THE DISPATCHER Newsletter for the Central Oklahoma Railfans Association

Editor Address other club Lawrence Gibbs correspondence to: 623 McFarland Jack Austerman Oit ft Stillwater, OK 2613 NW 66th 74074 Oklahoma City, OK

— C&LE FREIGHT MOTOR - HAS LEFT OKLAHOMA (Editor's Note: this was written by one of our newer, but most dedicated members who drives in from out of town for monthly CORA meetings. Mac's address is P.O. Box 585, Sulphur, OK., 73086.) By E. Macdougall Palmer The last fleet of electric interurban package freight motors to be built in the United States were built by the Cincinnati Car Co. in 1930. The 15 cars in that order went into service on the Cincinnati & Lake Erie Railroad with numbers 635-649. By November 1937, freight operations were ending on the C&LE and the 15 "new" steel freight motors were out of service and for sale. There was little market for such used equipment and it wasn't until READY TO GO — Cincinnati & Lake Erie Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, 1939 that the first three cars Railroad 648 (Tulsa, Sapulpa Union Railway Maine, on Nov. 2, 1976. (E. Macdougall were sold to the Illinois 202) sits on flatcar in the Sand Springs Palmer photo) Terminal RR to become non- Railway yard awaiting shipment to the powered trailers. They The body of C&LE 641 (TSU present a manageable task. Windsor, Ontario, on the car remained in service on the IT 203) was scrapped in 1974 with Alone in Oklahoma with only ferry. At 4:45 a.m. on Nov. 24, it until 1956. the trucks and other electrical personal hand tools it seemed was reported eastbound Three others went to the equipment being saved for use insurmountable. With the help through London, Ont., on the Central California Traction for in the restoration of a Lehigh of various Katy officials, and Canadian Pacific, and out of service between Sacramento Valley Transit passenger Museum president Santarelli in Montreal at 7 a.m. on the 26th and Stockton. Seven cars were interurban car body at the Boston, we were able to enlise headed for St. Johnsbury, Vt., sold to American Aggregates Dushore Car Co. in the help of the Armco Steel where the Maine Central would Co. and converted to diesel Pennsylvania. Corp. The Sand Springs take over for the final distance operation by putting engines In February of 1976, the Railway agreed to move 648 on to Portland, Maine, where it and generators in the cargo Seashore Trolley Museum of its own wheels the half-mile or arrived by Nov. 29. space. There went to various Kennebunkport, Maine, so to the Armco mill despite Plans are to restore C&LE 648 locations in Ohio, Michigan and purchased C&LE 648 (TSU 202) missing coupler knuckles and to operating condition. One of New York. from Borg for its scrap value. thin flanges. That move went the "Red Devil" high speed The two remaining cars — The job of preparing it for smoothly. light weight passenger cars C&LE 641 and 648 — were sold shipment to Maine fell on this When I arrived at Armco on from the C&LE is already at the to the Sapulpa Union Railway in writer as the only active Monday morning, Nov. 1, 648 Seashore Trolley Museum. It 1941, becoming number 203 and member of the museum located was sitting inside the was also built by the Cincinnati 202. SU Ry. became the Tulsa- in Oklahoma. Between March warehouse under a craneway Car Co. in 1930. That car, 118, Sapulpa Union Ry. in 1943. and October several trips were with a 60-foot Canadian Pacific came to the museum in Nos. 202 and 203 handled some required to Sand Springs, first flat car next to it. Before long it operating condition from the LCL freight, but were used to remove trolley poles, bases was sitting on the flatcar. Chuck Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Ry. mostly to haul interchange and hooks from the roof, and Rearden, Armco's supt. of in 1953. railroad cars between West controllers and other parts from maintenance, made the loading Even with the special Tulsa and Sapulpa, and the body — that might and tie down a training exercise shipping rate from the railroads remained in use on the TSU disappear in transit. for a group of apprentice and the help of Armco in the 'intil about 1957. The roof was in very bad millwrights. I was able to work loading, this has already been When the Sand Springs Ry. condition, but we wanted to along with the Armco group and an expensive operation. converted to diesel operation preserve what we could to serve when the time came for the Rebuilding will reguire more phout 1957, they sold two as patterns for restoration. railroad to inspect the load, expenditures. As a non-profit Jaldwin-Westinghouse steeple Eventually it was covered with they accepted it without any educational organization, all cab electric locomotives to TSU chicken wire to hold all the loose change. contributions to the