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Don's Rail Photos
Blacklands RR
In NorthEast Texas is a shortline which has been expanding of late. It replaced an earlier effort which was somewhat of a failure. The Blacklands RR started operating with a leased GP7 which had its beginning on the Rock Island.
201, GP7u, was built by Electro-Motive in June 1952, #16349, FN 6369-10, as Pittsburgh & Lake Erie 5722, Class DRS-4k. It was reclassified Class ERS-15 in 1966 and renumbered 1515 in December 1971. It was sold and rebuilt at Paducah in May 1974 as Illinois Central Gulf 7709. It was sold as Garden City Western RR 201 and sold as Blacklands 201.
2036, GP20u, was built by Electro-Motive in October 1961, #26858, FN 7609-28, as Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe 1152, Class 1100. It was renumbered 3152, Class 3100, in 1970 and rebuilt as 3036, Class 3000, in August 1981. It became Burlington Northern Santa Fe 2036, Class GP20, on September 12, 1998. It was retired on January 31, 2000, and sold as Pioneer Railcorp 2036. It was leased as Blacklands 2036.
LTEX 3905, GP39-3, was built nu Electro-Motive in May 1965, #30080, FN 7786-17, as Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe 1366, Class 1300, GP35. It was renumbered 3366, Class 3300, in 1970 and rebuilt at Cleburne in June 1984 as 2866, Class 2800. It became Burlington Northern Santa Fe 2566, Class GP35, on February 18, 2000. It was sold to Larry's Truck Equipment as LTEX 2566 and rebuilt as GP39-3. It was leased as Baja California RR 3905 and returned as LTEX 3905 in 2018. It was leased to Blacklands.
4014, RS4TC-1, was built by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton-Whitcomb in 1954, #61244, as United States Army 4014. It was sold as Blacklands 4014.
4156, GP7, was built by Electro-Motive in October 1951, #15177, FN 5111-6, as Chicago Rock Island & Pacific 1218. It was rebuilt at Silvis on January 2, 1976, as 4502. When the Rock closed it was sold to the and entered service as 4156 on July 22, 1981. After retirement it was sold to a leasor.
4601, GP9, was built by Electro-Motive in January 1957, #22861, FN 5514-7, as Grand Trunk Western 4913, Class GRG-17k. It was rebuilt in 1971 without train heat and reclassified GR-17k. It was rebuilt at Battle Creek in April 1989 as 4601. It was retired on January 6, 2003, and sold as Blacklands 4601.
108 was built by Baldwin in January 1920, #52820, as Angelina County Lumber Co. It soon became Angelina & Neches River 108. In 1956 it was sold to the Reader RR as 108 and in 1976 it went to Conway Scenic RR. In 2000 it was sold to the Blacklands RR and moved back to Texas for restoration.
The former Cotton Belt station at Sulphur Springs is the base office.
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8/11/2019
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint Gaugericus of Cambrai
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Choose Life.
Mom did.
Don's Depot To convert somebody, go and take them by the hand and guide
them. ---St. Thomas Aquinas