Nostalgia & History > Lotsa horses at North Platte!

Here are some random scans from Jim Watson’s huge collection. From the 1970s through the 1980s and into the 1990s Jim had a job many railfans would drool for. Based in Manhattan, KS (my hometown, as well) he was a traveling company rep for multiple companies during that era. Among other locales, Nebraska & Wyoming were a regular part of his vast territory. If you were a Nikon/Kodachrome-equipped Union Pacific fan this job would come in pretty handy! And it goes without saying that during that span any & every other RR between hither and yon came under the scrutiny of Jim’s Nikon. Although he has become mostly inactive as a photographer in the past few years, Jim is graciously allowing me to blitzkrieg his collection to scan & post almost anything & everything...

Here is a colossal collection of horsepower in various states of storage, all at that great U.P.R.R. mecca called North Platte! Enjoy…

1. UP 2516 + friends on February 15, 1983.

2. UP 2525 lines up on May 5, 1983.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/25/22 05:34 by santafe199.

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Although these 5 images are in no particular purposeful order, Uncle Pete’s numbering system has separated the GEs from the EMDs…

3. UP 3193 camping out with a mixed bag of cohorts on July 25, 1985.

4. UP 3737 in more mixed company on May 30, 1980.

5. UP 9002 is a puny pony compared to the thoroughbred steed one track over on May 27, 1979.
(5 original Kodachrome slides taken Mr James W. Watson)

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Jim Watson (UP6900)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/25/22 05:34 by santafe199.

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You've got one of the former Rock Island U28B's recently repainted into UP colors at the end of a row in photo 4.   The UP was about to really clean house on older models so the early 80's was the last hurrah for the Unlimited Power era.  

An "A+" set of excellent images. Wow!
Bob

A great series of shots! Great paint schemes! Thankyou. That beats all the stuff we see now!

Milwaukee Wrote: > ... early 80's was the last hurrah ...

...for the Rock Island & the Frisco. For midwestern & granger fans 1980 was a busy year with lots of change to try to photograph. Although it was by far my busiest working year with the Santa Fe, I got a decent share of my own shots of Rock Island power shuffling off to the UP & the Mop. I was also able to spend an entire (horribly overcast) weekend in Springfield, MO shooting my own "last stand" of the Frisco. The truncation of the MILW Pacific Extension was too far away for me to do anything about...

Lance/199



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/20 19:58 by santafe199.

You were smart to recognize that 1980 was a pivotal year for railroads and you needed to get out to see things before they disappeared forever.   First generation and less desirable early 2nd generation diesels were dropping off fast, mergers were getting ready to eliminate many roads, and quite a bit of track was getting ready to be abandoned.   Thanks for sharing the many stories and photos you obtained during that era.  

santafe199 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Milwaukee Wrote: > ... early 80's was the last
> hurrah ...
>
> ...for the Rock Island & the Frisco. For
> midwestern & granger fans 1980 was a busy year
> with lots of change to try to photograph.
> Although it was by far my busiest working year
> with the Santa Fe, I got a decent share of my own
> shots of Rock Island power shuffling off to the UP
> & the Mop. I was also able to spend an
> entire (horribly overcast) weekend in
> Springfield, MO shooting my own "last stand" of
> the Frisco. The truncation of the MILW Pacific
> Extension was too far away for me to do anything
> about...
>
> Lance/199