Albuquerque - Then and Now

[Bob_F]

This is an timely discussion for me. I will be on the SWC tomorrow from GBB to ABQ. I will be interesting to check out the platform in person. I have be browing through the threads and being new to traveling by train, I have really found all the hints and tips helpful. Thanks for sharing your wisdom. (Oops, I guess I drifted off-topic)

 

[johnny.menhennet]

This is an timely discussion for me. I will be on the SWC tomorrow from GBB to ABQ. I will be interesting to check out the platform in person. I have be browing through the threads and being new to traveling by train, I have really found all the hints and tips helpful. Thanks for sharing your wisdom. (Oops, I guess I drifted off-topic)

I don't think so. First, you're talking about the Albuquerque station and track layout, seems pretty relevant. Second, I am open for ridicule, but I have gotten pretty sick of the "Let's discuss this in a separate thread," "This is very off-topic," "You shouldn't be talking about that here," and so forth that we seem to have had quite an increase of since February. I understand that forums have their reason and were created to find information on something, but I feel I have learned more on subjects off-topic than on-topic by at least 200%. I love being able to see where are minds take us and what they lead us to pick at and comment on, rather than thinking "Hmm, should I post a new thread to say this?" and then it never gets done because it's a hassle, so we lose information I've wanted to say this for a while, but my self-control stepped in front of me. I have pushed it behind. I really liked the way we used to get off-topic in the past. But I guess this is a little off-topic, so I'll stop now.

 

[jb64]

This is an timely discussion for me. I will be on the SWC tomorrow from GBB to ABQ. I will be interesting to check out the platform in person. I have be browing through the threads and being new to traveling by train, I have really found all the hints and tips helpful. Thanks for sharing your wisdom. (Oops, I guess I drifted off-topic)

I don't think so. First, you're talking about the Albuquerque station and track layout, seems pretty relevant. Second, I am open for ridicule, but I have gotten pretty sick of the "Let's discuss this in a separate thread," "This is very off-topic," "You shouldn't be talking about that here," and so forth that we seem to have had quite an increase of since February. I understand that forums have their reason and were created to find information on something, but I feel I have learned more on subjects off-topic than on-topic by at least 200%. I love being able to see where are minds take us and what they lead us to pick at and comment on, rather than thinking "Hmm, should I post a new thread to say this?" and then it never gets done because it's a hassle, so we lose information I've wanted to say this for a while, but my self-control stepped in front of me. I have pushed it behind. I really liked the way we used to get off-topic in the past. But I guess this is a little off-topic, so I'll stop now.

+1

 

[jphjaxfl]

Anybody know about the front coupler on the locomotive. I guess it is retracted and enclosed.

yes

Was that for aesthetic reasons? I guess the value in terms of additional streamlining was very small.

yes, yes

And an additional mechanism would have cost money to maintain.

yes, but probably more nuisance than cost in operation, have no idea how much cost to maintian, but initially there would have been a cost or the option.

When was this practice dropped?

Have no idea. Never saw it in the late 50's early 60's in my part of the country, but then that was outside ATSF territory. Santa Fe was big on aesthetics. There were probably a lot of railroads that never used this device.

The Burlington, Rock Island, Santa Fe and others with the streamlined E5s and E6s used the retractable couplers to promote the streamlined image. The skirts that hid the couplers were removed by the late 1950s. Santa Fe used to paint the wheels and trucks of the Super Chief and a few other trains after each run for a number of years for aesthetics.

 

[PeeweeTM]

Howdie!

It could be, the track mentioned on the first page, is a bit shorter now (left side, in the shadow under the bridge):

The end:

This was in front of the locomotives during fueling:

And in front in the sand the above mentioned track:

Cloudy regards from Rotterdam,

Peter

 

[The Chief]

The Burlington, Rock Island, Santa Fe and others with the streamlined E5s and E6s used the retractable couplers to promote the streamlined image.

You are correct jph but IIRC that unit in the photo is a EMCE1, which jives with the 1943 photo date.

Many of the E and some F units offered passenger-style pilot with retractable (front) coupler and concealment doors.

Here's a link to pic of some SAL E4s (another road) with retractables, circa 1939.

Here's the AT&SF Albuquerque window washer, still used in early Amtrak daze, and here too.

On the front ( across parking lot) side of the Albuquerque depot was the (darker) Division offices building. The original depot (1902) burned down in 1993. The Fred Harvey Alvarado Hotel was proximate to the depot, same year, and it closed in 1970.

That would have been a great entry for Hotels Near Stations on Trainweb,,,