1918

March 14, 1918: In Lordsburg New Mexico when a fire started while refueling a steam locomotive resulting in $1,000,000 in damage.  100,000 gallons of locomotive fuel oil and other lubricants would fuel the fire.  The Southern Pacific railroad would lose their roundhouse, five locomotives in the roundhouse, one locomotive outside of roundhouse, the stores department, freight cars in the yard and many other important structures. Many members of the Hispanic community of Lordsburg would suffer the loss of their homes in the fire.  The Southern Pacific would run special passenger trains from as far away as El Paso carrying firefighters to combat the fire. (Big Fire Damages Lordsburg when Oil Tanks are Ignited 1918 March 14 El Paso Herald Pg, 1 Col. 1)

April 17, 1918: U. S. Secretary of the Treasury Williams Gibbs McAdoo addresses railroad employees at the John Brown Tabernacle at Virginia and Wyoming Streets. (Whole City Turns out to Acclaim Secretary McAdoo,  Thunderous Applause Welcomes Railway Ruler 1918 April 18, El Paso Times Pg. 1, Col.1)

July 27, 1918: F. P. Roesch Master Mechanic for the El Paso & Southwestern at Douglas, Arizona leaves for a new position in Chicago Illinois with the United States Railway Administration directing six railroads.  (Left for Chicago 1918 July 31 Bisbee Daily Review Pg. 6)

November 11,1918: WWI ends.

1920

1920: U.S. Congress Passes Signal Inspection Act.

November 30, 1920: Obergon sworn in as President of Mexico.  Mexican Revolution ends.

1921

March-April 1921:  3 locomotives from the El Paso & Southwestern leased to companies in Mexico.  One Locomotive is 271 which became Southern Pacific 3420

August 4, 1921 First passenger train from the National Railway of Mexico crosses the border with former Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway El Paso Hostler Jose Mara Munoz being the engineer on this train.  The Locomotive was recently purchased by NdeM from the Illinois Central. It was there 37.

1922

May 26, 1922 to July 7, 1922: The Prosperity Special leaves Baldwin Locomotive Works at Eddystone, PA near Philadelphia for Los Angeles CA. The Prosperity Special reached El Paso on Sunday June 25th. The twenty new 2-10-2 locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotive works costing $85,000.00 each. The 2000-yard-long train left El Paso west bound at 10:00 am Monday morning with people lining up from Campbell St. to the Rio Grande Bridge. (“Prosperity Special” Passes Though; Spends Night (1922, Jun 26) El Paso Herald Mon Jun 26 pg.8)

June 21, 1922: El Paso & Southwestern’s Superintendent of Motive Power. Thomas Paxton, issues an order barring non employees from entering the El Paso & Southwestern Shops due to the potential upcoming strike by the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen. (Order Forbids Visiting at E. P. & S. W. Shops 1922 Jun 21 El Paso Herald pg. 4)

July 1, 1922 to Sept 1 1922: The “Great Railroad Strike of 1922” takes place.  The Strike started with six different railroad shop craft labor unions and the strike affected all of the railroads in El Paso, Texas.  The chart below gives an idea of the impact as of July 1, 1922 on the railroads.  The numbers were supplied by the railroads. The unions claimed that 1600 to 1800 men walked off the job.  El Paso’s population was approximately 80,000 people at the time.  Unfortunately acts of sabotage and other violence would take place in the next two months and this strike was a national event that many communities of the southwest were not able to escape the controversy and unrest that comes out of these situations.  (U.S. Railway Board Forfeits Rights of Men in Walkout 1922 July 03, El Paso Herald pg. 1, 2)

July 19, 1922: A fire at the Texas & Pacific roundhouse at First Street and Cotton Ave. Incendiarism was advanced as the more likely cause of the fire.  The El Paso & Southwestern complained about 18 acts of violence against their replacement employees.  (T. & P. Roundhouse Set on Fire; Strikers and Families Happy; 18 Cases of Violence Reported. 1922 July 20 El Paso Herald pg. 14)

July 28, 1922: Westinghouse Airbrake Dynamometer Car (a railroad car used for testing locomotive performance) returned to El Paso from Houston on the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway under the direction of A. A. Meister Superintendent of Motive Power based in Houston, Texas. (Big Business Done on Time S.P.; Says Men Want to Work; Conditions Good on Division. 1922 July 28 El Paso Herald pg.2)

Aug 8, 1922:  Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway locomotive 923 makes a run over the Texas. & Pacific from El Paso to Fort Worth and back covering 1672 miles in this trip without shop attention. (Engine Makes Record 1922 Aug 8 El Paso Times Pg. 8)

Aug 25, 1922: In a presentation to city council about the paving of Cotton Street in El Paso from Wyoming St to Texas St.  The City Council heard two presentations from local railroads in opposition about the project.  The El Paso & Southwestern presentation by John L. Campbell Chief Engineer, and W. A. Hawkins Attorney.   The Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway was represented by Attorney M. Nagle and R. B. Melton Civil Engineer. This was the first presentation before city council for Mr. Campbell.  Part of the opposition included the need to realign tracks in the yard.  The railroads had also invested in the Austin Street viaduct to give the public a safe and convenient way over the tracks. Support for the project cited the lack of crossing between Octavia and Dallas St. Crossings and the traffic congestion the community was experiencing. (City Council to Consider Protest Against Paving Cotton Avenue 1922 Aug 25 El Paso Times Pg. 12.)

