to any & all information concerning Emporia, KS. At the time Emporia was a location I knew second only to tiny Morris just outside of Argentine. I had spent the summer months of my 19th year on this planet living in a M.O.W. extra gang bunk car parked behind the Morris depot. But of all RR towns I would ever encounter as a railfan photographer Emporia would become permanently ranked #1.

Before I ever hired into train service and learned how to fully understand any given employee timetable I became fascinated with many references in Santa Fe’s Eastern Division timetable. One that really stood out was the multiple reference to “Constitution St” in downtown Emporia. In turns out that reference meant different things to different factions within Santa Fe operations. But visually Constitution is just an average street crossing that happened to define the easternmost end of the platform at the Emporia passenger station. Back in those days I spent a great deal of time shooting at the east end of that platform. Mostly with a tripod shooting the station stop for my favorite Amtrak train, the “Lone Star”. Here’s an example: ( https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4187038,4187434#msg-4187434 ), and the 1st image in this thread: ( https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?18,3609303,3609303#msg-3609303 ). But with this image it would seem I’ve made an unsuccessful attempt to hide my shadow behind the pole’s shadow. Oh well!

Needless to say, the crossing at Constitution St today has changed a great deal…

1. AT&SF 3658 on a westbound manifest crossing Constitution Street at the east end of the passenger platform in Emporia, KS on July 22, 1978.

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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The interesting location makes this even better.
Bob

Even the signal has changed.  Been there and brings back memories.
sd-45

Is the brick building now an antique store?

millerdc Wrote: > ... brick building now an antique store ...

I believe that's correct. It would be the back (west) side of the antique mall facing east on Commercial St (main drag N-S) right at the BNSF main line...

Lance