Seashore and the ex-C&LE motors were pieces in place. All windows The loaded height of 1.7 feet, 4 Trolley Museum are deductible removed from service. They were closed with plywood. Since inches required a change of on the federal income tax. remained in Sapulpa, stored out no power was available near planned routing and the Support for this car that once of service until about 1960 when 648, everything was pre-cut in concurrence of other carriers in operated in Oklahoma is TSU also abandoned electric Sulphur and taken to Sand the special "section 22" rate needed. Send contributions to operation in favor of diesel Springs in my VW bus. published for this move. Seashore Trolley Museum, P.O. power. It all fit. C&LE 648 on the flatcar Box 220, Kennebunkport, At that time, all four electric Finally the problem of finally left Sand Springs on Nov. Maine, 04046. locomotives were sold to Borg loading 85,300 pounds of old 15, moving to the MKT at Home Compressed Steel Corp. for trolley on a flatcar had to be Jet. scrap. The Baldwin- faced. In New England, where a It arrived in St. Louis on Nov. Westinghouse locomotives were crew of other museum 18 and was transferred to the soon cut up, but for some reason members and a truck load of Norfolk & Western by the the ex-C&LE freight motors beams, blocking and jacks TRRA. N&W moved it to Detroit 6-LE were left intact. could be mobilized, this would in a day and it crossed to and decided to inform me that Needless to say, almost all of - AFT IS VANDALIZED - - ROUNDHOUSE RUMORS - in November, Southwestern the 53 cars were derailed upon After visiting nearly 150 cities (This is a regular monthly Electric Power Co.'s new coal impact. Ah, yes, railroading across the United States, the feature of The Dispatcher and is unit train commenced operation can be fun ... Freedom Train has experienced written by Frank Tribbey, Rt. to Welsh, Tex., on the L&A. Another recent rumor states its first serious vandalism. A 13, Box 403, Tulsa, OK. 74107 — Three trains per week are that MoPac will close Henryetta brass gate on the rear of the — sometimes known as Frisco routed via BN-Kansas City- station at year's end. Allegedly train was stolen early in Frank) KCS-Shreveport—L&A. Each the local duties will be November at Raleigh, N.C. One current rumor that has train has 110 hoppers that are consolidated in the Frisco The gate, with vertical rods waxed hot in recent days is that owned by Southwestern Power station. inside a frame about three feet Frisco will lose its General (SWEPCO), which is currently On Dec. 9, a total of 13 GP-38s square, cost about $1,000, but Motors contract at year's constructing a car repair shop were found in a two-to-three officials consider it irreplacable beginning. Exactly who will in Alliance, Neb. hour period in RI's El Reno because President Ford stood have it thereafter has not yet The first train arrived with yard. Even several blue and behind it when the train was been revealed. four BN units. Presumably KCS white rebuilt Geeps were dedicated nearly two years ago. But the rumor continues that units will not be used on these present. A plaque noting the dedication Frisco will lose $3 million — trains. So, you ever-lovin' That alleged inspection train was attached to the gate. yup, three million dollars in photographers, add these to steadily degenerated, John E. Manning, a former" revenue as a result of the loss of your list for future references. I incidentally, into nothing more FBI agent who serves as this very lucrative automobile can picture now those green and than two business cars (100 and security chief and public business. The rumor continues black BN units down through 101) on the rear of eastbound relations officer for the train, to state that part of Frisco's the scenic settings of the Ozarks No. 38 on that same Thursday could not understand how recently-announced plans for and Ouchitas. afternoon. No. 100 is solid blue someone could board the rear expansion of Cherokee Yard On Nov. 30, Frisco's No. 739 now while No. 101 remains platform of the train and includes additional was highballing south through stainless steel. disconnect the brass gate enlargement of the yard's Ravia when it derailed a grand The latest rumor from the without being noticed. He said piggyback facilities as an effort whopping total of 42 cars. Cause Durant listening post is that about 30 other train employes to at least partially offset this of the wreck was a sand hopper Rock Island will begin to sleep aboard the train which is loss of automobile traffic. that climbed the rails in the operate a unit coal train over guarded around the clock by A recent swing through Tulsa highway crossing. The Fort Katy in summer 1977 with RI soldiers and Marines. on Monday afternoon (Nov. 22) Worth-Dallas mainline was giving Katy a loan to