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JOHNSONCOUNTYObserver.com News of interest to the residents of Johnson County, Texas JUNE 2019
VOLUME 04 | NUMBER 04
HAPPY 100
TH
JOHNSON COUNTY, TEXAS
SANTA FE 3417
April 26, 1955 an enthusiastic crowd surrounds the Santa Fe 3417 at the Santa Fe Passenger Depot in Cleburne to witness the SF Officials present the locomotive as a gift to the City of Cleburne. The nineteen fifties represented change in so many ways…communications, education, and transportation. For Cleburne, a railroad town since the 1880’s, it saw the era of the steam locomotive power being replaced by the modern diesel power. On April 26, 1955 the City of Cleburne took the time and effort to mark a milestone in their history by accepting from the Santa Fe Railway ownership of the steam locomotive marked 3417. J.P. Cowley, Vice-President and General Manager of the Santa Fe Gulf Lines, made the presentation of the bill of sale to Mayor Walter Holliday in a ceremony at the Santa Fe Passenger Depot located just south of East Henderson Street. “Cleburne is about to welcome home an old friend known to most in the locality as locomotive 3417,” said Cowley. “It is headed for a life of leisure and community attention after having traveled the steel rails for more than 1,000,000 miles. To be exact it was 2,033,451 miles of service. It took the combined efforts of the Cleburne Rotary Club and the Cleburne
Chamber of Commerce to make this gift possible. Dr. R. W. Kimbro, President of the Rotary Club, and Tom Davis, President of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce, made brief acknowledgements and thanks to the railroad for this gift that had represented Cleburne’s growth and prosperity the past half century. A Pacific type engine, Santa Fe 3417, was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA and completed in June 1919 with a builder’s number of 51889. It would be in a limited class of 3400, less than 120 units would be built. This locomotive had the initial cost of $69,000 in July 1919 when it was purchased by the Santa Fe Railway. Vice-President Cowley told the crowd that it had a value of approximately $175,000 on the date it was given to the City of Cleburne. The 3417 began its railroad career running out of Kansas City to Galveston in its first years. It was later transferred to the Santa Fe Gulf Lines in September 1940. From this date until its retirement in 1953, Santa Fe 3417 recorded nearly 750,000 miles. In 1943 Santa Fe 3417 found itself in the engine room at the
The 18th District Court in Johnson and Somervell Counties has a new judge as of the 17th day of May. Sydney Hewlett was sworn in by Federal District Judge Terry Means
Cleburne Santa Fe Shops where it would receive a complete restoration that was completed in November 1943. From 1944 until 1953 it was put back pulling passenger and freight coaches between Purcell, OK and Cleburne, TX. Most of 3417’s miles were garnered in the Midwest and Southwest. However, there were several years the Santa Fe 3417 was drafted into military service to work out west in California to pull military passenger & freight cars over the San Gabriel mountains. With the diesel age approaching Santa Fe 3417 was assigned and operated in passenger service out of Cleburne until diesel power became available. Cowley remarked “there is plenty of mileage in this old timer, yet! I can assure you.” There were mixed feelings by all those who attended the ceremony. Young persons were filled by awe when looking at the 110 foot over all length of this locomotive. It weighed in at 569,900 pounds. Previous to this ceremony the Santa Fe 3417 had recently been repainted and reconditioned under the direction of John Nimmo, master mechanic and his crew. The seniors in attendance were
reminded of memories of many happy, and sometimes, sad times. Among those in attendance were many generations of railroad family and friends that took in the moment and pondered what this day would mean to their life. The greatest extreme was between J. W. Cowert, 92, and Denny Fine, age 5. Cowert was already a veteran of many years when he first met Cowley. Denny’s uncle, the late John C. Fine, was engineer on Santa Fe 3417 for several years. Denny was treated to ringing the bell and driving old 3417 by “old timer” Bill Kimbro, 9. Bill utilized his inherent railroading abilities received from his grandfather, the late Paul Kimbro, father of Dr. R. W. Kimbro. The actual move from the Santa Fe tracks to the City Park (Hulen) would begin in a few days. Ben Myers, long familiar with the 4-6-2 engine will be in charge of the move. After the locomotive is “put to pasture,” the city will erect a Cyclone fence and roof for the old “iron horse” to afford protection from the elements. The city will maintain Number 3417 from today on. See Happy Birthday Pg 2
Marty Peter’s past State President of the American Legion Auxiliary, pins a poppy and presents a poppy flag to Cathy Marchel and the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce in anticipation of Memorial Day Ceremony Monday May 27 at Cleburne Memorial Cemetery.