2-10-2 climbing Cajon Pass
Santa Fe type 3936 leads a train of Valencia oranges up Cajon Pass in the 1940s; note the “swing” brakeman atop the fourth car. The 2-10-2 is assisted by another at mid-train and a third on the rear.
Herb Sullivan
Santa Fe type 3936 leads a train of Valencia oranges up Cajon Pass in the 1940s; note the “swing” brakeman atop the fourth car. The 2-10-2 is assisted by another at mid-train and a third on the rear.
Herb Sullivan
Geeps in Texas
Two black GP7s lead a Santa Fe freight out of Longview, Texas, bound for Kirbyville in August 1951.
J. Parker Lamb
Two black GP7s lead a Santa Fe freight out of Longview, Texas, bound for Kirbyville in August 1951.
J. Parker Lamb
Super C!
Two Warbonnet-painted FP45 passenger diesels race west of Gallup, New Mexico, with Santa Fe’s premium piggyback train, the Super C, on January 18, 1968. Four passenger cars carry officials for this, the first run of the Chicago–Los Angeles hotshot.
Santa Fe
Two Warbonnet-painted FP45 passenger diesels race west of Gallup, New Mexico, with Santa Fe’s premium piggyback train, the Super C, on January 18, 1968. Four passenger cars carry officials for this, the first run of the Chicago–Los Angeles hotshot.
Santa Fe
On the Crookton line change
Four SD24s ride a high rock fill on the Santa Fe’s heavily engineered line change between Williams Junction and Crookton, Ariz. Opened in 1960, shortly before this photo, the new line eliminated severe grades and curvature.
Donald Sims
Four SD24s ride a high rock fill on the Santa Fe’s heavily engineered line change between Williams Junction and Crookton, Ariz. Opened in 1960, shortly before this photo, the new line eliminated severe grades and curvature.
Donald Sims
Transcon, 1952
Oil smoke rolls high above the first member of the Santa Fe’s 5001 class of 2-10-4s as it charges west from Amarillo, Texas, in August 1952. Today this line across the Texas Panhandle is part of BNSF Railway’s “Transcon” freight artery.
John Pickett
Oil smoke rolls high above the first member of the Santa Fe’s 5001 class of 2-10-4s as it charges west from Amarillo, Texas, in August 1952. Today this line across the Texas Panhandle is part of BNSF Railway’s “Transcon” freight artery.
John Pickett
FTs west at Galesburg
Extra 113 West, an A-B-B set of FT diesels on a 127-car freight, passes through Galesburg, Ill., on June 3, 1953. Just behind the photographer is the Burlington Route bridge over the Santa Fe.
R. R. Malinoski
Extra 113 West, an A-B-B set of FT diesels on a 127-car freight, passes through Galesburg, Ill., on June 3, 1953. Just behind the photographer is the Burlington Route bridge over the Santa Fe.
R. R. Malinoski
Chicago transfer run
The operator at Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal’s Western Ave. Jct. tower watches as a Santa Fe H10-44 switcher passes with a transfer run bound for the nearby B&OCT yard in June 1956.
Ron Peisker
The operator at Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal’s Western Ave. Jct. tower watches as a Santa Fe H10-44 switcher passes with a transfer run bound for the nearby B&OCT yard in June 1956.
Ron Peisker
Action on Tehachapi
In April 1977, an SD45, U33C, SD40, and SD26 (a rebuilt SD24) on a hot eastbound piggyback train overtake five units on a stalled Santa Fe freight at Walong, Calif., the siding at Tehachapi Loop. The trains are using Santa Fe trackage rights on Southern Pacific’s line over the mountains between Bakersfield and Mojave, Calif.
Doug Harrop
In April 1977, an SD45, U33C, SD40, and SD26 (a rebuilt SD24) on a hot eastbound piggyback train overtake five units on a stalled Santa Fe freight at Walong, Calif., the siding at Tehachapi Loop. The trains are using Santa Fe trackage rights on Southern Pacific’s line over the mountains between Bakersfield and Mojave, Calif.
Doug Harrop
Approaching San Francisco Bay
4-8-2 3711, having just traversed Santa Fe’s line through Franklin Canyon, is 9 miles from the yard at Richmond, Calif., as it rushes a freight west at Herpoco (for nearby Hercules Powder Co.) in October 1947.
Fred Matthews
4-8-2 3711, having just traversed Santa Fe’s line through Franklin Canyon, is 9 miles from the yard at Richmond, Calif., as it rushes a freight west at Herpoco (for nearby Hercules Powder Co.) in October 1947.
Fred Matthews
Climbing Edelstein Hill
A few miles west of Chillicothe, Ill., a Santa Fe GP20 and U25B plus two New York Central U30Bs round Houlihan’s Curve on Edelstein Hill with a run-through freight off the NYC connection at Streator, Ill., on Feb. 10, 1968.
J. David Ingles
A few miles west of Chillicothe, Ill., a Santa Fe GP20 and U25B plus two New York Central U30Bs round Houlihan’s Curve on Edelstein Hill with a run-through freight off the NYC connection at Streator, Ill., on Feb. 10, 1968.
J. David Ingles
North from Cleburne
Santa Fe F7 266C, missing its side grilles, leads an A-B-B-B-A consist on a Dallas-bound freight out of Cleburne, Texas, in May 1972. The second and fifth F7s are reassigned from passenger service.
J. David Ingles
Santa Fe F7 266C, missing its side grilles, leads an A-B-B-B-A consist on a Dallas-bound freight out of Cleburne, Texas, in May 1972. The second and fifth F7s are reassigned from passenger service.
J. David Ingles
Old and new Colorado River bridges
During 1942–44, Santa Fe replaced its single-track through-truss bridge over the Colorado River at Topock, Ariz., with a double-track deck-truss bridge. East- and westbound FT-powered freights are seen on the two crossings shortly before the old one was abandoned.
Santa Fe
During 1942–44, Santa Fe replaced its single-track through-truss bridge over the Colorado River at Topock, Ariz., with a double-track deck-truss bridge. East- and westbound FT-powered freights are seen on the two crossings shortly before the old one was abandoned.
Santa Fe
All this month — May 2020 — Classic Trains editors are celebrating the heritage, history, and images of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway.
Please enjoy this photo gallery of images from the David P. Morgan Library archives at Kalmbach Media that include Santa Fe diesel- and steam-powered freight trains through time.
You might also enjoy this Santa Fe history article from Classic Trains or a photo gallery of SF passenger trains!
