Yet another amazing picture by Otto with so much to unpack! First of all, a little 2-6-2 prairie is quite an interesting sight to see on the front of Santa Fe's premier passenger train as the railroad was adamant about diesels hauling the Super Chief, with steam locomotives only being used in instances of mechanical issues or for helper service. (Given the location, the former is most likely what has happened here.) The railroad's insistence on diesels can be attributed to the very diesels on this train; AT&SF #1, a twin-unit set of B-B powered boxcabs built specifically for the Super Chief as a proof of concept. They only lasted on the Super Chief for about a year, during which time the AT&SF learned a lot of valuable lessons about diesels. They were ultimately replaced by EMC E1s just a few months after this picture was taken.
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With EMC Amos and Andy right behind her!
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