E8A 2012 (Flying Ebony) (date and location unknown).
E8A 2012 (Flying Ebony)
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Location is Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The locomotives are sitting at the Oklahoma City Union Station (OCUS) depot. They have just uncoupled from an inbound train as evidenced by the open clamshell coupler shroud doors. The depot was operated jointly by the Frisco and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific (CRIP) Railroad. The depot opened on 7/15/1931. It saw its last passenger trains in 1967. Frisco’s service ended in May and Rock Island’s service ended in November.
The locomotive was received by the railroad on 3/1/1950. The locomotive would be named Flying Ebony in honor of the famous horse that won 1925 Kentucky Derby. This is the second of five known paint scheme variations the locomotive wore. Delivered in the red with gold lettering, this was modified with white pin stripe outlines as shown in this image. The photograph predates July 1962 by which time the locomotive had been repainted with yellow stripes and lettering. It was retired and traded into General Motors (GM) Electro-Motive Division (EMD) during October 1968.
As the neighborhood area has been redeveloped, today the depot is the headquarters for the Scissortail Park Foundation. To the north and south of the depot is the 70-acre Scissortail Park. The upper or north park includes walking trails, a dog park, a lake with boathouse, farmers market, stage with outdoor lawn performance venue, restrooms, splash park and playground facilities. The 34-acre lower or south park features a demonstration kitchen, outdoor amphitheater, soccer fields, basketball and pickleball courts.
The lower park fronts the impounded North Canadian River. The impounded section through the heart of the city forms a shallow lake like body of water section that has been renamed the Oklahoma River. Connecting riverside trails connect with other city parks and recreation areas. The depot and park headquarters are located at 300 Southwest 7th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73109.
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is the state bird of Oklahoma. The long-tailed bird was featured on the reverse side of the 2008 state circulating commemorative quarter issued by the United States Mint. The back features the bird in flight among Indian blankets, the state wildflower. The bird is currently displayed in the background of the state vehicle license plates and on the crest of the professional soccer team FC Tulsa. Oklahoma is the 46th state, admitted to the Union on November 16, 1907.
Immediately west of the depot is the Oklahoma City Streetcar storage and maintenance facility. The system encircles Scissortail Park, with tracks extending to service the City Center downtown central business core, Arts District, Automobile Alley, Midtown, City Center, and Bricktown neighborhoods. Included along the route are stops at or near Myriad Botanical Gardens, city hall, other city, state and federal offices and courts, the OKC Museum of Arts, Oklahoma Contemporary Art Museum, St. Anthony Hospital, the OKC National Memorial and Museum, the Red Earth Museum, and the Banjo Museum.
Other points of interest and entertainment include the Amtrak Santa Fe Depot, Paycom Event Center (concerts and home of the OKC Thunder (NBA) team), Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, the OKC Convention Center and Prairie Surf Studios. Prairie Surf Studios features five clearspan soundstage studios for film, media and television productions in a 1,300,000 square foot building. Studios range from 24,500 square feet with 25-foot ceilings to 32,000 square feet with a 65-foot ceiling. There are also numerous hotels, bars and restaurants along the streetcar routes.
View looking west southwest.
Hope this helps.
Thanks!
Mark