Skip to main content

imageAMARILLO, APRIL 30, 1952 - The Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway Company has announced that the 1952-53 capital budget will include funding for upgrading of locomotive servicing facilities at Caprock, Texas. According to Assistant General Manager-Mechanical, Jack Wheelihan, increasing traffic between Texas and California has required continued use of steam power on the High Plains Division, which had previously been expected to be dieselized during the current year but is now projected to continue until 1960 or later. Improvements to facilities at Caprock will reduce servicing time of both steam and diesel-electric locomotives and will provide a safer working environment for employees. A Class II machine shop, concrete pads and overhead lifting capability, as well as improved fuel and water service structures, are included in the project. Classified repairs will continue to be done at Clovis and Amarillo. The railway expects that the project will be completed by the end of 1952. The current facility is pictured below. 

image

Attachments

Images (2)
  • image: Overhead view of current Caprock locomotive service area.
  • image: 80 Class diesels for Browneood-Amarillo passenger service are assigned to Caprock for maintenance.
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Going to have a passenger line to Palo Duro Canyon?   Adding a tunnel would be OK, too. As you know, there is one on the old rail line that ran through what is now a hike/bike trail in Caprock Canyons State Park. Lots of room for expansion.   A number of years ago when I biked the trail, I saw that on the western end there was a barn, next to which was an old Santa Fe reefer that was used for storage. Still in good shape, it was the classic orange map car, with the "Ship and Travel Santa Fe" script on the other side. Fun to see. Your layout really looks great.

Last edited by breezinup
OGR Webmaster posted:

Jack Wheelihan is your Assistant General Manager-Mechanical? Uh-oh.

You gotta keep an eye on him! 

I'll tell you this - when he goes out on inspection trips, the fellows at all the field locations have everything ship-shape.  The expectations are high, and he doesn't miss anything.

One of his first actions as AGM-Mechanical was to post signs in every locker room, reading, THIS FACILITY DOES NOT LASH UP DIESEL UNITS.  Obviously, he was the right choice for the job.

Number 90 posted:
AGHRMatt posted:

Nice work, Tom. By the way, that highway bridge in the background looks a lot like the Mt. Vernon viaduct over the Santa Fe yard out here in San Bernardino.

It's about the same vintage all right, Matt.  Nice to know that the old bridge is still there in San Bernardino.  I have many memories associated with it.

I think the drawings for that are floating around somewhere as they did some work on it a few years ago. It's a pretty impressive structure.

Add Reply

Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×