During my recent trip to Colorado to chase steam we stayed in Alamosa for the Cumbres and Toltec portion of the trip. On October 18th, 2023, I captured this shot of Minnesota Zephyr F7 804 (RPCX 804) sitting in the Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad (SL&RG) yard there.
According to Railfan and Railroad Magazine, The F7 was always a rarity on Alco-dominated SP&S, which bought just three F3s and four F7s, compared to 34 of Alco’s FA models. Even today, five of the Alco cab units exist in some form but the former SP&S 804 is only EMD cab. Built in January 1953, all four F7s worked as Burlington Northern units nearly a decade after the Alcos were scrapped or sold off, but only 804 found a second career when it was retired in 1981. After several short line stints, the engine was used on the Minnesota Zephyr excursion in the late 1990s. That folded in 2007 and the engine sat in Stillwater, Minn., until it was purchased for the Iowa Pacific Holdings-owned San Luis & Rio Grande and moved to Colorado in 2015. It was at risk of being sold for scrap during the recent bankruptcy liquidation of SL&RG, but was rescued thanks to contributions by members of the SP&S Historical Society.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/8, 1/1600, ISO 130.