Nostalgia & History > Ft Worth T&P Lancaster Yard

I have no real information of the date of this photo of Lancaster Yard engine terminal in Ft Worth.  I had thought it could be in the middle of the 1930's.  But then, I noticed Missouri Pacific A&B  E units.  It had to be MP's since T&P never owned a E - B unit.  I seem to remember MP got E-3's very early.    Also MP and T&P units ran the Eagle passenger train from St Louis to Ft Worth with shared power when T&P got their E's in 1947.  Apparently they let those units run all the way through.  Steam engines of both roads did not share each others track on the Sunshine Special..

.  In this scene there can be seen 5 active steam locomotives and no other diesels.  And there are not any diesel servicing facilities except for the tank cars just to the left of the diesels which provided their fuel.  The same type of fueling for diesels was originally tank cars at the T&P station in downtown Ft Worth until T&P started ordering diesels, first the NW-2's for the yard, then E-7's, no B units, and later on F-7 units.

So, my best guess of the date of the photo would be around 1941.  Note the large water tank has an open top.  There are 6 garden tracks in addition to the 32 stall roundhouse.   Two of the 5 steam engines are sitting at the sanding facilities, oil and water spouts, getting ready to leave.

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What a historic photo and thanks for posting. --Kelly

A true aerial treasure.
Bob

What a great photo of a 32 stall and possibly a 39 stall in earlier "good ole" days!  I love "zooming in" these shots up and meandering through the property, trying to imagine the operations and manpower (& womanpower of 1941 during WWII) required.  Lots of sweat and effort required to keep the wheels rolling!  Thanks for this wonderful shot...many more from anywhere in this period are welcomed from TO's fans if they exist.

I love zooming into these old photos too. Thanks so much for posting this.
As I zoomed around the top portion of the photo, near the back shop and power house with smoke stack, I saw what looks like a rose garden. That cannot be, but what is that space of land with its neat and geometric pattern of roads so artistically laid out?

I agree with everyone - what a fascinating picture.
Thanks for the post.
Gary
 

Hou74-76 Wrote:
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> As I zoomed around the top portion of the photo,
> near the back shop and power house with smoke
> stack, I saw what looks like a rose garden. That
> cannot be, but what is that space of land with its
> neat and geometric pattern of roads so
> artistically laid out?

That's not as improbable as it might seem.  I remember the Frisco roundhouse in Fort Smith had carefully-tended climbing roses on the fence at the ends of the garden tracks.  More surprising was the formal Japanese garden at the Pasco roundhouse I discovered when doing a project there shortly after the BN merger.

Gordon

Gordon, I wondered about that too and don't have any idea what it was but, it sure looks purposely built.

Really like to see this Ft Worth history. Thanks.
Bill in Ft Worth

I should have posted this with the original post.  It is the engine service area.  in the picture from left to right, a 4-8-2, two 4-6-2's and a 2-10-4 on the right.

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