upgrade found a Katy GP-38 (313) cautiously reopened at 4 p.m. the track. Some rumor, yes? downtown while GP-40 (176) Dec. 1 with a backlog of trains The outpost observer stated - TRAIN HITS PLANE - was found (in red livery yet) in ready to roll. Frisco gives Katy more factually that Rock Island A light plane that apparently the farther-out yard. A MoPac plenty of competition on this officials had been seen again missed the Lynchburg, Va., GP-18 (1917) was seen Kansas City-Fort Worth line recently in Durant. airport landing strip and landed deliverying to Santa Fe while with Frisco averaging five And if those rumors haven't on a railroad track was hit by a Santa Fe's yard contained trains each way daily south boggled your imagination, then train and four persons aboard GPp30s, a GP-38 and a GP-20. from Tulsa. Photographic please hear this: the craft were killed. The Sand Springs Railway opportunities are always Two RI employes recently A fifth person in the plane offered switcher 100 towing 55 available at almost any time of have said that RI is to begin survived the crash on Southern cars town ward. (Almost all the day. (sometime in 1977) operation of Railway tracks, but was were empty gondolas). And, on the 2nd or 3rd of the hot-shot in each direction seriously injured. A state police Frisco produced nothing December, Frisco derailed 27 (No. 20 and 23?) via Katy spokesman said the plane unusual save to EMD switchers cars of a Kansas City-Birming­ between Kansas City and Fort apparently was attempting to in black. ham freight at Portia, Ark., Worth. These same sources land, but missed the mark and A recent swing (Nov. 21) of beyond Hoxie. indicate that the hot shots are to landed on the tracks instead. Bill G. and Paul E. to Parsons, Sometime on Dec. 4, a local be detoured while RI rebuilds Kan., found two more EMD switch job in Springfield, Mo., its north-south mainline, next repowered Alco RS-3s in had left 53 cars on the mainline year, between Kansas City and -TRAIN RECORD- addition to two others found while the switcher peddled cars Fort Worth. Incidentally, if you The Japanese National recently in Denison. Chop-nosed to sidings. Somehow the 53-car haven't yet seen a brace of five Railway "Bullet Train" is quite GP-7s (99 and 116) were found, string rolled back into RI GP-38s in blue and white, fast and apprently quite bringing Katy's total of chop- Springfield yard at an remain alert. The sight is popular. The train has a top nosed Geeps to four. Also, a slug accelerating speed. beautiful!!! speed of 130 miles per hour. On was seen with Geep 99 in Fortunately, the switch crew May 25, it carried its one switching duties. Two GP-40s discovered the absence of their billionth passenger between were found yet in red. cars and called the tower in Tokyo and points south. It has barely adequate time to line REMEMBER CHANGE Bill G. reported that on IN MEETING DATE been running since 1964. Thanksgiving the southbound switches into a track with few Lone Star carried 13 cars and cars on it. the northbound counterpart had 12 cars. He also reported F units 72C and 76C in the Katy's City Amfun and Amgames yard so Katy remains one of the last F unit strongholds. Newsletters from several chapters Am-Macs... Pre-cooked ham­ Bill also reports that on of the National Railway Historical burgers sold in Friday, Nov. 26, Santa Fe's Port Society (including the Lake Shore, Amcafes of Catoosa train was headed by Long Island-Sunrise Trail, Susque­ Amcrax .... Jokes about Amtrak a GP-20 and a GP-30 with 10 or hanna Valley and Hawaii chapters) Amfacts.... Timetables 12 cars. have been competing with each other Ambrrr .... Unheated Amcoach Also on that same day, Frisco operated an unusual engine inventing Amwords, humorous titles Amhot Amcoach with air consist into and out of Cherokee for various aspects of Amtrak serv­ conditioning problem Yard. Yup, four GP-7s (562,576, ice. Amigo Friendly bar car 539 and 545) departed on No. 34 Some examples include: Ambush.... Shrubbery planted that afternoon. Until recently this combination was Amshak .... Small depot on around Amshaks commonplace between Madill Amtrak route Amclak .... Sound of Amtrak and Hope. But more recently Amsac Travel bags sold at trains on rails Frisco's GP-38s are regularly Amshaks Amcrash ... Service disruption appearing now with the GP-7s on that line. Amsak Sleeping car Am-oops .. . Small Amcrash Santa Fe continues to treat Amtrek .... Long journey via Amess Result of Amcrash Tulsa occasionally (via Frisco's Amtrak or Am-oops mainline) with Bicentennial Amyak Amtrak business Amrust .... Non-stainless steel car units. Early Monday (Nov. 29) conference Amfib Train in flooded area. SD-45-2 (5794) headed No. CTB Amhak Travel brochure Ample Too many of these into Cherokee Yard. Recently an interesting note writer jokes. was