Frisco Archive

U25B 816 at Memphis, TN (date unknown).

The train is departing on the south yard lead out of Tennessee Yard, mile post 496.4 (MP 496.4). The train is south bound entering the Tupelo Subdivision. Also in the locomotive consist are a General Electric (GE) high nose U25B, a third U25B and an unidentified General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) general purpose (GP) unit.

The lead locomotive is on the overpass over East Shelby Drive. The west bridge guardrail is to the left of the locomotive’s pilot. In the far distance above the guardrail note the grain elevator. It sat west of the middle of the yard bowl, adjacent to the passenger main, near the diesel shop and service tracks area. This elevator will be demolished to make room for the modern day intermodal hub center facilities.

In the foreground are the thoroughfare, hump lead and hump bypass tracks. The bypass track was used for explosives, livestock and other commodities unsuitable for humping operations. On the right is the yard office with attached hump crest tower. The silver tank south of the tower holds journal oil. Just before the hump crest is an inspection pit and equipment to spray lubricant into car journals.

Just above the hump crest, to the left of the hump tower near the north end of the yard is the roof of the Mechanical Department’s car repair facility. There are three 760 feet long car repair tracks. The shop is 80 feet wide by 460 feet long and can accommodate under cover 45 cars. This shot also shows many of the 17 floodlight structures to illuminate the yard facilities. Included are six 120 foot fabricated steel towers and eleven 100 foot steel poles.

View is looking northwest.

Special thanks to Mark Davidson for description.