As someone who is simply a railfan having never worked for a railroad in any capicity, I enjoy watching and listening to the moving parts and exhaust of steam locomotives. To me, watching a diesel is just not as interesting...but to each his own. However, I agree that the executives made the right decision by switching to diesels!
I never worked for a railroad either. Almost did in 1958 with the Frisco, but came from a Frisco family who loved steam and spent 14 years as an engineer (one of three) on the 1522. Also ran some diesels over that time and there's no comparison. Kinda like driving a truck on rails. Ho hum.
Glad to know the date of the photos. I've been trying to orient myself to the pictures. The crane is working on a track south of the engines and the camera is mostly looking north or northeast. The sunnyside of the photos is south. The long bridge is the Grant Avenue viaduct and the tall smokestack is at the City Utilities powerplant on Main Avenue. The smokestack and viaduct are in the immediate vicinity of the Springfield Passenger Depot. Photo #4 is looking due east. Photo #6 is facing northeast. Photo #7 is looking northwest (At the water tank). Photo #8 faces northeast. Enging #1251 is west of #1227. Engine #1215 is to the east of 1251 and 1227. I believe the water tank is the Frisco's, the Missouri Pacific property is behind the camera. Tom
As Joe Collias often says - "the steam locomotive was man's noblest invention". Though I'm very much a diesel fan, I'm delighted and impressed with how classy the Frisco's stable of both steam and diesel power was. I take joy in admiring them both. Let's not get into a steam vs diesel debate. There can be no winner. Ken
Can anyone pinpoint this location on Google Earth? I'm trying to figure out where the MP came in and where their little engine terminal was. I know it was near the "Old" shops wherever they were. BTW, that looks like a MP style water tank.
If photo 4 is showing the Kansas Ave viaduct, then those were taken somewhere close to the diesel shop, I think. I remember distantly a spur in the old yards, about a mile or so long, with nothing but steamers on it, waiting for the torch. I could not have been more than 4 years old, but I remember it well. Just like my first excursion in an F3 at the tender age of two!! Boy, I miss my old Railroad family!
The DD box is numbered 154009 and the bunk car is numbered 102739. You can click on each photo and it will enlarge and if it has a + in a circle with the cursor, click that and it will enlarge bigger. Dan, the line you were thinking of was down by the West Shops. I remember it also. May even have a picture or three I could post if anyone is interested.
No, no, not the big engines too! I thought in the spirit of dignity, they would have just buried them in place. K
Don - Is the pic #4 (S4r) reversed? Whe I enlarge the pic, the reporting marks on the two box cars look backwards. That's the Frisco DD box I was asking about, because the reporting marks in the pic are at the right end, unusual for the SLSF. If the pic is reversed, that explains it. Ken
The "big engine" pics were taken at the West Shops....that's the Highline next to the dead line. Note Train 21 arriving in pic 3 When I was a wee snot, my father would take us on Sunday evening drives through the West Yards, and some of my very earliest railroad memories were of the rows of dead steam locomotives. On occasion, we would stop and he would lift me up to the deck, and we would look around the cab, and he explained what everything did. I have vivid memories of looking into the empty coal bunker and seeing the stoker screw, and also ringing the bell if the pull rope was still attached. A trips to the West Yards concluded with a trip to the Dairy Queen at College St and Kansas Ave.
Dan--The bridge in photo #4 is the Grant Avenue viaduct, that goes basically above the west end of the Springfield passenger depot. The Kansas Avenue overpass is two or three miles to the northwest at the West Shops and Yard. Tom
Don--Here's a Google map of the South Yard/Shops area if this link works: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=microsoft%20earth&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl The lower tracks near Olive Street are the MP. The Frisco South Yard-Shops are the larger RR area above. You have to type: 351 N. Main 65806 (The address of the Springfield depot) The water tank was in the vicinity of the wye. The Missouri Pacific engine servicing area was just to the north of the intersection of Fort Avenue and College Street. Tom
Karl, Thank you for posting the topographic map of Springfield. On the topo map, the current MoP freight house should be located a block to the east on Main Street, not Grant Ave. It still stands south of the Mop tracks on the west side of 311 North Main Avenue. This is on the same street, due south of the former Frisco depot and freight house (both now gone). Please see http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...oid=lpQBZJjGRbi2GdXoR7SpbA&cbp=12,239.72,,0,5 Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
Mark That's right....don't know why the map doesn't show a bldg at that location....i'll redo the map
Picky picky picky. So I got an image reversed. I'm old and I screw up once in a while. The guy in the stored engine shot is brushing Cosmoline on. Anyone who has been in the service knows what that stuff is.
Let's remember that the Frisco was pretty generous, compared to many roads, in the number of steam locomotives that were donated for preservation. In that sense the railroad did its part, which is not something that can be said, unfortunately, about many of the recipients who have been pretty negligent in seeing the donated locomotives were maintained. Gordon