received from R.J. Pierce Amflak .... Public relations Amrag Amtrak News (the of Baton Rouge, La. He had person unkindest cut of all!) been given a copy of the Amquak Company physician Amnonsense All of the above. newsletter (presumably CORA) -AUD IS "HERO" - grace of God did I spot that recreational opportunities (EDITOR'S NOTE: Harold switch lined for the house track throughout Oklahoma. Aud, CORA member who instead of the main line. "We're only in the conceptual MKT resides in Broken Arrow, I happened to catch the planning stage on this ',tofe related the following story to section crew in town the next particular segment," Hesser your editor saying "it might be day and they saw to it that a said. "But the idea has strong worthy of mention." Worthy? lock was soon installed. merit as it would provide More than just worthy! Your Needless to say, they were very recreational opportunity and — FAMED RR'er DIES - grateful, because they were the also link the state's major John Barriger III, former editor has taken the liberty of notifying the KATY about Aud's ones that would have had to population center with another president of the Katy Railroad change out the switch had it recreational resource, the — and a top executive of seven action. Too often railfans are looked down on by railroads. been run through by the train. proposed Arcadia Reservoir." other railroads — died in St. The wife and I have Hesser said the Statewide Louis Dec. 9 of complications Well, here's a man who deserves a railroad's praise!!! something to be thankful for Comprehensive Outdoor after surgery. ourselves. In October, we took Recreation Plan encourages the He was 77. Here's what happened in Aud's own words:) advantage of the USA Railpass, use of abandoned railroad Barriger was a native of and toured the south before routes for trails, civil defense Dallas and a long-time resident I went to the store to pick up a few last minute items for dinner Auto-Train ruined the Chicago and possible future mass transit of St. Louis. At the time of his connection between the Lone routes. death, he was senior traveling and when I crossed.the Katy on the back back, I happened to Star and the Floridian. We were "We expect to make an effort freight agent for the Rock northbound out of Deerfield to secure a recreational Island Lines. look up the track towards Tulsa and noticed that the north house Beach, Fla., on the Silver Star easement or lease the land From 1953 to 1956, he was a when a hotbox detector picked necessary for construction of vice president of Rock Island. track switch was lined the wrong way. up a hotbox on a coach near the the trail. We will also encourage He was president of the head end. The journal did The Katy doesn't run over the donation of land for this Pittsburgh and Lake Erie from indeed prove to be hot, but was purpose," Hesser said. 1956 to 1964. Forced to retire in here on holidays and the next set out before it dropped. Just train to go through would be In addition to the Arcadia 1964, he soon became president think, we could have found out Reservoir segment, initial of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas going towards Tulsa. I went about that hotbox the hard way. over and lined the switch for the development of the old Katy line and headed the line for five Harold E. Aud would include a five-mile trail years. main line. (I live close to the track) But the switch lock was - STATE EYES KATY - from Cleveland to Feyodi Creek Then he was named chief State Park and a 10-mile trail executive of the bankrupt nowhere to be found. I never AS TRAIL ROUTE worried much about it, The Oklahoma Tourism and from Bartlesville to Osage Hills Boston & Maine Railroad and State Park. served until 1973. From 1973 however, for I knew that even if Recreation Department has the kids who tampered with the reaffirmed its interest in The Tourism and Recreation until early this year, he was a Department began the special assistant to the admin­ switch in the first place came obtaining the old Missouri- back and did it again, the worst Kansas-Texas (Katy) Railroad development of a statewide istrator of the Federal Railroad trails system in 1975 following Administration. that could happen would be the route between Oklahoma City train running through the and Bartlesville for the passage of enabling Other railroads he headed legislation. The 1976 legislative were the Chicago & Eastern switch on Friday morning development as a multi-use necessitating its replacement. recreational trail resource. session provided $25,000 for Illinois, Mondn and the Toledo, trails, and Gov. David L. Boren Peoria & Western. A train would have to be "We are considering the coming from Tulsa to have been opportunity for development of has endorsed the 1977 trails His book, "Super Railroads," package, estimated