Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, 5 Discs, 7 shows, 9 Hours (Pentrex Combo Series)

Here are 7 shows highlighting the late, great Santa Fe Railway. Take a detailed look a several storied lines, and two subs just days before the BNSF Merger.

Santa Fe’s New Mexico Mainline Santa Fe’s Clovis and Gallup Subs exist in a land of red rock bluffs, windswept mesas, and rugged canyons where Super Fleet diesels in red and silver Warbonnet paint lead high-priority intermodal trains and drag freights in unending numbers. Pentrex captured the beauty of New Mexico railroading Santa Fe style in 1994 prior to the merger with BN. These stunning images were taken during early mornings and late afternoons when long shadows and pastel hues enriched the southwestern landscapes and the trains glowed in vivid detail. Two shows: The Clovis Subdivision The stretch of mainline known as the Clovis Sub runs through the confines of Abo Canyon, a five-and-a-half mile passage with seven bridges and rugged outcroppings. Follow hot priority intermodals and drag freights west from Texas to Belen as red and silver Warbonnets work the line. The Gallup Subdivision Westbound trains climb the steep grade out of Belen on their way to the major junction of Dalies before heading west across the Continental Divide to the Arizona border. It’s 180 miles of heavy-duty railroading where Santa Fe’s engines, facing extreme weather conditions and rugged landscapes, are put to the test. (90 minutes)

Santa Fe’s Mojave Mainline In 1992, Santa Fe was sending train after train across California’s Mojave Desert, making the Needles Subdivision one of the busiest lines in the nation. Running between Needles and Barstow, this rugged stretch was an essential link in the railroad’s cross-country mainline. It also traversed some of the most barren desert scenery where stark vistas framed by eroded mountains created dramatic settings for high-powered trains. Severe weather conditions put men and equipment to the test on the Mojave main. Pentrex takes you back to 1992 to witness the struggle as Santa Fe sends its trains over this remote desert crossing. From Needles, we head west passing Java, Homer, Goffs, Essex, Cadiz, Amboy, Bagdad, Siberia, Ash Hill, Ludlow, and Daggett to reach Barstow. The long grades of the area’s hills force the engines to work hard. Overlooking Ash Hill, we stop at a vantage point to watch heavy loads straining over the grade. The variety of motive power spotted along our journey is fascinating and includes SD45-2s, SDF40-2, SD45s, GP60, GP40X, SD40-2s, FP45s, GP60Ms, GE B40-8s and B40-8Ws. As the newer locomotives flash past our camera on the flatlands, red and silver Warbonnet paint appears to leave brilliant streaks of color in the air. Pure sets of power in classic yellow-and-blue paint stand out handsomely against the rough countryside. Our tour includes video graphics to help identify the different photo locations throughout this presentation. It’s a view of Santa Fe railroading at its finest!

Raton Pass Santa Fe’s line across the summit of Raton Pass in northern New Mexico is the railroad’s highest mountain pass and one of its most challenging. The torturous climb, stunning landscapes, and high-horsepower diesels added up to one of the best shows in railroading and this was especially true in 1994 when Pentrex captured the complete story of Santa Fe operations on Raton Pass. Enjoy the action as loaded coal trains are split and lugged across the grade in two sections behind red and silver Warbonnet Super Fleet diesels. Three units pull and three more push, throttles wide open, lifting the loads over the pass. Witness the struggle of brute horsepower as Santa Fe’s manifest H-BALJ diesels dig in and grind their way up the mountain. Ride in the cab of an AMD-103 as Amtrak’s Southwest Chief high-speed streamliners are brought to a crawl contending with Raton’s 3.5 percent grade. There are surprises in store for the crew on this trip, especially when the train stalls on the steep climb! Onboard scenes, detailed maps, action-filled run-bys, interesting motive power including Dash 8-40CSs, Amtrak Dash-8s, and a new C44-9W, and glorious vistas make this one railroading adventure you’ll want to savor again and again. Pentrex brings you the thrill of Santa Fe’s Raton Pass, 1994!

Doublestacks Over Tehachapi Doublestack containers have revolutionized the railroad industry. You can see them everywhere across the nation. Yet one of America’s most famous railroad landmarks has been off limits to doublestacks due to numerous tunnels with restricted clearances. Now, after millions of dollars and months of hard work, the famous Tehachapi Loop has doublestacks traveling around it in spectacular style! Pentrex visited Tehachapi to show the results of the work done in the tunnels and trackside to prepare for the doublestacks. A season of record rainfall in California left hillsides green and gorgeous, and every shot in this video is a beauty! You’ll see the latest high-powered, high-tech locomotives growling up the grades and pulling their mile-long trains around the Loop. This video has it all: spectacular shots of the newest locomotives, non stop train action, incredible scenery, and now doublestacks for the first time!

Santa Fe Merger Combo he Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe was one of America’s great railroads. It survives today as part of the giant BNSF system. But not that long ago it was independent. Step back to September 21, 1995, Santa Fe’s last full day of independent operations before its merger with Burlington Northern. Days prior to that milestone, Pentrex set out on an odyssey across America’s heartland to document the final chapter of this historic railroad. The odyssey produced twi shows: Across the Heartland – Santa Fe’s Chillicothe Subdivision Stretching from the greater Chicago area to Fort Madison, Iowa lies the Chillicothe Sub, a double-tracked ribbon of rail that was home to Santa Fe’s hottest trains. We’ll take you back to the Chillicothe Sub as it was in 1995, just days before Santa Fe’s merger with the Burlington Northern. Flashy Warbonnets leading high-speed trains are seen at favorite spots such as McCook Junction, Streator, and Edelstein Hill – the line’s most famous location. There are great scenes at Galesburg and Cameron where Santa Fe and Burlington Northern tracks cross over one another and more drama at Fort Madison where trains are seen crossing the Mississippi River on the railroad’s impressive bridge there. From urban sprawl through lush, green croplands, this was Santa Fe action at its very best. Countdown to Merger – Santa Fe’s Marceline Subdivision Six days prior to the merger with Burlington Northern, Pentrex set off to record the last moments of Santa Fe’s independence by tracing the action on the Marceline Sub from Fort Madison, Iowa to Kansas City, Missouri. Facing sunshine and rain, trekking across isolated backwoods hills and through river valleys, we relentlessly sought out the best photo locations along the double-tracked line. Overhead bridges offered excellent views of Santa Fe’s hottest trains. Thirty miles of joint operations with Norfolk Southern provided plenty of excitement as trains from both roads raced over the line. On September 21, 1995, Santa Fe’s last full day, we view the single-tracked Missouri River Bridge and head into Kansas City to reach the end of the Marceline Sub – and the end of an era.