Recent Digital Photos
by Mike Condren

53 Years of Railroad Photography 1960-2013

Mike's Main Railroad Web Site

August 28, 2013

After dropping Jan at the Muskogee Public Library to do some genalogy research, I headed to the parking lot where the MKT station once stood. My first train was this BNSF switcher heading for its own tracks in Muskogee. It was a race to see whether this train or the northbound UP train would reach me first.

Well, the northbound won. Here we see the northbound taking the east most track through Muskogee.

The BNSF train was on the western most track which introduced a problem with getting to their home rails.

Becuase they had been on the western most track, they had to pull down until their rear car was past the switch for the track 1 and 2. Wait for the switch and signal, and then back up the eastern most track to past the switch to home rails.

We next see the BNSF train as it heads around the home rails near where the original Ozark and Cherokee Central main line crossed the MKT on its way to its station opposite the Midland Valley station, the cureent Three Rivers Museum.

I then headed for the area east of Okmulgee Ave where the O&CC/Frisco tracks used to parallel the KO&G tracks which led to the yard at shops at Shopton. These views show the train approaching and crossing Broadway.

I then returned to the UP tracks and caught this southbound train.

The last train of the day was this southbound unit coal train of older coal hoppers. Among the cars in this train were a dozen or so of MP hoppers, a couple without any tagging.

August 30, 2013

This was the first photos on this railfan trip. I left Tahlequah at 4:15am and this was sunrise. This former Santa Fe station is now the headquarters of the honorary band fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi with which I was a member during my college days.

Our next stop was Perry, OK where the former ATSF Red Rocks line crosses the former Frisco Avarde line, now both BNSF lines.

At one time, all mainlines had complex pole lines along their right of way carrying communication lines. This pole and its communications box stands opposite the station at Perry, OK.

This was our first train at Perry, a "brown worm" grain train northbound. Note the CSX unit as the third unit of this consist. You will see it again later.

The next train at Perry was this westbound on the former Frisco Avarde Sub.

As we arrived at Enid, we spotted this pair of BNSF units working a yard on the east sife of town.

Enid, OK is represented by these "skyscrappers of the plains". These are on the east side of town.

We next spotted this Peducah rebuild at the Cargill elevator on the east side of Enid.

We then headed to the Railroad Museum of Oklahoma NW of downtown Enid, OK. It is located on the grounds of the former ATSF freigh house.

This Frisco flag is hanging on the wall inside the museum.

We heard this train approaching from the west.

We then started shooting the exhibits outside. This Frisco boxcar was built to the design of USRA before having the wooden sides replaced with steel plate. It was most likely last used in "stores" shipments.

This Frisco flat car was last used in maintenance of way service as indicated by its number.

This car is not as it was seen in service. This appears to be a ballast car and has been rebuilt and repainted and letterd in a unprototypical manner.

This is the premier exhibit of this museum. This is a sister of the #1522 which is in the collection of the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis County, MO.This 4-8-2 was an oil burner and was used in both passenger and freight service over the years. The Summer 2013 issue of Classic Trains has a "Bird's Eye View" feature showing a sister engine on the "Black Gold" passenger train between Ft. Worht, TX and Tulsa, OK. My research for this feature is on the web at http://condrenrails.com/Frisco/Frisco-Varnish.html.

This shot of the cab shows the lettering which is over sized compared to the lettering when in service.

This GE 45-ton loco is lettered for the museum.

This area contains many artifacts of railroading.

This Frisco caboose was part of the last order of cabooses from Internation car. The SLSF and 1281 are oversized.

This compromise joint is just outside the museum grounds along side of the former Frisco mainline of the Avarde Sub of the BNSF. Note that the left rail is 85#/yd while the right rail is 112#/yd

Our next train was an eastbound BNSF general freight. Note the "red warbonnet" Santa Fe with very faded paint.

We then drove across the street to the former Santa Fe passenger station for Enid.

This stack train was not making very good time as we shot it on our way to Enid in Perry just before we left there. I assume that they had stopped to change crews.

As we left Enid we spotted a switcher pushing a string of cars. We raced to the crossing of the tracks and US64-412 to get these shots.

The daredveils on the front covered hopper is made up of one woman and one man.

We then head to Perry where we shoot this "brown worm". Hey we have seen this train before, heading north. Now it is heading west on the Avarde Sub to load with grain. The freindly conductor comes out to wave.

There were a couple of AOK cars among the BNSF cars in the "brown worm".

The next train was this covered hopper train at Perry. It met a northbound train south of the station.

The northbound comes out of the siding and heads north.

Sept. 5, 2013

My trip to Tulsa did not happen without its problems. I had used the camera for some low light shots and forgot to change the sensitivity back to its normal settings. Please excuse these overexposed shots. My first action was this trimmer set which headed out the Avard Sub and then back into the yard.

The same trimmer set is next seen without cars.

This westbound stack train is seen approaching from the east to head west on the Avard Sub without even slowing.

A different trimmer set appeared while the stack train was heading west and even headed around the wye to the Avard Sub on the second track.

A switcher set is seen returning from downtown Tulsa.

The power then showed up near the west end of the Avard Sub. wye.

As I left Cherokee Yard, I noticed an eastbound leaving and I headed for Urban, the junction east of Union Depot/ There I caught this train struggling the climb the grade out of the river valley.

Sept. 6, 2013

I found this A&M switcher working the KCS connection at SF Jct. in Ft. Smith, AR near Wheeler Ave.

Later in the day I caught this KCS south bound freight at Westville, OK.

Historic A&M Photos

The Arkansas and Missouri began in 1986 with at least 3 EMD GP40s, two of which are seen here in Ft. Smith on Dec. 29, 1986. The Chief Mechanical Officer, Randy Hannold, told me that the GP40s were not kept because they used too much fuel and were too slippery on the steep grade south of Winslow.

The A&M even experimented with 6-axle power with this M630M as seen in this from the Oct. 2000 Trains.

This page was designed and is maintained by Mike Condren.
Earlier issues of Recent Trains are available through the indexes.
If you would like to receive the next issue of Recent Trains,
request that your email address be put on the distribution list
by emailing me at mcondren@cbu.edu.