Frisco Steam Afficianados - FMIG Newsletter #35 (December, 1982) has a superb summary by the late Lee Buffington that summarizes the various steam locomotive classes of the SL-SF and their assignments. It is a wonderful, concise description of what types of locomotives ran on what divisions and/or trains. http://www.frisco.org/vb/showpost.php?p=14617&postcount=75 Best Regards,
Thanks for the reminder about Lee Buffington. I had the pleasure of meeting him in the mid 1990s and he was kind enough to supply me with a lot of Frisco information via letter, phone and in person before he passed away. The man was simply a walking encyclopedia of Frisco data and was happy to share it. I remember him inspecting my first transfer caboose and he said quite a few nice things about it to those around and then he leaned in closer and said, "The paint is a little dark though. We painted them oxide red but I won't say anything." I never did change that caboose color but subsequent cabooses have been oxide red (and they have a better doghouse thanks to Molo). Bringing up Lee was not the intention of this thread. Sorry about that. Lee loved people who loved the Frisco. It's always good to remember those who provided so much help.
You know I believe that Tom Galbraith provide a steam assignment summary in the mid to late 1940s from Stagners Steam Engines of the Frisco. Someone ought to post that one too. Now where is that copy Tom made for me . . . . ?
Don Wirth has posted near his basement space an operator line up for Southeastern Junction (St. Louis) for some time during WW II. It lists a lot of different steam locomotives - in both singles and pairs. The TRAINS Magazine feature of the Springfield Yard in 1982 also listed a lot of engines and cabooses - about a third of them - going through Springfield in one 24-hour period. Sandy and I got our first exposure to Colorado 3' foot railroading Tuesday when we rode the 90-mile round trip on the Durango & Silverton behind beautiful 2-8-2 481. No, I'm not converting to CO NG as so many have. Doug
Quote: "Sandy and I got our first exposure to Colorado 3' foot railroading Tuesday when we rode the 90-mile round trip on the Durango & Silverton behind beautiful 2-8-2 481." Doug, I lived in Silverton for 3 years during the 70's. Rode that train many times. Hope you enjoyed it! Quote: "No, I'm not converting to CO NG as so many have." You have to admit that they are "classy" looking little engines. In "O" scale the modeling can be awesome!
Doug, Be careful; the Colorado Narrow Gauge is like crack....addiction is possible even after just one exposure.
What is hanging over my workbench is a copy of the Dispatcher's train sheet from Newburg in 1944. Busy place.
Don, Any chance of getting a copy of the dispatcher's train sheet scanned and posted on Frisco.org? For those of us interested in operations this should be quite a conversation starter. Traffic must have been something and near an all time high with the war effort on the home front. Our nation was supporting our troops, and those of many allied nations, in two theaters of operation. In addition to locomotive assignments, there is typically information on train size, tonnage, cabooses, train delays, etc. Pretty cool stuff. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
Had to go to the dentist today which is right next door to a Kinko/Fedex place so took the 4-28-44 trainsheet with me and had it scanned/PDF'd. Here it is. All I have is Adobe Reader and can't save the rotated version, but I"m sure you can do it if you have Reader. Needless to say, Newburg was busy this day. I have some other sheets and may do this with them later on. Cost isn't bad, about $12 to scan and save to my thumb drive. Here's the rotated copy as well - I have Acrobat Standard. (klrwhizkid)
Don - Thanks! Tons of great information on these. 4/24/44 was a good day in old Newburg - the "Valhalla of all Friscodom" as I often say. I found I could get a readable copy (mostly) using my laser printer at 600dpi, with the document set at 22% size, and using legal paper. It all fits. Ken
V scale to the rescue! Point/Click... run a narrow gauge train in Colorado! Shut off the computer... model the Frisco on the workbench! Problem solved.
That was very kind of you to have the copy made and then post it. I will be poring over it for a long time. (There has to be a way to settle that $12 copy fee... Your name is already in red letters!)
Supposedly the busiest section of single track in the nation... Look at all of those helper turns.....3 sections on Number 10...... 5 sections on Number 38...passenger extra 1502 west; I wonder if it was a troop train to Fort Wood Thanks Don
Don, Thank you for posting the dispatcher's train sheet! This is really great stuff! It would have been nice at the time to have the franchise on green flags. Just a few observations: Westward > 9 passenger trains (8 scheduled, 1 extra) #3 ran in 2 sections #9 ran in 2 sections > 16 Freights #33 ran in 2 sections #39 ran in 8 sections! #31 ran in 2 sections and 17 light engines returned from helper service 1st #31 and 41 worked industries in route. Eastward > 8 passenger trains #10 ran in 3 sections #4 ran in 2 sections > 16 Freights #36 from 4/27 ran in 2 sections (plus 1 on the prior day) #36 from 4/28 (today) ran in 2 sections #30 ran in 3 sections #38 ran in 5 sections #34 ran in 4 sections #32 ran in 2 sections 3rd #34 worked industries in route. 19 trains required helpers, 8 did not need assistance. Salem Branch The return trip took a side trip up and back on the Cherry Valley Spur. Traffic was light going out, but 3 times as much on the return trip. One east and one west train were called and set up but had not departed. These were therefore moved to the next day's train sheet. Helper engine 4000 must have gone to the shop during the shift of enginemen Davidson / Gulley. They changed engines from 4000 to 4002. The dispatchers seem to have lost track of one helper for a short time. Note the westward addition out of the normal placement on the sheet. Lots of information in one day. The dispatchers had to keep track of all this to prevent lap orders. About the only way to top this document would be to have the corresponding dispatchers train order book. This document would have all the corresponding train orders and clearances that initiated all these train and engine movements. Hopefully we will see more of these documents. Train sheets form other periods would also be helpful as styles, usage and notations tended to change over time. Thank you again for posting to document! Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark