[?]

South Orient Railroad: Running Extra

Please click on any of the following pictures to see a larger image:

	In February 1993, South Orient operated a "rare mileage" excursion train for a private tour operator. The train consisted of two South Orient diesels and four cars. The westbound train is shown stopped at the Ballinger, Texas depot on February 27, 1993.
	On a dreary winter day, two South Orient diesels lead a westbound excursion train between Rowena and Miles, Texas.
	South Orient's westbound rare mileage excursion train passes through Harriett, Texas, on February 27, 1993.
	In 1993, Burlington Northern, seeking its own gateway into Mexico to compete with UP, SP and ATSF for international traffic, established a marketing agreement with South Orient, whereby SO would move BN traffic from San Angelo Jct to Presidio for interchange to FNM. BN advertised the service as its El Vaquero route to Mexico. Prior to the agreement, BN and South Orient operated a joint inspection train, which traversed the length of the line and carried railroad officials, journalists, and civic dignitaries from communities along the route. The train is shown here departing Ft. Stockton, Texas on November 5, 1993.
	In October 1994, a private excursion company operated a special train from Ft Worth to Presidio, Texas. Billed as the South Orient Express , The train continued in to Mexico and through Mexico's famed Copper Canyon after crossing the Rio Grande at Presidio. F7 200, which previously operated in tourist service between Houston and Galveston, led the train as it stopped at San Angelo on October 6, 1994.
	Here's a close-up view of the South Orient Express logo on the nose of the train's lead F7 locomotive.
	In February 1995, South Orient hosted a special "movie train" consisting of equipment from the Texas State Railroad which travelled to west Texas for the filming of "Streets of Laredo,", a sequel to "Lonesome Dove". The train consisted of Texas State's 4-6-0 # 201 and several cars, and was pulled by a South Orient locomotive to and from the filming location. On February 20, 1995, South Orient led the train into Mertzon, Texas, on its return trip to the Texas State Railroad in Rusk.
	A close-up view of Texas State's 4-6-0 # 201 at Mertzon, Texas, en route home to Rusk after being used in the filming of "Streets of Laredo".
	The movie train had to make several stops on line so that the Texas State Railroad employees who accompanied the move could perform inspections and mechanical checks on 4-6-0 201. Here, two Texas State employees inspect and lube the 201's running gear in Mertzon on February 20, 1995.
	Each piece of equipment in the movie train's consist carried a tag like this one, as identification that they were part of the movie set.
	After filming in west Texas was completed, the "Streets of Laredo" movie train spent the night in San Angelo in front of the restored ex-KCM&O depot before continuing on toward the Texas State Railroad's home rails. The next morning, February 21, 1995, the 201 and her train awaited assistance from a South Orient diesel to help them continue the trip.
	On February 21, 1995, South Orient 106 has arrived in front of the ex-KCM&O depot in San Angelo to lead Texas State Railroad's equipment east towards home rails. This is definitely one of the most interesting collections of railroad equipment to visit San Angelo in recent years!

back to South Orient main page

All images on the Southwest Railfan © 2000-2004 by Wes Carr.
All rights reserved.