In the First Quarter 2026 Running Extra, Forrest Becht wrote about his experiences in the Santa Fe Management Trainee program. In part 5, he talked about some of his experiences while he was formally assigned to the Air Brake Department. Forrest sent a number of photos illustrating that experience, some of which appeared in the Running Extrain black and white. We are sharing the full set of photos, plus Forrest’s commentary, in this supplement. Please enjoy! Forrest has made these available to Society members for personal use; please contact the Society and we will put you in touch with him if you want or need to use any for commercial use. The Society greatly appreciates Forrest’s sharing these images and his experiences with the Santa Fe.
The first gallery shows some of the concept work produced by Mr. Steig as part of the Santa Fe’s Panorama of Progress exhibition as well as a few additional images from that exhibit. The black and white images at the end show how the simulator appeared to the participants.
Santa Fe, Topeka Motive Power Building, KS, 9-1968. Locomotive Simulator Training Displays drawn by Industrial Artist Fred Steig.
Santa Fe Hi-Tech symbols on display along wth the Locomotive Simulator train in Los Angeles to be on display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees. Los Angeles, CA, 9/1969.
Santa Fe, Topeka Motive Power Building, KS, 9-1968. Locomotive Simulator Training Displays drawn by Industrial Artist Fred Steig.
Santa Fe, Topeka Motive Power Building, KS, 9-1968. Locomotive Simulator Training Displays drawn by Industrial Artist Fred Steig.
Santa Fe Panorama of Progress exhibition car. The car was in the Locomotive Simulator train bound in Los Angeles to be on display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees. Los Angeles, CA, 9/1969.
Santa Fe Panorama of Progress exhibition car. Concept modle of a container carrying coaxial train power car/locomotive. The car was in the Locomotive Simulator train bound in Los Angeles to be on display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees. Los Angeles, CA, 9/1969.
Santa Fe Panorama of Progress exhibition car – model of a container carrying coaxial train. The car was in the Locomotive Simulator train in Los Angeles to be on display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees. Sept. 1969
Press release from Santa Fe’s Los Angeles, CA News Bureau. “A fish-eye” view of Santa Fe Railway’s new locomotive and train simulator shows the control panel in left foreground, with the engineman trainee seated in the cab mock-up. Scanned from a photo courtesy of Santa Fe Railway.
Press release from Santa Fe’s Los Angeles, CA News Bureau. “An instructor points out the brake, throttle, gauges and other devices to a trainee in Santa Fe Railway’s new locomotive and train simulator. In a training session the students will experience all visual, audio and motion sensations he would normally encounter while operating a train over a portion of the railroad. All appurtenances in the cab are authentic, and use of a unique lens will give a sense of depth of the track scenes seen through the forward window.” September 1969. The person in the coat and tie was Will Ambrose, SF’s Simulator Instructor.
Scanned from a photo courtesy of Santa Fe Railway.
In the second gallery, we capture some photos of the locomotive simulator train itself, as opposed to its exhibits inside.
Santa Fe Progress Train. The train consisted of new SD45 5613, a Locotrol relay unit (a former F7B), a supply car, the Panorama of Progress exhibit car, Locomotive Simulator Car #5008 and a rider car for staff. The Locomotive Simulator train was in Los Angeles to be on display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees.
Los Angeles, CA, 9/1969.
Santa Fe Panorama of Progress exhibition car. The car was in the Locomotive Simulator train in Los Angeles to be on display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees. Los Angeles, CA, 9/1969.
Santa Fe Progress Train. The train consisted of new SD45 5613, a Locotrol relay unit (a former F7B), a supply car, the Panorama of Progress exhibit car, Locomotive Simulator Car #5008 and a rider car for staff. Los Angeles, CA, 9/1969.
Santa Fe Progress Train. The train consisted of new SD45 5613, a Locotrol relay unit (a former F7B), a supply car, the Panorama of Progress exhibit car, Locomotive Simulator Car #5008 and a rider car for staff. Los Angeles, CA, 9/1969.
Santa Fe Progress Train. 9/1969.
Santa Fe Panirama of Progress exhibition car. The car was in the Locomotive Simulator train bound for Los Angeles to be on display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees. Winslow, AZ, 9/1969.
Santa Fe Locomotive Simulator Car #5008. The Locomotive Simulator train bound for Los Angeles to be on display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees. Winslow, AZ, 9/1969.
Santa Fe Panirama of Progress exhibition car. The car was in the Locomotive Simulator train bound for Los Angeles to be on display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees. Winslow, AZ, 9/1969.
Santa Fe Locomotive Simulator Car #5008. The Locomotive Simulator train was being set up for display for local dignataries, politicians, union reps, and employees. Winslow, AZ, 9/1969.
The third gallery shows the air brake instruction car and the radio controlled equipment (RCE) program images.
Santa Fe Mechanical Department Air Brake Instruction Car, #5000, is ready for classes at Shopton, IA. 9/1968.
Santa Fe Mechanical Air Brake Instruction Car at Shopton, IA to be used for air brakse instruction classes. 9/1968.
Santa Fe Locotrol consist, GP 35s 1391 & 1393, Locotrol Control Car #10. Barstow, CA, 9/1968. Locotrol was the predecessor to what is today called DPUs.
Santa Fe eastbound Illinois Power coal with mid-train RCE plus U33Cs 8519 & 8513. The Transcon, Bucklin, MO, 9/1977, MP 341.5.
Santa Fe eastbound Illinois Power coal with mid-train RCE plus U33Cs 8519 & 8513. The Transcon, Bucklin, MO, 9/1977, MP 341.5.
