We were coming back from my daughter's track meet Saturday night and I spotted an old switcher out in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. I decided to go back and tack a closer look. It's in a little town called Roscoe, Tx, about 45 minutes away from Abilene. I think this is an SW1. Anyone confirm, deny? As we passed by I got excited and told my wife; "I want to go touch it!" She looked at me about as you'd expect. (In fact, I'm sure many of you have received a similar look) Note the W. Texas windmills in the distance. These are former Navy NW2s that the Southern Swtiching Company keeps in nice repair. I believe they go all the way back to 1939. This switching company on the surrounding area will feature heavily in my upcoming layout. Trying to find a better vantage point for my UP photos...I came across this old Burlington Route office/depot!! 18 years in Abilene, and never knew this existed. Some Railfan I am!!! Couldn't get in, of course, but this window was clear enough to get a nice photo. The Abilene downtown "skyline" in the background.
The black switcher is not an SW1. Can't think right now what model. That switching company, in the photo quoted here- Is their track really as weedy as this makes it appear? The depot would be ex-Fort Worth & Denver. A CB&Q subsidiary.
Thanks for posting your shots. Neat stuff! I'll take a stab that the black unit is an SW-8 from the early 1950s. Scott, the SW-1 has a sandbox in front of its radiator. I shot one in Flemington, NJ a month ago, built in 1939:
Ah! I see it. So, an SW8, probably? Thanks for the info. Boxcab E50 - That's where they park them when not in use. It is weedy-ish there, but not as bad as that photo makes it seem.
Now you just have to talk the wife into buying the depot, and doing the needed repairs and minor remodeling to make it a home!
You have no idea how badly I would want to do that...and how much resistance I'd get. But, we can dream, can't we?
