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CSX5859_SPSunsetRoute_FlatoniaTx_April96.jpg
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CSX #5859 on SP freight at Flatonia,Tx -- April 1996.
Westbound on the SP Sunset Route between Houston and San Antonio (about 120 miles west of Houston) #5859 is crossing the SP (ex-San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway) Yoakum-Hearne line at Tower 3.
Tower 3 - built in 1902 - was closed by the UP two days after the announcement of the SP takeover. It was saved and moved a short distance away.
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SP1470_LakeCharlesLa_Nov76.jpg
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SP caboose #1470 at KCS crossing in Lake Charles,La -- November 1976.
Westbound on the SP Sunset Route crossing the KCS DeQuincy-Lake
Charles branch. This part of the branch was abandoned a couple of
years later when a bridge nearby washed away. A small yard and the
station were close by just behind me. Remnants of the yard can be seen
(especially in the winter) from I-10 east of the casinos.
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SP3124_EnglewoodYd_Houston_Dec75.jpg
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SP Alco C628 #3124 at Englewood Yard in Houston.
During their last years -- #3124 (and a few other Alco C628) were used to push cars over the hump at Englewood Yard.
December 1975
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SP4449_atHouston_June84.jpg
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SP #4449 at Houston -- June 1984.
During its trip to the New Orleans Worlds Fair ,#4449 ran a couple of Houston-Dallas trips on the SP. The engine is at the Amtrak station being prepared for one of the trips in the morning. In honor of Southern Pacifics premier passenger train between Houston and Dallas (the Sunbeam) the northbound number of that train (#13) was used on the train number board of the 4449.
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SP_EnglewoodYd_HoustonTx_Feb81.jpg
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SP Englewood Yard (west end) in Houston.
February 1981.
The motorcar is eastbound on the SP Sunset Route main - route of the Sunset Limited.
Tower 68 which controlled yard trackage is on the left.
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SP2695_2271_atHoustonTx_Dec79.jpg
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SP MP15 #2695 and SW1200 #2271 at the Amtrak station area in downtown Houston -- December 1979.
A freshly painted SP unit - quite rare!
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SP4449_HoustonTx_June84.jpg
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SP #4449 on the Worlds Fair Special at Houston -- June 1984.
There actually is a train among all the wires and poles!
Eastbound on the SP Sunset Route headed to New Orleans for display at the Worlds Fair.
The special had left the downtown Amtrak station a few minutes before and is passing the west side of Englewood Yard.
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SP4449_AMT527_HoustonTx_April77.jpg
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SP #4449 and the Lone Star at Houston -- April 1977.
The departing Lone Star is "weaving" its way thru the throngs of railfans wandering all over the tracks (er - including me!).
#4449 (on Amtraks Transcontinental Steam Excursion) will depart for San Antonio shortly after the Lone Star leaves. The engine was damaged (to fast thru a crossover on the IC a few days earlier) so will limp its way west with most of the power provided by the SP diesel.
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SP4449_HoustonTx_July84.jpg
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SP #4449 on the Worlds Fair Special at Houston -- July 1984.
The special had just departed the downtown Amtrak station headed east on the SP to New Orleans.
The cold storage building in the background has since been rebuilt into a jail.
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SP9315_WallerTx_July76.jpg
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SP SD45-T2 #9315 near Waller,Tx -- July 1976.
Northbound on the SP Houston-Dallas line about 40 miles nw of Houston.
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SP3135_EnglewoodYd_Houston_Dec77.jpg
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3 SP Alco C628 at Englewood Yd in Houston -- December 1977.
These units were running out their last days working the "hump" train -- pushing cars over the crest into the classification yard at Englewood.
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SP2915_HoustonTx_Oct78.jpg
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SP RS-11 #2915 at Houston -- October 1978.
Switching this Frisco car at the Amtrak station (the station is to the left of the SP business car) in downtown Houston.
The track the business car (probably the Alamo) is on once was one of the tracks into the SP Grand Central Station (torn down in the late 50's) which was beyond the freeway in the background.