to cost published in 1955, predicted diverted into the house track portions of this route to be used and probably derail as the for hiking, backpacking and $150,000. These funds can be doom for the railroads unless matched by federal moneys they were deregulated, turnout is tight and I knew that horseback riding," said Abe L. there wasn't a train up there. Hesser, executive director of designated for recreational electrified and consolidated into development. seven large system. I was out back of the house in the Oklahoma Tourism and Your editor first met Mr. an office of sorts I made in one Recreation Department. — FACT TO FILE — Barriger (pronounced Bear-e- end of a shed to house my The line runs through Payne Have you noticed, the newest gurr) and his wife in Woodward collection of Railroad and County, touching Cushing and Amtrak timetables, effective when they came to Oklahoma Trains magazines and other Yale. Oct. 31, 1976, show distances with Rogers (E.M. Frimbo) memorabilia when a motor car Hesser's statement came in between points not only in miles Whittaker for an autograph went through — moving pretty response to a petition by 36 but also in kilometers. party Frank Pollock arranged fast — and towards Tulsa. This residents of the Luther-Arcadia — IN OKLAHOMA, TOO?? — in honor of Don Hofsommer's was at night, so whoever was on area protesting the state's Every summer explorers of book "Katy Northwest". that car wouldn't have been proposed use of the Katy route the abandoned grades of With a twinkle in his eye, he'd able to see that switch lined should the railroad officially Colorado happily retrieve rusty proudly show anyone the solid wrong in time to stop and tjie' abandon the right-of-way. The spikes, miscellaneous and often gold switch key he carried — a motor car wasn't heavy enough 20-mile segment between unidentifiable rusty iron, etc. reminder of his active days of to run through the switch, but Oklahoma City and the Certainly the most unusual railroading which hit a new would have climbed on top of proposed Arcadia Reservoir discovery this summer was peak after his forced the rail, hit the ties and Heaven near Luther is the first of three among the litter of snowshed retirement. only knows what would have parts of the 140-mile route from boards laying along the grade — happened then. Oklahoma City to Bartlesville the mile post board for Whoever it was on the motor suggested for conversion to trail Hagerman Tunnel. car I don't know (possibly a use. This announcement will signal maintainer), but he had The routes are portions of a probably spur a lot of healthy (if much more to be thankful for five-year program estimated to otherwise unrewarding) Thanksgiving than he realizes. cost $800,000, encompassing 31 exercise in turning over all the I have to give God the credit trail projects stretching a total old boards along your favorite for that one, for only by the of 882 miles to provide expanded grades. Iron Horse News division timetable which The MOP had a train stopped -BOYS IN SOUP- includes speed restrictions for on the Dallas leg of the wye at Two runaway young boys, — NEXT MEETING- SF engines over the Tehachapi. Tower 55 for a couple of hours locked in a cross-country (Note date change) Nothing much unusual in that before the train was due to railway freight car, lived on Big John Hines will present except that they included speed leave. They finally moved it celery soup for five days. our program for the first limits for SF Es, PAs, FMs, about a half an hour after The boys were found at the meeting of the new year. His FTs, F3s and F7s. The SF still departure time of the Dallas Clovis, N.M., railyard where topic will be telegraphy and its has a few of the Fs left down this train. I believe I might have they banged on the freight car relationship with railroading. way. I saw 2 on the same train heard an operator in the tower doors and yelled for help until If you know of a "lightning around the first of November. mention that they would have to someone investigated. When slinger," invite him as a guest Did you know that Amtrak is block their freights if the they were found, they were hot so he can demonstrate some of running a mail train with stopped train was moved and tired of soup. the equipment Big John will operating RPOs? No. 193-4 sooner. It's easy to form an They ran away because of an have on display. operate between NY-Wash­ opinion about why trains are argument with their parents And if you can provide ington daily and carry 2 RPOs. delayed, but there were over carpeting for their refreshments, call Jack An EL GP 35 holds the probably reasons that we don't playhouse. They boarded the Austerman. distinction of being the first know about. train at Santa Anna and then The meeting will be: "Conrailized" engine to be Amtrak