Aug 31, 1922:  Hundreds of homeward bound vacationers from California heading east before the start of school resulted in an extra car in the consists of the Texas & Pacific “Sunshine Special” since August 28th and the September 1st train of the eastbound Golden State Limited will operate in two sections.  The sale of reduced rate tickets for fairs from California to various points east ended on this date.  Garnett King general passenger agent for the El Paso & Southwestern reported that there was more luggage in the baggage room at the El Paso Union Depot than there had been for six months.  The Red Caps were complaining that the tips were at their lowest level in the last three years. (Trains Crowded by Vacationers Homeward Bound 1922 Aug 31 El Paso Times Pg. 5)

Aug 1922:   The Strike continues to grip the nation and the region.  National events involved included tragic loss of life. Gainesville Texas was placed under the open port law by Texas Governor Neff.   In the region on August 10th, the Unions representing; engineers, firemen, conductors and trainmen informed the Santa Fe that they would not move trains where armed guards were employed. Over 125 passengers were left stranded in the desert near Needles California were rescued on August 14th. Among those rescued was a baby near death due to heat according to newspaper reports. Over one thousand passengers were stranded in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  El Paso also felt the effects of the strike as there were claims of harassment and shoot to kill orders for armed guards protecting the various railroad properties. Court cases, arrest, and accusations involving the strike dominated the El Paso newspapers for most of the month and it is an area that needs further study on its effects on the community.  (Various newspaper articles from published in the El Paso Times and Herald in the month of August 1922 were used for this section)

Aug 31, 1922: Security guard Carl Noll reportedly dealing with a man loitering in the Rio Grande, El Paso & Santa Fe yard which involved him firing two shots when he found a pipe bomb under a coach which he threw 50 feet prior to its exploding at 1:40 in the morning 200 yards from El Paso Union Depot.  The El Paso Police would sweep the Santa Fe Yard looking for suspects and other bombs.  The W. A McCarthy Executive Committee Member of the Railway Employees’ Department of the American Federation of Labor blame the story on the activities of the Security guards.

  Bombs were thrown at the shops in Albuquerque three weeks prior and the bomb making material was reportedly found in the residence of the leadership of the labor movement. (various Stories 1922 Sept 1 El Paso Herald Pg. 1)

Sept 7, 1922: City Council approves the abandonment of the Highland Park Street Car Line between Piedras and Alabama Streets on Altura Blvd.  The Abandonment of this line would help facilitate the paving of Altura Blvd.  Further the Manhattan line would connect to the old Highland Park Line at Altura Blvd. (Council Agrees to Plan to a New Highland Park Terminal; Extend Manhattan Car Line 1922 Sept 8 El Paso Times Pg. 3)

Sept 7, 1922:  The cases of assault and the alleged bombing of the passenger car in the Santa Fe Yard in El Paso were brought up in a federal case in Chicago involving the national strike. (Assault on Shop Workers Cited in Chicago Hearing 1922 Sept 8 El Paso Times Pg. 3)

Sept 21,1922: “I Am Shot” cried an unidentified man as he leaped from a westbound Highland Park Street Car at 9:00 pm last night in front of the Popular Dry Goods company Store.

 Motorman Cox who was in charge of the car found a bullet had pierced the top of the car on the right side. The police were notified and investigated the case but neither the victim or a possible shooter were located.  The police did determine that the bullet was fired from the roof of a nearby building. (“I Am Shot” Cry of Mystery When Bullet Hits Car 1922 Sept 22 El Paso Times Pg. 9)

Sept 23,1922: Two railroad cars were damaged when four were derailed by a fallen brake beam in Southern Pacific freight train No. 244 near the Rio Grande Bridge.  It was on the double track, it was necessary to route all trains on the westbound track for about two hours. (Two R. R. Cars Damaged in S.P. Derailment 1922 Sept 25 El Paso Times Pg. 4)

Sept 27, 1922: Ten cars of an El Paso & Southwestern westbound freight train derailed at 8 am near Santa Rosa, New Mexico due to a broken wheel.  Early estimates placed the cost of the damage at $25,000 for the freight and $10,000 for the equipment. (Ten Cars Derail when Wheel Breaks; Loss Near $35,000 1922 Sept 28 El Paso Times Pg. 7)

Sept 27, 1922: Five of eight Pacific 4-6-2 type passenger locomotives recently ordered by the Texas & Pacific railroad will be placed on the Toyah-El Paso division, according to information received here by C.D. Johnson, General Agent. (New Engines to be Used between El Paso and Toyah 1922 Sept 28 El Paso Herald Pg. 9)

