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General photographs of the Fast Mail Express
From The Warbonnet, 2/97
With green flags flying, first 7 arrives at Barstow, above, March 26, 1962. Four Santa Fe express boxcars trail the power while the tenth car in the primarily heavyweight consist appears to be a PRR X-29 express boxcar. A. Dean Hale.
A heavyweight chair car brings up the rear of No. 7 at Summit in 1966. Stan Kistler
Train No. 8, the Fast Mail Express, races through Nelson, Arizona, September 14, 1940. D. I. Ingersoll photo, Stan Kistler collection.
With a string of ALCo PAs in the leald, train No. 7, the Fast Mail Express, rounds the bend into Summit, California, on the first district of the Los Angeles Division in 1965. The train is on the last lap of its 2,224 mile transcontinental dash from Chicago. Dennis J. Kogan.
Recently delivered 3776 Class 4-8-4 3784 rolls in off the desert into Barstow, California, above, with a 14-car No. 7 sometime during World War II. The latest, most modern power was routinely assigned to the Fast Mail Express. Santa Fe collection, Kansas State Historical Society.
High speeds were also a requirement as evidenced by 3765 Class 4-8-4 3775 racing through Hackberry, Arizona, at 70 MPH with the second section of No. 7 on December 19, 1942. D. L. Ingersoll photo, Gordon Bassett collection.
On a cold January 3, 1942, 4-8-4 3780 blasts through Nelson, Arizona, thirty miles west of Seligman on the First District of the Arizona Division with train No. 8. D. L. Ingersoll photo, Gordon Bassett collection.
Streamlined Hudson 3460 prepares to depart La Junta during World War II with the first section of No. 8. Ahead lay the 202 mile "speedway" as far as Dodge City where No. 8 averaged 55 MPH across the district. Counterpart No. 7 averaged 63 MPH with one stop at Syracuse. Santa Fe Collection, Kansas State Historical Society.
Advance 7, operating via the Southern District, accelerates out of Harper, Kansas, on the First District of the Panhandle Division in July 1953. Wile the Fast Mail Express had been dieselized since 1947, following sections continued to operate behind steam into the early 1950s.
During 1964, consists of the Fast Mail Express on the western end of the system were frequently long and heavy enough to warrant heavier power west of Barstow. Here train No. 7 rolls into Summit, California, October 17th behind six F units. Four express boxcars lead the usual light and heavyweight mail and express cars. Tom Gildersleeve.
No 7 rolls across the Topock bridge with a 15-car train. Fist out is a horse-express followed by what appears to be a New York Central baggage-express. The usual assortment of baggage cars, fifty-foot express box cars and an RPO round out the consist with a 2602 series rider on the rear. Santa Fe Collection, Kansas State Historical Society.
North 7 departs Mojave, California, behind five gleaming F units in 1964. While the Fast Mail Express had been in operation for years, North 7 was first operated in 1947 and North 8 in 1958! Brian Black.
The rear man is "short flagging" as No. 7 pauses at Seligman, Arizona, on December 9, 1962. A Tribe series sleeper is acting as the rider coach this day.
First 7 rolls down the three percent grade into Cajon in July, 1955, with a horse express car, two express box cars, a mail-storage and RPO in the first few cars of the consist. Bob Heuerman photo, Joe Shine collection.
Train No. 7, comprised of single chair car 3001, sprints through Alray on the west slope of Cajon Pass in southern California behind PA number 70. After the loss of the mail contract, the final runs of the Fast Mail Express in October, 1967, were pathetic compared to the heavy trains of just a few months before. Santa Fe collection, Kansas State Historical Society.
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