We all met at 5:30 AM and Dave Smetko, Randy Jackson and his wife Marie and I left the Super 8 and drove to the Lubbock Airport, where dropped Marie off for her flight back to Albuquerque. We then drove Dimmitt and purchased some snacks before going to the Fort Worth and Denver station to wait for our Moose trip. Dave and I would ride east and Randy west and I would drive the car back to Dimmitt after my ride this morning.
West Texas & Lubbock Dimmitt Subdivision HistoryThe Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway Company was chartered on March 6, 1925, to built from Estelline in Hall County to a point in Castro County, with a branch from Briscoe County to Lubbock County, about 200 miles. The line came out of an attempt by the Fort Worth and Denver City to build branches into the lower Panhandle to handle the shipping of cotton. On November 20, 1928, the FW&DSP opened its 206 miles of track from Estelline through Sterley and Plainview to Dimmitt and from Lubbock through Sterley to Silverton. The line was leased to the Fort Worth and Denver City for operations and merged into that company on June 13, 1952.
The Fort Worth and Denver City Railway Company {The Denver Road} was chartered by the Texas legislature on May 36, 1873. The company later changed its name to the Fort Worth and Denver Railway Company on August 7, 1951. The main line of the railroad ran from Fort Worth through Wichita Falls, Childress, Amarillo and Dalhart, to Texline, where it connected with the rails of parent company Colorado and Southern Railroad, which was a subsidiary of the CB&Q. In the Burlington Northern Denver Region Employees Timetable #3 dated April 29, 1984, this line was known as the 6th Subdivision and was listed as a branchline. It was assigned to the Fort Worth Division. The line was also known as the South Plains Subdivision.
Helm Leasing GP38-3 1000, ex. Omnitrax 1000, exx. Union Pacific 1000, exxx. Union Pacific 2506, exxxx. CSX 6697, exxxxx. Seaboard System 6697, exxxxxx. Seaboard Coast Line 1541, nee Seaboard Air Line 626, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1966, waits under the moon this morning.
Dimmitt, Texas.
The Fort Worth and Denver station.
The Moose, or the railroad's hi-raiil vehicle, was ready to board and I sat on a chair in the rear.
We start to travel west past the station.
We then passed HLCX 1000 as we went as far west as was possible.
Reversing west through Dimmitt.
The Dimmitt wye.
Passing Milepost 368.
Stop for 23 Seconds sign.
On our way to the west end of track.
Coming to a private plant switch.
DeBruce Grain GP10 473, ex. Iowa Interstate GP10 473, exx. Iowa Interstate 8073 1984, exxx. Illinois Central Gulf 8073 1969, nee Illinois Central GP9 9073, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955, is one of the plant switchers here.
DeBruce Grain GP8 479, ex. Iowa Interstate 479 1987, exx. Iowa Interstate 7979 1985, exxx. Illinois Central Gulf 7979 1969, nee Illinois Central GP7 8979, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1953.
This is as far west as we could go. The Moose would now head towards Plainview.
Another view of DeBruce Grain 473.
The Moose ran west by Milepost 368.
Passing Dimmitt station once more.
Dimmitt, Texas. We now headed into the first curve on the line.
This curve has welded rail.
View looking north.
Leaving Dimmitt behind.
At Goodpasture is the Dimmitt Sulphur Plant.
Dimmitt End TWC sign.
Different views along our route.
Trees are not common in West Texas.
A line-side industry.
Milepost 359.
Another line-side industry.
Sprinklers on both sides.
Rolling east across West Texas.
A small bridge along our route.
Flat as far as you can see.
Another small bridge.
More sprinklers.
Passing more trees.
The Moose crossed Running Water Draw.
West Hart.
Hart, Texas.
The curve east of Hart.
Hilburn, Texas.
Our flag crew.
The Moose chasers.
Two more views behind.
A cotton picker at work.
Someone lives here.
A Moose chaser.
Flat as you can see.
Cows out in this field.
Still rolling east.
A great use of trees at this home.
