Motorcar 2124 on Train #609 destined for Enid at Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 22, 1949 (Arthur B. Johnson).
2124 was built by Electro-Motive Corporation in 1928. It was 72 feet long, had 400 horsepower and was eventually sold to the Cassville and Exeter Railroad and subsequently retired in May 1952.
I am glad to see this photo as I did not know these motorcars ran into Tulsa. It makes sense, but I had never seen anything on them in Tulsa. I do have a question for whoever can answer it (Karl?). Train 609 is on track one at the Tulsa depot headed west, From the shadows in the photo, I am estimating that the time must be midmorningish. The question I have is what train is on track 3? The passenger car seen here is one of the Frisco’s lightweight cars bought for the Mete0r and TS, but the Meteor came into Tulsa before sunrise. Is this a late Meteor or had the Frisco placed some lt wts on the Will Rogers which, if I remember correctly, also ran overnight from St. Louis following the Meteor until changed to day train?
This photo is interesting to me because I switched the paper house which was just west of the location where Mr. Johnson took the picture. As can be seen in the picture, the level of the paper house track (which was on the same level of Mr. Johnson) was elevated above the depot tracks. We accessed the paper house lead west of Cheyenne which was an at grade crossing (the first crossing west of the bridges built as part of the depot project in the early 30s). We shoved up a fairly steep incline to the paper house and used air on the cars to control the speed and stopping once we got up to the level where the actual spot was. The lead curved away from the engineer, so we had to watch carefully for hand signals (pre radio days) to control the move. It was standard procedure for experienced engineers, but I remember being very anxious as a new engineer until I got the hang of it. Too much air would make it difficult to shove the cars with the single FM unit assigned to that job, and not enough air could result in the cut of cars getting away from me. The paper house is still there and receiving newsprint for the Tulsa World. Anyway, it amazes me how many memories come back to me when I see pictures posted here on this site.
Thanks for letting an old engineer share an experience with you, Terry
Terry,
The car is the St-Louis-Tulsa Pullman. The Meteor made lots of set-outs as it worked its way west.
Was in Tulsa this past Friday, and I spent some time around the old depot. Your recollections are very timely. Thanks.
-keb-
Upon further review, I wonder if this isn’t a chair car. Looking at the drawings in the Official PS Library Vol 15, it appears that this is the case. TRRA Issue 75 states that The Meteor dropped at least two Pullmans at Tulsa, but offers nothing with regard to dropping chairs cars. Looking at Mike Condren’s aerial photo of number 9 as it travels to OKC it would seem that a chair car might have been dropped at Tulsa as well.
Number 609 departed Tulsa about 8:15 AM
Karl, I couldn’t tell what I was looking at, but I looked at the car a little closer, and I think you are correct. That small window over the truck looks like a bathroom window on one of the chair cars.
Thanks for your kind words, Terry
As a young kid I remember riding that motor car from Tulsa to Covington, OK. to visit with my mothers sisters. We would ride the Kansas City Florida Special from Amory, Miss to Springfield, change trains at Springfield, and change again at Tulsa. I do not remember what the train was between Springfield and Tulsa but it arrived Tulsa at breakfast time because we would eat breakfast in the station dinner. Once my mom took us to eat, not realizing that the conductor was holding the train for us. When he showed up at the dinner and wanted to know when we would be ready she was very embarrassed. Not many people can say they made the departure of a train late account eating! The motor car eventual gave way to a diesel engine and the ride was never the same. I believed the train was pulled off around 1954/5, which was a big disappointment because we moved to Tulsa in 1955 and I was looking forward to ridding the train to Covington.
Jerome-OKC
Thanks, Jerome, I enjoy reading personal stories like this. They add so much to our knowledge of what it was like back in the day of passenger trains on the Frisco.
Terry