U30B 847
U30B 847 at Tulsa, Oklahoma in October 1977.
Tag Archives: General Electric
U30B 839
U30B 839 Tulsa, Oklahoma in September 1972.
Location is Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The locomotives are in the Mechanical Department’s service tracks area at Cherokee Yard, mile post 426.9. The service tracks and diesel shop will be replaced with new facilities during capital improvements in the yard in 1976. Note the lettering on the forward equipment box door under the cab floor beside the nose that indicates “KNUCKLE SUPPLIES INSIDE”.
SLSF 839 was one of eight units (SLSF 836-843) in the railroad’s second order from General Electric’s for its model U30B. The Frisco would ultimately own 31 units of this model. They were purchased in five groups between 1968 and 1975. The first and second group orders (SLSF 832-843) were phase IIb units. The third and fourth groups (SLSF 844-857) were phase IIg1 units. The fifth order (SLSF 858-862) were phase IIh1 units. The term “phase” refers to car body spotting characteristics used by modelers and rail fans. “Phase” was not a term used by the manufacturer or railroad.
In the background to the right of the subject locomotive is the former steam locomotive roundhouse that was converted to a diesel shop. The nose of an unidentified number EMD SD45 is also on the right. Note the distinctive cast round F medallion marking the locomotive’s front. In the distance to the left is an unidentified number Fairbanks-Morse H-12-44 switch engine locomotive. This is one of the four H-12-44 (SLSF 282-285) units owned by the Frisco. These units were equipped for multiple unit operation on the Cherokee Yard hump. They would only MU cab-to-cab.
Above the nose of the H-12-44 in the far distance across the Arkansas River are two high rise buildings in downtown Tulsa. The shorter building is the Cities Service Oil and Gas Corporation building. Opened in 1971, the corporate office tower has 28 floors and stands 388 feet tall. Its address is 110 West 7th Street, Tulsa, OK 74119-1031. Today it is known by its address as the 110 West 7th Building.
Further northeast is the taller First Place Tower. It is under construction at the time of the photograph and will be opened during 1973. The office tower has 41 floors and stands 516 feet tall. Its address is 15 East 5th Street, Tulsa, OK 74103-4346. Today it is the 3rd tallest building in the city and 4th tallest in the state.
View is looking northeast.
Special thanks to Mark Davidson.
U30B 858
U30B 858 at North Platte, Nebraska on June 19, 1979 (Sam Carlson).
U30B 847
U30B 847 at Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 18, 1980 (J.C. Benson).
U30B 858, U25B 803 and GP38-2 682
U30B 858, U25B 803 and GP38-2 682 (location unknown) in November 1975.
Posted in CA Collection
Tagged 682, 803, 858, Electro-Motive Division, General Electric, GP38-2, U25B, U30B
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U25B 824
U25B 824 (location unknown) in June 1968 (Calvin Banse).
U25B 827, GP38-2 680 and SD45 911
U25B 827, GP38-2 680 and SD45 911, 19th Street Engine Facility, Kansas City, MO in July 1976.
Posted in CA Collection
Tagged 680, 827, 911, Electro-Motive Division, General Electric, GP38-2, SD45, U25B
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U25B 830
U25B 830 at Kansas City, Missouri on February 17, 1980.
U30B 853
U30B 853 (location unknown) in May 1974.
U25B 816
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.