has purchased 13 ex- someone locked the car without Saturday, Jan. 8 "Deconrailized." No. 2571 got New Haven FL-9s and will knowing they were inside. at 7 p.m. her roadnames painted out and number them 230-242, right Luckily there were several St. David's Episcopal Church little CR applied to both ends. after the recently delivered F- gallons of celery soup in cans in 3100 N. Meridian Somewhere, someone got a hold 40s 200-229. The FL-9s are the car and they found a Because of the New Year's of some EL yellow and PC scheduled to go into service switchblade knife to open the holiday, and in keeping with the stencils and removed the CR between New York and Albany. cans with. club's policy, the meeting date from the ends, replacing it with In early September the They lived on soup for five was delayed a week to Jan. 8. PC style lettering that United Aircraft Turbos made days. The boys told police it got proclaims EL in maroon. their last runs between Boston, quite warm in the car crossing The RI Budd Observation car' Providence and New York. Arizona. THE TEXAS CONNECTION that was seen on the NY&LB Their departure will not be By Richard Brundage running in commuter service mourned by the maintenance -MISS YOUR COPY- (A column of various notes turns out to be an ex-FEC car. personnel as they commonly If you fail to receive your and comments from our The Long Island has been had fires, oil leaks, brake copy of The Dispatcher before member in Irving, Tex.) selling off its passenger cars failures, flat wheels and the meeting time, be sure to notify I wish that there was some recently and I believe they had like. At one time, they had the editor. Or drop him a note. way for CORA to have some an FEC obs. movies, stereo headsets, and We try to have it in your hands passenger cars of our own. Its Conrail is in a real power more complete food service. no later than the week before harder than it sounds, finding a shortage back east. They have Amtrak is saying the trains the meeting. safe place for storage, people to leased 100 units from the CN to were being removed due to old work on renovation, etc., but I augment its sagging fleet. age, but it's interesting to note - MORE QUOTATIONS - think that with so many cars Among them are the GP-40 wide they are being replaced by 25- "The only way of catching a being scrapped now, it's going cabs. Reportedly, they aren't year-old RDCs on a Providence- train I ever discovered is to to get harder and harder to find able to M-U with USA engines New Haven schedule. At last miss the train before." one in the future and they will and are running in all CN sets. report, the trains were sitting in G.K. Chesterton cost more, too. Can you image the wiggly worm the open at their Fields Point "If the trucks on our Possibly, it might be a good on Horsehoe Curve? That's like Maintenance Depot which was highways get much bigger, it idea to get a hold of a baggage having Bob Read buying lunch also closed. won't make much difference if car or a combination passenger- and Larry Gibbs saying he'll get they do beat the trains to baggage. On a fan trip, it. DUES FOR 1977 railroad crossings." sandwiches, soft drinks and Amtrak paid $2 million for ARE NOW DUE!!! LIFE Magazine other club items (railroadiana) some bilevels from the CNW. "What do you suppose God could be sold and it would make Now that they have been phased HAGGARD & TRAINS- thinks of a man (created in His money for the club. Those of us out of the midwest corridor by According to the National own image) putting on his pants that were on the trip to Clinton the Amfleet, the Regional Enquirer, Merle Haggard was in an upper berth?" recently will remember the Transportation Authority in born in a converted refrigerator Don Herold times it would have been nice to Chicago wants to buy or lease car in Bakersfield, Calif. Today "I believe I never knew have something to drink. the 12 cars. But Amtrak wants he lives a few miles from there anyone who was not ashamed of The Rock has 4 baggage cars to get more in their investment. in a $750,000 home. the truth. Did you ever notice left. They were built by St. The cars can be easily Running through his house is that a railroad company Louis Car in 1961 and one of the converted for commuter use as a $50,000 model railroad with numbers its cars from 1,000, cars has door bars and a this was provided for when they 250 freight cars and 35 instead of from 1?" counter for excursions. One were built. They will be used on locomotives. E.W. Howe rarity about the Rock's coaches the Rock's commuter service. "The girl had as many curves is that some of the lightweight E units are still running on the — SPECIAL ENCLOSURE — as a scenic railway." corrugated siding cars had 2 Inter-American. I was over in Part of The Dispatcher this P.G. Wodehouse vestibules. The only