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SP8958_SunsetLtd_EagleLakeTx_Sept79.jpg
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SP SD45 #8958 on the Sunset Ltd - at Tower 115 - Eagle Lake,Tx -- September 1979
Eastbound , crossing the SP Houston-Eagle Lake branch (ex-San Antonio & Aransas Pass).
The tower remained in service till around 1990. It was torn down +/- 1996.
The SP branch was abandoned a few years ago.
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SP4449_NewIberiaLa_April77.jpg
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SP #4449 is westbound as Doyle McCormack leans out to grab orders on the Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Excursion at West Tower in New Iberia,Louisiana -- April 1977
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SP1300_HardyStShops_Houston_Nov77.jpg
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SP NW2E #1300 at Hardy St. shops in Houston -- November 1977
At the turntable (built in 1928).
Note the steam era water column next to the switcher.
UP abandoned Hardy St. shops a number of years ago.
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SP4375_atHouston_March91a.jpg
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SP SD9 #4375 at Houston -- March 1991
One of the units painted in the "Kodachrome" paint in anticipation of the failed SP-Santa Fe merger.
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SP_EnglewoodYd_Houston_Nov77aa.jpg
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SP Englewood Yd at Houston -- November 1977.
A box car has just been kicked over the hump and is passing thru the retarders which will slow it down enough to be safely switched to the appropriate track.
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SP291_HoustonTx_Feb77.jpg
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SP lounge #291 at the Houston Amtrak station.
Built by Budd in 1950.
February 1977
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SP3663_RosenbergTx_Feb78.jpg
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SP GP9 westbound at Rosenberg,Tx.
On the Sunset Route by the SP/Santa Fe station. The Galveston Santa Fe
line is in the foreground.
The station was torn down 20 years ago.
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SP7802_7816_RichmondTx_Sept81.jpg
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Southern Pacific B30-7 #7802 and 7816 near Richmond,Tx.
On the SP Sunset Route between Sugarland and Richmond -- about 25 miles west of Houston.
September 1981
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SP8522_TylerTx_June81.jpg
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SP SD40T-2 #8522 at Tyler,Tx.
On the Corsicana-Mt. Pleasant Cotton Belt line.
June 1981
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SP6508_HockleyTx_March78.jpg
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Southern Pacific GP35 #6508 near Hockley, Texas
On the SP Houston-Dallas line -- about 35 miles NW of Houston.
March 1978
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SP_GP7_3387_HempsteadTx_Sept81.jpg
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SP GP7 #3387 and 3350 wait to do some local work on the Dallas-Houston line about 50 miles nw of Houston.
September 1981
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SP2900_Houston_Nov77.jpg
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I wish this engine had been saved. #2900 was the demonstrator unit for the RS-11 series (1956). It ran out its last days in Houston. Here it is at the downtown SP yard near the Amtrak station.
November, 1977
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SP8460_nearYoakumTx_Nov78.jpg
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On a cold,wet,dark day and a very sad one, the ex-D&H PA units (and a Century) are on the way to their doom in Mexico.
I caught up with them just south of Flatonia and followed them to Victoria (Victoria is +/- 200 miles north of the border).
This shot of the southbound is probably near Yoakum.
SP SD40 #8460,SD45 #9031 and a Cotton Belt GP30 (not very many left at this time) lead the way.
These weren't the only engines sold (or were they leased?) -- other Alcos and I believe some EMD were part of the deal. I just can't believe the D&H couldn't have kept the PA units and sold them to someone in the US.
November 1978
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SP2916_EnglewoodYd_Houston_Nov77.jpg
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SP RS-11 #2916 at Englewood Yd in Houston.
One of a number of Southern Pacific RS-11 that worked in the Houston area at that time.
November 1977
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SP7342_Houston_Dec82.jpg
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SP "Daylight" SD40R #7342 at Houston
Westbound at the eastern limits of Englewood Yard.
December 1982
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SPengines_HardyStShops_Houston_Oct77a.jpg
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(2) SP dead line - Hardy St Shops in Houston
These engines were lined up at the SP Hardy St. Shops.
One good thing - a few RS-11 were still active and running around town.
RS-11 #2918-2911
U33C #8691
GP9 #3353
October 1977
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