Nostalgia & History > mundo: Depot Friday - Phoenix, AZ

"Mundo" in the subject line means the first three photos below were taken by the late Ed Von Nordeck, Trainorders.com member mundo.

Ed photographed the SP - AT&SF Union Station at Phoenix, AZ several times over the years:

1) On the morning of November 11, 1956, the front of the depot was partially obscured by SP business car 110 Los Angeles and a baggage car.  Ed was a passenger car fan, so I doubt he minded (I don't, either). 

2) An unobstructed view of the front of the depot from a train in December 1969.

3) For the bus fans, a view of the street side with Nava-Hopi Tours MCI coach 86.

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I wasn't able to find any train photos at Phoenix among Ed's views, so for those, we turn to the Western Railway Museum Archives:

4) Arthur Lloyd photographed the eastbound Imperial behind SP 4-8-4 #4402 some time in the 1950's, judging from the silver-ended, barrel-headlight-equipped EMD switcher to the left.

5) An unknown photographer (possibly H.L. Kelso) caught Santa Fe's unnamed train No.47 from Ash Fork, with freight F's and a steam generator car, beside SP's streamlined Sunset Limited No.1 in 1952.  Both trains are timetable westbound, but the Santa Fe train is facing geographic east since the connection to their "Peavine" was west of the station.  No.47 was due in at 8:30 a.m., while No.1 was schedule to dwell at Phoenix from 8:20 - 8:35 a.m.

6) Chuck Vercelli found eastbound Santa Fe train No.42 and westbound SP mail train No.39 at Phoenix in November 1966.  No.42 was due out at 3:15 p.m. while No.39 was due in at 3:00 p.m.

The station still stands but no longer sees passenger trains: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wt6rHmzhBxJkb225A

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Great look back!    'Sure makes one miss the "good old days" in the West.    Thanks Evan.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

I was there about 1958 ?   Santa Fe had a Display train with shiny new cars and I got into the Lead unit with it's Loud Horn

Tom Hirsch
Cherry Valley, Ca.

The superb quality of the camerawork adds even more to the scenes. We sometimes forget the master craftmanship that these photographers could produce back then.
Bob

Good stuff! I love those REA trucks in image #2...

Lance

Funny, in the last color photo, both eastbound and westbound trains are facing the same direction.

What great treasures, thanks for posting!

Tom

WrongWayMurphy Wrote:
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> Funny, in the last color photo, both eastbound and
> westbound trains are facing the same direction.

Just like westbound SP trains and eastbound Santa Fe & UP trains going up Cajon Pass in the same direction.

Great photos all - of Phoenix Union Station through the years.

Rich

Beautiful photos from mundo and the others. Gorgeous color.
Regarding Santa Fe's numbers 42 and 47; in 1998 I met a woman in Winslow AZ who was the widow of a Santa Fe conductor. She invited me into her home to show me her late husband's model railroad and his rail memoriabilia collections.
He had his Santa Fe business card framed on the wall with his name and title on it, and below that was a line "Hassayampa Chief", the nickname for those two trains. Guess he found a willing printer and had enough seniority to pull off printing the cards and handing them out to passengers if needed.

Great stuff .Thanks for posting.Bill Webb

And the entire structure exists today---at least as of January 2023---according to Google, including the concrete 
platform of at least one of the tracks. Thanks for posting these.

Charlie

Very enjoyable series, so much to see back in the day. I saw thst station back in 1984, glad it's still with us.

Larry

That Nava-Hopi MC8 bus shot is priceless!  Thanks Evan!

Fascinating thread. Thanks  Evan.

The two tone car is elegant.