GP7 630 (date and location unknown).
GP7 630
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Location is Enid, Oklahoma.
Train is approaching the railroad crossing at grade, with automatic interlocking, with the C.R.I.P. (Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad) at mile post 585.0 (MP 585.0). It is east bound on the Beaumont Subdivision. It is interesting to note the Frisco’s Perry Subdivision used the Beaumont Sub between Enid, MP 585.7, and Steen, MP 583.9 (1.8 miles). This train has just departed Enid to the west, Perry Subdivision MP 544.9.
The General Motors (GM) Electro-Motive Division (EMD) GP7L, phase IIa, locomotive SLSF 630 has just passed the roadway grade crossing with North 4th Street. This is just southwest of the large Pillsbury Company flour mill and elevator. The mill complex and its 2,500,000 bushels elevator was constructed in 1928. It is located at 1301 North 4th Street, Enid, Oklahoma 73701-2283. The photographer is southwest of the Rock Island diamond.
The track in the foreground turning to the southwest with the two light dwarf signal head leads to the Frisco’s “city tracks”. South of this signal, parallel to and west of the Rock Island main line, is a Frisco industrial area just northeast of downtown. This area included an interesting 400’ long wood pile trestle with turnout above East Elm Street to a diverging alley track.
The diverging turnout on the trestle above East Elm Street connected to a diverging trestle leading into the alley. The alley track extended to near North Grand Avenue, serving industries between East Elm Avenue and East Maple Avenue. The straight through route terminated at team tracks that stubbed just north of East Broadway Avenue. The “city tracks” spur and its 3 diverging stub branches extended over 10 blocks south, 3 blocks west and served dozens of industries.
In the distance, between the telegraph pole line and the train, by the North 4th Street grade crossing are the west home signals for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF) Railway (left) and Frisco (right). Like the city tracks pot dwarf signal, these automatic interlocking signals governed and protected eastward movements over the Rock Island main line diamond.
The Santa Fe’s Enid District used 938’ of trackage rights on the Frisco over the Rock Island crossing diamond. These extended from 486’ (ATSF MP 61.88) west of the diamond to 452’ (ATSF MP 62.06) east of the diamond. East of the diamond the Santa Fe entered their 16 tracks 10th Street Yard (ATSF MP 62.3). To the west they also exercised trackage rights for 3.2 miles from the south house track switch just east of Frisco’s Enid, MP 544.9 (ATSF MP 60.98) to Blanton, MP 548.1 (ATSF MP 58.17).
The Santa Fe’s Enid District branch line ran from Kiowa, KS (ATSF MP 0.0) to Guthrie, OK (ATSF MP 116.7). Kiowa is just north of the Kansas / Oklahoma state line on Santa Fe’s east / west transcontinental or “Transcon”, main line from Chicago to California. Guthrie is on the Santa Fe’s north / south Newton, Wichita and Arkansas City, Kansas through Ponca City, Oklahoma City, Norman, Oklahoma to Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston and Galveston, Texas main lines.
To the north, the track beyond and adjacent to GP7L locomotive SLSF 630 is the connection to the Rock Island Railroad. Their north / south main line is behind the photographer. This route is their mid-continent line from St. Joseph, MO through Topeka, Herington and Wichita, KS, Enid, El Reno and Duncan, OK to Fort Worth, Dallas, Huston and Galveston, TX. The 2 tracks further to the north both lead to the Pillsbury Company mill and 2,500,000 bushels elevator. The first track up leads to the 3 tracks on the east side of the mill. The farthest track with the low switch stand with yellow target leads to the 2 west tracks at the mill.
View is looking southwest.
Hope this helps.
Thanks!
Mark