Oct 21, 1922: Summary: The final ordinance permitting the El Paso Electric Railway company to remove its track from Altura Boulevard, between Alabama and Piedras Streets was passed yesterday permitting the abandonment of the Highland Park Line starting at Alabama Street.  In the future the Manhattan line cars will run up Piedras St. to Mobile St. instead of stopping at the intersection of Piedras and Aurora St. (Railway Company to Put two More Cars on Manhattan Line 1922 Oct 21 El Paso Times Pg. 12 Col. 6)

Oct 01, 1922:  A passageway under the E. P. & S. W. tracks at Copia street is needed, the (El Paso) city council decided yesterday. Request that this be constructed was sent to the railroad company.  The improvement is needed to accommodate street car and vehicle traffic.  The present street car crossing is on private property. (Passageway Requested 1922 Oct 01 El Paso Times Page 11 Col. 1)

Oct. 07, 1922:  William R. Brown General Freight and Passenger Agent of the Rio Grande, El Paso & Santa Fe Railroad announced yesterday that the line would give every refence possible to appeals from drouth-stricken areas in New Mexico for cars with which to move staving cattle to regions where they have grass.  Mr. Brown said that he had requests for 1500 cars for movement of cattle for movement of cattle from ranges where there is no grass to eat.

Fred D. Gibbs, of the Mortgage Guaranty company announced that 24 cars or 3000 head of cattle had been shipped from the Roberts-Kerr Cattle Company Ranch to grass in Amado Ariz.  Mr. Gibbs will ship out 100 more on Oct. 12. J. Frank Coles shipped in 10 cars this week from Engle N.M. for the El Paso Packing Company here… (Santa Fe Ready to Save Hungry Cattle 1922 Oct. 07 El Paso Times Pg.4 Col.7)

Oct 13, 1922: The trial of eight union leaders begins in the Federal Railway “Quicksilver” Case.  Judge W. R. Smith presided over the case in El Paso involving actions in the San Antonio, Houston and El Paso shops of the G.H. & S.A. (Union Officials Face Trial in Railway “Quicksilver” Case Smith Quashes Indictment 1922 Oct 13 El Paso Times Pg. 3 Col 3)

Oct 19, 1922:  The El Paso Electric railway company was granted permission to extend a high-tension transmission wire over the Fort Bliss Military reservation to the Southwestern Cement plant (Petitions Granted 1922 Oct 19 El Paso Herald Pg. 12 Col. 2)

Oct 25, 1922: Two employees of the E.P. & S.W. lost their lives in a runaway train derailment on the Dawson line.  The derailment of two locomotives and 36 coal and coke cars derailed claiming the lives of “Red” Cantrell and F. S. Hines.  The derailment would be investigated by the Interstate Commerce Commission.  The results of which can best be summarized as multiple rules violations including improper brake test and poor train handling which resulted in the death of the two engineers. (Engineer Hines is Fatally Hurt When Train is Wrecked 1922 Oct 27 El Paso Times Pg. 3 Col. 4)

Dec. 04, 1922: W. M. Drury of El Paso has the distinction of being of being superintendent of Mexico’s shortest Railway, the Potosi Central, which is nine miles long and connects the Tiro General mine in San Luis Potosi with the Mexican National Railway.  Mr. Drury has offices in the Mills Building. (Railway in Mexico but Nine Miles Long 1922 Dec 04 El Paso Times Pg. 10 Col. 4)

Dec 10, 1922: Frank Roesch, former Master Mechanic of the Western Division of the El Paso & Southwestern, with headquarters at Douglas Arizona, has been appointed sales manager of the Standard Stoker Company of Chicago. (Frank Roesch to be Chief of Stoker Company 1922 Dec 10 El Paso Times Pg. 24)

Dec 24, 1922: a fire starting in the Chinese Oriental Restaurant at Comercio Street and Juarez Avenue, in Juarez, Mexico.  The fire started at 10 o’clock and quickly spread through the building, destroying the American Consulate offices and more than one-half of the block of business houses on Comercio Street before the fire was stopped by the Juarez and El Paso fire departments.  One of the offices destroyed were those of the Mexico & Northwestern. ($150,000 Fire Destroys U.S. Consulate in Juarez 1922 Dec 25 El Paso Times Pg. 1 Col. 5)

1924

Oct 29, 1924: El Paso & Southwestern 412, a 4-8-2 purchased from ALCO is placed on public display near the intersection of Franklin and Campbell Streets. (Mountain Type Engines Reflect Progress 1924 Oct 30 El Paso Times Pg. 3 Col. 1)

Oct 31, 1924; The El Paso & Southwestern was leased to the Southern Pacific. El Paso & Southwestern 271 is renumbered 3420. (El Paso Lines in ESPEE Hands 1924 Nov 2 Los Angeles Times Part V-a Pg. 9 Col.8) (UTEP Special Collections Southern Pacific Collection)

El Paso Railroad Timeline: Prior to 1881

El Paso Railroad Timeline: 1881-1895

El Paso Railroad Timeline: 1896-1910

El Paso Railroad Timeline: 1925-1945

El Paso Railroad Timeline: 1946-1960

El Paso Railroad Timeline: 1961-Present