other ones Cow Town (Fort Worth) on the time is a full page of "Faster than a pay-car that I know of were the first day of the recent timetable information provided by CORA passing a tramp." lightweight cars of the New change and at one time there member Howard Thornton. It is (Unknown) Haven RR. were 3 trains sitting in the a reprint of an article by Sunday Has anyone seen the Rock station. The southbound Lone Oklahoman Travel Editor Kent MofW cars that are ex-ICRR? Star, Dallas stub and the Inter- Ruth. Last month we printed REMEMBER CHANGE I read the other day that the American, which was laving the letter to Ruth from IN MEETING DATE SP has put out a new LA over. Thornton. THE SUNDAY OKLAHOMA... Showcase December 19, 1976 NOStSlQIS S QfB3t, ew rails better

been discontinued. (It success and failure In A reader lowers the the five years it has nad to prove that a viable now operates 254 trains any business. It has: loom: "In recent weeks daily serving 469 sta­ Taken advantage of you have written numer­ railroad passenger serv­ ice is still possible in tions.) improved rights-of-way ous stories about trains Two additional sched­ to speed up some 28 end railroads in Oklaho­ this day of super-sonic air transport. ules are now being acti­ runs. (It lopped nearly ma and the United States vated, including the three hours off one Chi- fas they once were. Now A "FANTASTIC Job of important Salt Lake City cago-to-Seattle run.) don't you think it's about to Portland over the Authorized construc­ time to tell your readers returning passenger trains to the proud spot Union Pacific's famed tion of a new $4.7 million what's going on today?" Oregon Short Line. Other station to serve St. Paul- As a rail buff, and they once occupied," is how our critic describes routes being given study Minneapolis, a $6.4 mil­ something of a nostal- include a St. Louis-to- lion depot to replace giac to boot, we have — Amtrak's record. It has, he insists, introduced California run through (sob) the above men­ in our Window on the Oklahoma City. tioned Union Station in Past columns — tended many innovations never before attempted by the "But the equipment is St. Louis! to concentrate on the so- dilapidated," runs anoth­ Shifted schedules to called "glory days" of railroads. And he lists some of them. er argument. And to that make rail traffic to Mex­ railroading. After all, our friend says, "Drop by ico more convenient. (At this country boy can Established a nation­ wide computerized reser­ the Oklahoma City Am­ a time, curiously enough, vation system that in­ trak station some morn­ when an official Mexican cludes all U. S. and Cana­ ing shortly after 10, walk investigation indicates dian National trains. through the Lone Star eight of 10 "service" sta­ travel Issued a tariff sched­ and see for yourself." tions in the Acapulco ule covering every type Again he buttresses area are gouging the l» h« n« mill of fare for every city and his opinions with statis­ motorist!) remember the sheer de­ every train (and connect­ tics. Since 1971 Amtrak Produced, like the air­ light of over-night Pull­ ing bus) in the U.S., Can­ has: lines, a bewildering ar­ man rides out of Oklaho­ ada, and Mexico. Completely refur­ ray of family, group and bished more than 1300 other special discount ma City . . . the sybari­ Brought out a hand­ tic pleasures of a dining passenger cars. fares designed to lure some new easy-to-read Purchased some 200 travelers back onto the car ... and the awe- Official Guide to all Romeness of that magnif­ new locomotives, accept­ rails. North American trains, Put together a number icent Union Station in St. including those on com­ ed more than 300 (of Louis. muter lines. 492) new low level chair of attractive Amtrak As for Amtrak, the and parlor cars. Tours. public body charged with BIG COMPLAINT, of Ordered 15 new turbo GRANTED, the iron providing passenger course, has always been, trains (capable of speeds horse may yet give up service on the nation's "Yeah, but you can't get well over 109 miles per the ghost, at least as a privately owned rail there from here." To that hour) 295 new double- comioercial hauler of lines, we have given it our friend points to the deck sleeping and dining people. But Amtrak is coverage, though obvi­ record. cars which will start ar­ ously not enough to satis­ riving sooa, giving the quest for pas­ fy our reader. Amtrak started oper­ sengers the old college ating passenger trains try. Still, perhaps it is time on May 1, 1971. Since IN ADDITION, Amtrak to look at Amtrak once that time, he says, 18 is tackling the "little 307,236 again and see just what new runs have been things" that often spell it has accomplished in scheduled and none has the difference between Paid Circulation

[prepared with the assistance of Howard Thornton, Midwest Travel Service]