The Moose returned to Dimmitt and we had a surprise for Bart Jennings.
It was Bart's 52nd birthday and Sarah bought him a cake which everyone shared in honor of his event. Randy then drove Dave and I first to Hale Center for something we saw coming up in the dark this morning.
The Hale Center Santa Fe station built in 1909. It was moved to this location and is home to the Hale County Farm and Ranch Museum. The lady who runs it saw us, had me open the gate for her and I introduced myself and asked to take pictures of the station and caboose for my story. I gave her my card and she said "Go for it!"
Santa Fe caboose 999377, nee Santa Fe 1736 built by American Car and Foundry in 1928.
Additional views of the Santa Fe station.
Inside the building, the ticket counter and the stove.
The waiting room benches. From here we drove to Lubbock and met Kathie Smetko at Walgreen's. Randy and I then went to Burger King before leaving Lubbock for good and our first stop was Ropesville.
The Santa Fe Ropes station sign.
A section house with the great Santa Fe emblem on it.
Another building across the highway with Bevers Crossing on the crossbucks there. We then proceeded to Meadow.
The Santa Fe Meadow station which is the depot from White Deer. Our next stop was Brownfield.
West Texas and Lubbock F40-M2F 456, ex. San Luis and Rio Grande 456, exx. Rail World Leasing, exxx. Canadian-American Railroad 456, nee Amtrak F40PHR 378 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1981.
San Luis and Rio Grande road slug 245, nee Amtrak F40PHR 245 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1977.
West Texas and Lubbock GP7 107, ex. Texas Northeastern 107, exx. Intermountain Western 107, exx. Missouri-Kansas-Texas 107, nee Missouri-Kansas-Texas 1517, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1951.
We then drove on to Seagraves.
The Seagraves Santa Fe station.
Santa Fe caboose 999637, nee Santa Fe 2216 built by the railroad in 1942.
When we arrived this afternoon, there was a cut of freight cars out on the mainline with a red flag on the east end. I knew there must be a train in Seagraves so we went and found what we were after.
The West Texas & Lubbock was switching in Seagraves.
West Texas and Lubbock F40M-2F 455, ex. San Luis and Rio Grande 455, exx. Rail World Leasing, exxx. Canadian-American Railroad 455, nee Amtrak F40PHR 254 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1977.
West Texas and Lubbock F40M-2F 459, ex. San Luis and Rio Grande 459, exx. Rail World Leasing, exxx. Canadian-American Railroad 459, nee Amtrak F40PHR 264 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1977.
Switching in Seagraves. With that, Randy and I drove to Seminole for petrol before crossing into New Mexico and arrived in Hobbs, where we checked into the Best Western Executive Inn for the night. We looked around Hobbs before going out to MP 100.5, where we found the line of stored cars and the location of the Moose for tomorrow morning's trip.
The Moose boarding spot. Randy, Kathie, Dave and I had dinner at the Cattle Baron then I worked on the story before calling it a night.
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