Model Railroading > D&RG on the MP trackage right question

Does anyone know if after gaining trackage rights on the MP between Pueblo and Kc due to the MP/UP merger if a vehicle train was one of the D&RG trains you would have seen and if so, likely D&RG loco types on it? Thanks in advance if anyone knows.

Yes.

search Ford Fast i think it was?  It rotated routes

just 1 example https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,5770226,5770226#msg-5770226



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/24 23:51 by dan.

Post UP-MP merger with D&RGW gaining trackage rights to Kansas City, Rio Grande's 179 train began originating at KC.  This was the Ford train with traffic handed off from NS.  I believe by this time the "Ford Fast" concept was dead, and this train stayed on this route and did not alternate routes with UP west of KC.  I just looked at some dispatcher sheets for the KC-Pueblo line, and in 1984 the most common locomotive types were DRGW units in the 3000 and 3100 series.  Also saw one train that included NW 1709. 

Ted Ferkenhoff
Flagstaff, AZ

Relatedly, I'd be very interested in any photographic evidence of MoPac motive power making it onto the Moffat Route at any point in the 70s/80s

There are photos of MP power on the D&RGW in my books.

There were about 20 MP SD-40-2s that ran the D&RGW thru Pueblo to Tennessee Pass to  coal mines.  In addition in about 1980 every now and then a Rio Grande coal train with SD40-t2 power and a Rio Grande caboose would show up in Ft Worth, take the SP route to Ennis Tx.  Not sure if it was a MP train.

tomstp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There were about 20 MP SD-40-2s that ran the D&RGW
> thru Pueblo to Tennessee Pass to  coal mines. 
> In addition in about 1980 every now and then a Rio
> Grande coal train with SD40-t2 power and a Rio
> Grande caboose would show up in Ft Worth, take the
> SP route to Ennis Tx.  Not sure if it was a MP
> train.

Actually, there were 74 units in the 6000 series, noted for having dynamic brakes and other features for operation on the other railroads, at that time an 8 channel radio being one of them.  Non, DB units did creep in there on rare occasions.  Later, the MP SD-50s crept into the pool in trios of units replaceing the four SD40-2s.

The coal train for Coleto Creek, TX went through Ft Worth and did find D&RGW units mixed with the BN units on this train.  This train never ran on the MP except for a short stretch of line east of Pueblo, later on, once the SP and RG were combined.

MP power on the Moffat happened, but it ws quite rare and may hae involved horsepower hours payments, or just a fluke.  We caught a southbound 712 train at Palmer Lake one day, and it had a tunnel motoer leading two of the MP 6000s that may have come through the Moffat.  Like Jim above, I too have seen other photos that included MP power on the Moffat.

RR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/24 10:30 by koloradokid.

Thanks RR.  In addition the MP units first obtained had the mars lights on the nose.   on every engine I saw from #s 6000-6019.  However the higher  numbers did not have the mars lights.

After the trackage rights, I recall seeing many D&RGW GP40s in Kansas City, including many ex-Conrail GP40s purchased by the Rio Grande, but sitll in either CR blue or PC black, but hastily patched to D&RGW road numbers.

Cheers,
Harry

I spent a couple of days at the junction at the eastern end of Pueblo where the various lines all came together in September 1996, a few days before the merger. I took photos of one vehicle train coming off the KC/Pueblo line that consisted of SP GP60 #9606, CP SD40-2 #2915, SSW B39-8 #8061.

tunnelmotor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I spent a couple of days at the junction at the
> eastern end of Pueblo where the various lines all
> came together in September 1996, a few days before
> the merger. I took photos of one vehicle train
> coming off the KC/Pueblo line that consisted of SP
> GP60 #9606, CP SD40-2 #2915, SSW B39-8 #8061.

CP hasn't had any diesels in the 2900s as far as I recall; it was more likely the 5915, especially if it was an SD40-2.

Posted from Android

Darren Boes
Lethbridge, AB
Southern Alberta Railfan

Cotton Belt didn't have 8-39Bs. It did have 8-40Bs. Southern Pacific was the opposite.