Santa Fe’s Panhandle Sub

Producer: MoKan

Locations: Wyanoka, Curtis Hill, Amarillo

Timeframe: 1995

Length: 1 hour 49 minutes

Source: Bob Ernst

A late look at the Santa Fe Railway. Filmed in 1995. Busy trackage in Texas. The Panhandle subdivision. Coverage from Wayanoka, Oklahoma to Amarillo, Texas.

A single DVD-R. No Chapter menu or advance function. On-screen graphics. Narrated by Bob Ernst. A very simple route map is on the cover artwork. Live environmental audio that picks up some wind at times.

Fullscreen aspect. There is a small horizontal distortion bar that runs the length of the bottom. Picture is not sharp. Minor flaws from the source tapes throughout.

To the Trains… 👉

Westbound at Wyanoka. Train 698. Warbonnet 857 with an Intermodal. A fresh crew. Takes off with a Birmingham to Los Angeles priority.

Westbound Train 061 is on Curtis Hill with a trio of blue units. This local is heavy on this day.

Quinlan with good views on Curtis Hill. It has a 10,000 foot siding. Train 197 has the 7127 leading 3 blue/ yellow engines. A Piggyback train.

At Fargo. An Eastbound Mainfest goes into the siding. Check the GP30 in the lash-up.

Three Electromotive SD40 5000 series built in 1966 are in this 4 unit lash-up. Exiting a siding in Higgins, Texas. Westbound Manifest.

Santa Fe’s hottest train is this Q-NYLA.  New York – Los Angeles piggyback at Glazier, Texas. Milepost 444.1.

There are a number of train meets at the long sidings. This siding is over 19,000 feet. Intermodals are the priority. This Westbound wheels it hard while the Eastbound Manifest waits in the hole. Location is Canadian, Texas, at Milepost 455.1 on the Panhandle sub. Interesting sequence to watch.

Train H-KCAM is Westbound from Kansas City to Amarillo.

Panhandle Station is now the City Hall. 135mns. Westbound Q- NYLA with leader 197 hurries past with a GE and 2 EMD locos in blue. A couple of long sidings here.

SD40 5039 is cranking it up Westbound #197. This place is called Eastern. Milepost 550. Note that this stretch leads to the Amarillo Yard. The end of the sub…

Show continues on to Amarillo, Texas. Facilities are briefly seen. An Eastbound Vehicle Train trundles past the station.

Santa Fe’s Panhandle Sub

A pretty comprehensive tour of the 200-plus route miles on the pre-merger ATSF Panhandle. Although the transferred tape still shows some age. It is a good show.

The narrative is informative. Mileage is often flashed on the screen. Train symbols when available. Some map detail would have been helpful.

A lengthy show contains a parade of Santa Fe  on the Panhandle subdivision. Some old depots are seen. Whole or large consists are included included.

Should be passable for Railfans and Model  Railroaders. Good historical value for documentation of a notable subdivision toured before the merger with Burlington Northern.

Rating: 3 Stars