| The last Alco PA locomotives which routinely visited New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal were Southern Pacific 6060 and 6066. These units were originally Texas & New Orleans 200B and 205B, then 201 and 211, so they were no strangers to New Orleans. These locos, along with FP7 6462 (former Cotton Belt 306, ex-330), were the regular power on trains 5 and 6 between New Orleans and Houston during their last few years of operation. Nos. 5 and 6 were the last remnants of the ARGONAUT, which had operated all the way to Los Angeles until late 1957. On this morning in April 1963 SP 6060 was parked next to the sand tower at NOUPT, along with Louisville & Nashville E7A 791. The L&N power had just arrived on train 33-99, the combined PIEDMONT-PAN AMERICAN-GULF WIND, while the 6060 was waiting to depart on Train No. 5 at 10:30 a.m. The 6060 was sold to GE as credit for a U25B four months after this photo was taken, and Nos. 5 and 6 were discontinued the next month. The PAN AMERICAN-GULF WIND survived until the advent of Amtrak on 1 May 1971, and L&N 791 was retired in November 1971. That was the PANAMA LIMITED in the coach yard on the right. (approximate date of photo) |