How Convenient!

The locomotive pictured on the front of this post card had quite the active history before it was put on static display. A much better alternative than hitting the scrap pile!! The information below about this locomotive is taken from this website: https://locomotive.fandom.com/wiki/ATSF_No._3759

The Santa Fe (ATSF) No. 3759 is a type of 4-8-4 'Northern', steam locomotive which was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1928 for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. This engine hauled passenger trains on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. It was retired in the late 50’s when diesels replace steam. In February 1955, 3759 was brought out of retirement at the request of the Railway Club of Southern California for a special excursion run, dubbed "Farewell to Steam." This special ran on February 6, a round trip between Los Angeles Union Station and Barstow, California with stops in Pasadena and San Bernardino and was the last Santa Fe revenue steam train to leave Los Angeles and to traverse Cajon Pass. After this trip, 3759 went back into storage, until Santa Fe donated the locomotive to the city of Kingman in 1957. In January 1991, Grand Canyon Railway owner Max Biegert sent a letter to Kingman city officials of his proposal to lease AT&SF 3759 to operation and donate his engine No. 19 to the city. 3759 would have run in the Grand Canyon Railway and an "Orient Express"-styled train between Los Angeles and Williams, Arizona. But the city refused, and so it remains in its plinth rather than being given a second chance. Today it's on display at Locomotive Park, located between Andy Devine Avenue and Beale Street in Kingman, Arizona.

The post card was published by Petley Studios out of Phoenix, Arizona. It is rather convenient that the locomotive is on static display in Kingman, Arizona (just about 3 hours away from Phonenix). It is also convenient that the photograph of the locomotive was taken by Bob Petley. It is not so convenient that the post card was probably printed in Chicago, Illinois.

That is where the Curt Teich Company is located. The code (3DK-1903) in the stamp box tells me that this post card was printed by them in the 1960s. This date can be validated also by the fact that the lomotive was put on diplay after 1957, which would give Bob Petley time to get up there to take the picture and have it sent to Chicago - in the 1960s.