Railway Historical

Westbound at Joliet

One more early image, taken the same day as my previous post...

The train pictured may be the famed Super-C, a hot TOFC train that ran between Chicago and the west coast. It's westbound near the tower at Joliet once again. The Santa Fe ran parallel to the GM&O at this spot; the train will cross the Rock Island within seconds.

The lead locomotive is an SD45-2 built in May of 1974, so only a little over a year old. It has a 20-cylinder prime mover that produced 3600 horsepower.

One photograph by Richard Koenig; taken September 20th 1975.

Tele-View

A westbound Amtrak Southwest Chief splits the semaphores and speeds down hill at the east end of Colmor, New Mexico. One image by Richard Koenig; taken April 29th 2023.

Anticipation A westbound Amtrak Southwest Chief approaches the semaphores at the east end of Colmor, New Mexico. One image by Richard Koenig; taken April 29th 2023.

A View from Wagon Mound

Looking at an image that was taken nearly four and a half years ago now—a view from Wagon Mound. Since the semaphores are still hanging on, I'm pondering what I might be able to do on the Raton Subdivision if I venture out for one last trip later this fall.

I've never shown this frame, favoring one when the train is much closer, on the curve approaching the Wagon Mound siding. In this view, it is seen up the track a couple of miles near the intermediate signal between Wagon Mound and Levy. (The latter may be seen in this view toward the top right-hand side of the frame.) I'll paste the text from my previous post, showing the similar view, here...

Walking up this relatively small mesa was more difficult than I had imagined it would be—due to rocky footing and my not being accustomed to the altitude of more than 6200 feet. In any case, I made it about two thirds to the top before I figured I should stop and set up for the westbound train.

Wagon Mound, the geological formation, is named for the shape of the covered wagons used by pioneers traversing the Santa Fe Trail, while the accompanying town was then named for the formation. The rail line one sees here, formerly the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, was named (in part) for the destination of that pioneer trail, and was built through these parts in the first half of 1879, a hundred and forty years ago.

Image by Richard Koenig; taken May 15th 2019.

West End, Levy

The semaphore blades of Levy, New Mexico, are all akimbo in the wake of an eastbound Amtrak Southwest Chief on April 28th 2023.

In the background, to the south, the geological form of Wagon Mound looms.

Colmor Cutoff, Part Two

Following my previous post, here are some night shots of the remaining bridge abutments of an abandoned Santa Fe rail line near Mt. Dora, New Mexico. I got up prior to four AM as I knew first light would happen at five and sunrise at six. It was only a twenty minute drive from my hotel in Clayton.

Upon the first hint of light in the east, evidence of stars, and the galactic core of the Milky Way, began to fade. This is logical, of course, but in the heat of the moment, frantically trying different compositions and exposures, experimenting with light painting, I did not really notice. The final image here shows the sky with early twilight present and quickly brightening.

Go here for my previous post on the history of the line—and a link to a webpage that helped me understand it.

Four images by Richard Koenig; taken April 27th 2023.

Colmor Cutoff, Part One

While in northeast portion of New Mexico, I thought I’d check out a railroad that never quite got completely built: Santa Fe’s Colmor Cutoff. These pictures were taken in Mt. Dora, near Clayton.

As part of its sprawling system, the ATSF began a line between Boise City, Oklahoma, and Colmor, New Mexico, practically mirroring the Cimarron Route of the precursor Santa Fe Trail.

This line would be abandoned just 35 miles short of its completion (Colmor), though trains did run on this section prior to being shut down. A route further south would be favored over this one—the Belen Cutoff. Go here for more information on the line above.

Three images by Richard Koenig; taken April 26th 2023.

Semaphores on the Santa Fe

Here are some images I made a few years ago when I wanted to bag some of the semaphores remaining, and operating, on the old Santa Fe in central New Mexico. I believe four of the five were published in Railroad History, journal of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society. All trains here are the only scheduled one on the line: Amtrak’s Southwest Chief.

As for the locations, In order of appearance: eastbound at Colmor, westbound at Levy, eastbound at Chapelle, eastbound at Levy (with Wagon Mound behind), and finally westbound at Chapelle (with Starvation Peak looming).

Five images by Richard Koenig; taken 2018 or 2019.

Upon Raton

This is an eastbound Amtrak Southwest Chief on the former Santa Fe. The train has just recently crested Raton Pass and has entered the state of Colorado. The mountain segment of the Santa Fe Trail (which dates to 1822) found this route well prior to the railroad coming though of course.

This particular spot, from which the photo was made, is right near Uncle Dick Wootton's ranch. He had carved out the wagon road and collected tolls prior to the coming of the railroad in 1878.

In the end it's easy to see why the ATSF built the Belen Cutoff—given the curvature seen here, along with a grade approaching 3.5 percent.

Image by Richard Koenig; taken June 27th 2018.

Atlantic & Pacific Charter: Wingate, New Mexico

Here’s an eastbound stack train along the original ATSF—the Atlantic & Pacific Charter, Western Division. The Santa Fe was able to use this charter as a way of becoming the fourth transcontinental railroad, completed in 1885. This locale is known as Wingate, New Mexico.

Image by Richard Koenig; taken October 30th 2018.

Wagon Mound

An eastbound Amtrak Southwest Chief is at the west end of Levy siding. The geological formation called Wagon Mound is visible in the distance; it was named for the shape of the covered wagons used on the Santa Fe Trail, while the accompanying town was then named for the formation. The rail line here, formerly the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, was named (in part) for the destination of the trail.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken June 27th 2018.

Railroad History

I'm excited about some images I have in the upcoming issue of Railroad History—the story of Amtrak told through their equipment. Super-pleased to get two double-page spreads. The first two images above are from the 1970s while the latter two are from 2019.

If you’re interested in this journal, look into joining the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society.

Still Working (?) in Emporia, Indiana

I have an on-going series I call “still working” that features older locomotives that have been relegated to switching, usually grain elevators or cement plants. I’d like to put this former ATSF GP7, built in December of 1952, in that camp, but it just seems that it’s not moved in quite a while. The unit would have come from the factory with a high-short hood, but would have the “Topeka Cab” added later when rebuilt. It should be said that this is CSX territory, with the heritage of the line being that of the Big Four.

Three images by Richard Koenig; taken September 27th 2021.

Westbound Amtrak Southwest Chief

This location is west of Albuquerque, where historical Route 66 crosses over the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. The train hustling westward in the late afternoon light is Amtrak’s Southwest Chief. This segment of the ATSF was of the Atlantic & Pacific Charter, between Isleta (south of Albuquerque) and Needles, California, on the Colorado River. This charter granted the railroad direct access to California near the end of the 19th century.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken on May 13th 2019.

Amtrak’s Southwest Chief—as seen from Wagon Mound

Walking up this relatively small mesa was more difficult than I had imagined it would be—due to rocky footing and my not being accustomed to the altitude of more than 6200 feet. In any case, I made it about two thirds to the top before I figured I should stop and set up for the westbound train.

Wagon Mound, the geological formation, is named for the shape of the covered wagons used by pioneers traversing the Santa Fe Trail, while the accompanying town was then named for the formation. The rail line one sees here, formerly the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, was named (in part) for the destination of that pioneer trail, and was built through these parts in the first half of 1879.

Image by Richard Koenig; taken May 15th 2019.