I was in Fort Smith this past weekend and photographed 4003 that currently resides at the Trolley Museum.
Per the classic words of the late Lucius Beebe ..... "A tidy Little Frisco Mike!" (Though I believe he was referring to a 4100 in his picture caption in, I think, his book "Highball"). That was one of my all-time favorite Frisco pictures from my early days of learning about our favorite railroad. The Friscoized USRA SLSF 4003 still looks handsome! Ken
Ah, this book and photo was my first introduction to Frisco steam! My grandmother found "Highball" at a garage sale for 25-cents when I was in Jr. High! A bit OT, though. Gordon, thanks for sharing; 4003 does look like she could still put in a good day's work.
slsf 4003 Fort Smith, Ar I am sorry to say is in a bad way But she is not alone, she has Frisco Kitty to keep her company.
The two times I have looked over that engine in the last few years I saw that cat too. Must like Frisco Steam. But then don't we all. Steve
I see the engine almost every day my chuch is down the road where I used to go to school(now at Alma High School). That cat and another one had a litter of kittens in the old boiler of the 4003 a heck of a nice home by my standards.
And that cat's pretty friendly, too. Likes people, and especially Frisco fans (must be able to smell 'em out)
It is always sad to see a piece of history, especially a FRISCO steam engine rusting away like the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. Too bad there weren't enough of us that could get together, count out our pennies and give her a nice cosmetic fix-up to help her stand there proudly for another 100 years.
The Trolley Muesum is taking somewhat good care of her. She looks alot better here than she did when she was literally falling apart at Kay Rodgers park. I think it would be good for a few of us to get together and cosmetically restore her. I'm in the area(ALMA) and I got a few Mason Jars full of change I can spare. A real good inprovement would be to put a roof over her head. Well hope this engine dose get preserved. Last steam engine in this area. Hope I could hep. Ship it on the Frisco!!! Murphy Millican
The Trolley Museum's goal is to build a building to house the locomotive and other pieces of rolling stock. They have the property set aside for the building and are awaiting funding for construction. If you go by the musuem ask for Bradley Martin or Doc Martin and they can give you more information on the plans for the locomotive. John Chambers
I may have to get around to that. The 4003 is the first Frisco engine I have seen in Frisco paint ever. It will be a while before I go over there. Alma is close, but not all that close. thanks for the info though. Would be nice to see the cars preserved. Ship it on the Frisco!!! Murphy Millican
I couldn't help but notice a few tufts of white stuff poking through some of the holes in the backhead jacket. I hope that it isn't some of that "A-word" lagging; it's expensive with which to deal.
An update. SLSF 4003 has had some remedial sheetmetal work done and been repainted. Unfortunately the "Frisco" on the sides of the cab is way too large, but I will work with them to try to get that fixed [Don, do you have specific details of how it should be?]. Mercifully they removed the protective railing that had been installed on the walkway on the fireman's side, but now needs to have the ladder reinstalled on the engineer's side and the pilot steps as well. And, of course, the remaining rods. Still, she looks better than she has in years and the Trolley Museum folks are to be commended. I engaged in a little urban vandalism and painted the number plate, photos below are before and after. It's really interesting what a difference it makes. Gordon
Gordon, I'll email you the company drawing for the cab lettering. I wish they would have gone back with 24" numbers on the tender. At least they got the style right, just too tall. Where are the main rods, eccentric cranks, etc? Thanks for your vandalism. Leave instructions that anyone approaching the wheels and running boards with a bucket of white paint and a brush should be restrained and tazed if necessary.
Don -- I am somewhat reluctant to report this, given my protestations that the Central Division never resorted to red cab roofs, but I found interesting what is shown in the photo below. Of course, it could just be a primer . . . .
The Central Division had at least one red cab roof engine , 1307, that was caught in a July 1940 stop at Fayetteville, AR pulling the doubleheaded first unit train of Sebastian County smokeless coal to the smoke besieged citizens of St. Louis. Shiloh Museum has the original slide. \Tomd6
