Nostalgia & History > Toto Tuesday: Chasing Frisco local #337 (pt 1)

As I look back at the late 1970s into the 1980s there were scads of locals in or near my Kansas “home turf”. Within a couple of hours of home I kinda-sorta had an opportunity to chase & photograph locals run by 6-7 different RRs. But I failed to record over 90% of them. I keep having to remind myself that from 1975-1981 I was married and working full time. A divorce in early 1982 freed me up a bit, but starting in late 1981 the reaganomics recession had me out of work about 80% of the time through May 1987. So financially, the idea of taking the car trips needed to chase these locals was just plain out of the question. But that doesn’t dampen the huge feeling of regret, knowing that I was “close, but no cigar” in shooting & recording some fascinating RR history which is now gone forever.

In February of 1980 I was cut off from working the Santa Fe’s brakeman extra board up in Emporia (KS). But I could still work the switchman’s extra board down in North Wichita. Barely. As I recall the board turned pretty well on the weekends, but was slow as molasses during the week. Just so happens one Tuesday, I found myself with at least 36 free hours before I would have to stay near a telephone. So what does a railfan photographer do with so much free time in an area he doesn’t visit regularly? Heh heh heh…

Here’s one of the many, many locals I wanted to chase “one of these days”. Follow along in the cations>>v

1. Loaded up with Kodachrome and lots of free time I headed over to Augusta, KS with the intention of shooting Santa Fe traffic with AG Tower as background scenery. But right away I found Frisco local #337’s power cut off from its train and stopped at the AT&SF crossing. SL&SF #337 consist: 714, 122, 450 & 825.

2. The consist had to come across the SFe diamond(s) to access and back into a connection track where they would make a small pick-up.

3. Here is the 714’s consist backing across Dearborn St (?). Why did I shot a roster shot?? Short answer: “Because I could”. But I have to admit this is one of the roughest looking roster shot subjects I ever shot.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/23 01:33 by santafe199.

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4. & 5. The 714 disappears behind AG Tower, which I believe was out of service by this time.

6. Looking NNE (TT east) along the Santa Fe main tracks we see #337 tied onto its transfer/pick-up set there earlier by a Santa Fe crew.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/23 01:34 by santafe199.

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7. & 8. Air test completed, #337 comes back around the AG Tower derelict to get back on it’s train.

9. #337 is back on its own track. With the pick-up made it’s returning back to its train, which was parked east of town to avoid blocking crossings.
Stay tuned for pt 2 next week! (9 photos taken February 5, 1980 in Augusta, KS)

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/21 12:33 by santafe199.

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Great set of photos!  You can see the nose stripes from 714's earlier paint scheme coming through the paint.

Rich

Fantastic series. A great trip for you. I always had special thoughts for the Frisco
Brian Stevens

Posted from iPhone

Pretty chunky set of power for a local.  Must have been some good business out there.

Conch Wrote: > ... chunky set of power for a local ...

Yeah, maybe... I didn't see this local in person that many times. But I get the impression 3-4 units was the norm. I'm thinking there were some grades "of note" between Monett, MO & Neodesha down in SE Kansas...

Lance 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/21 14:18 by santafe199.

Great pictures at Augusta Lance !
I really enjoyed my visits to the town and AG Tower in the 70's.
Gary

santafe199 Wrote:
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> 3. Here is the 714’s consist backing
> across Dearborn St (?). Why did I shot a roster
> shot?? Short answer: “Because I could”. But I
> have to admit this is one of the roughest looking
> roster shot subjects I ever shot.

So much for the pressurized carbody with the doors flopping in the breeze. :-(  But at least the doors are only partially open and not totally open like they would have been on a Rock Island Uboat.

Bill G.

That's a great series! 

Nice bunch Lance.  Looks like you had 4 different units but it's hard to tell if the third one is a GP38 or another 35.  I spent a night in Augusta this summer and I should have been more observant of the RR scene because I never knew another line crossed the Santa Fe under the bridge.  Got there late and headed to Sugar Shane's Cafe for some cold ones and a good meal.  Continued east early the next morning.

Well done - Another first class set. My favorite is your last image with its great scene.
Bob

stevelv Wrote: > ... Looks like you had 4 different units but ............

Check out my 1st caption...

santafe199 Wrote:
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> stevelv Wrote: > ... Looks like you had 4
> different units but ............
>
> Check out my 1st caption...

Yep.  450 is a GP38-2.  Missed that clue which is what I get for peeking at TO during work.

Really NICE and interesting series!

Larry

These  shots bring back a lot of memories working around Augusta both as a switchman and as engineer.   I got up into AG tower a few times but of couse never took any photos (didn't start photo taking till 1982 after working on the RR for 9 years).   Shows how things that seem mundane at the time are special later on.  Nice set of shots.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/21 18:48 by atsfer.

One word...wonderful!

santafe199 Wrote:

> 4. & 5. The 714 disappears behind AG Tower, which
> I believe was out of service by this time.

AG Tower closed in August 1979 and was knocked down 13 months later.  Neat set of photos!

Nice series, Lance!  Augusta is a great train watching town then and now.

RC Lundgren

Great time machine tour...what a rush!