Cape Girardeau, MO

Discussion in 'St Louis Subdivision' started by chris, Mar 10, 2002.

  1. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Ken -
    Great photos; looks like a fun industry to switch, and really seems to capture the spirit of Marquette Cement.

    Undoubtedly, watching the local BN switcher work the plant, and chasing northbound BN freights from Chaffee to Cape does not seem nearly as scintillating as watching "Sunnyland" zip through.

    Best Regards,
     
  2. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Folks -
    A real dandy of a photo from Fred Lynch's Southeast Missourian blog (thumbnail below).

    http://www.semissourian.com/blogs/flynch/entry/35297/

    Some interesting points:

    (1) The photo is definitely post-floodwall; the copy says it's from 1960. Would this have still been the old 1920s-era brick depot (between Merriweather and William)?

    (2) Interesting train order signal; I've not seen any pictures of this searchlight-style before.

    (3) Any thoughts on what the last car in the consist would be?

    Here's also a link to the home movie of a train leaving Cape Girardeau:
    http://www.capecentralhigh.com/cape-photos/train-trip-to-chaffee/

    Best Regards,

    First Train Ride - G.D. Fronabarger SEMissourian Archive.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 16, 2010
  3. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    The color-light train order "boards" appeared during the fifties and replaced the lower quadrant signals. A derailment occurred at Lamar, Mo circa 66-67 in which several of the derailed car traveled down the brick platform and took out the train order signal and so Lamar had one of the color-light train order signals. It was a close call for the agent, and he had several choice words that he used to described the event. The wheel flange marks on the bricks were quite clear.

    The color-light order signals displayed a flashing red or a flashing green aspect.

    The last car looks like one of the 700 series cars on train 807.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 16, 2010
  4. TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020)

    TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020) Passed Away July 15, 2020 Frisco.org Supporter

    That last car (Monitor roof w/ducts) could also be an 1100 series car. Not sure how many there were, but 1102 was one for sure.

    Tom
     
  5. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Thanks for the input, Karl and Tom. I'll have to find an era-appropriate Rules of the Transportation Dept. to translate the flashing red/green signals.

    Wonder how many times agents of all railroads faced perils from derailments like that? I guess that great seats for seeing all of the action came with a certain degree of risk. I think I'd take my chances. :)

    Best Regards,
     
  6. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Chris,
    First, the old brick depot was situated at Merriwether and Main Street where the big parking lot now exists.

    There are several pieces of evidence that the picture was taken before the brick Frisco depot was demolished in 1965:
    1) In the background you can see the eastward kink in the floodwall.

    2) The brick depot was situated between that kink in the floodwall and
    the Merriwether Pumping Station that was installed when the floodwall was built.

    If the picture was taken after demolition of the brick station, the group would be boarding at the newer Butler-type building at the base of William Street on Aquamsi and the Merriwether Pumping Station would be visible in the background.

    Compare these two images:
    http://www.frisco.org/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=8802&d=1250570347
    and the post card image below.

    Color Postcard 4744.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 5, 2014
  7. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Has anyone scratchbuilt the brick Cape Girardeau depot? Hmmmmm. I see a future diorama project for my bucket list.
     
  8. bootheel

    bootheel Member

    Noticed on the BNSF Special (June 15th) that a few of the yard tracks in the Cape yard were in the process of being pulled up. Tracks were still in place but the area around the switches were pulled up. :(
     
  9. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Jim, I like your idea of scratchbuilding the brick Cape depot - while you're at it just build two! LOL
    I need one for my layout. And while you are at it, be sure to put your face inside one of the windows looking out!

    p.s. I have a lot more pictures from nearly all angles of the exterior, but only one interior shot.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 17, 2010
  10. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Jim, I've always thought that would be a fun project. There's plenty of pictures and a floor plan here in the "Depots" section. Somewhere at home I'll have to try and dig out a copy of a Missourian article from the depot's grand opening that goes into a lot of detail about the interior, including colors and the like.

    Best Regards,
     
  11. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Looks as if I need to order some brick sheet siding and more windows. I'll build it as it appeared in the 1920s which is my modeling era. Here we go!
     
  12. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    More on the Cape Riverfront from the April 23, 1915 Railway Age Gazette:

    “The St. Louis & San Francisco is now reclaiming a considerable area from the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, Mo., permitting the straightening of the main line and providing more space for yard and team tracks. At the present time the river makes a considerable indentation at this point and the track follow closely around the foot of the bluff. The improvements consist of the construction of a concrete wall out in the river 600 ft. long at the north end and 600 ft. long at the south end with a heavy rip-rap wall 620 ft. long between. The area between this wall and the present tracks will be filled, after which the tracks will be laid on the new location and a new depot erected. A considerable area will also be given over to the city for park purposes across the track from the station and also immediately south of the station.
    The concrete wall, which varies in height up to 37 ft., is of a plain gravity section 3 ft. wide on top, requiring a total of 11,000 cu. yd. of concrete. It was built in a maximum depth of water of 13 ft. The concrete was mixed adjacent to one of the tracks on shore, elevated by a tower and spouted into bottom-dumping buckets on a barge on the water. These buckets were then picked up by a derrick on the barge, lowered into forms and opened. The wall at the north end opposite the station is surmounted by an ornamental balustrade protecting a sidewalk.
    The rip-rap wall which is located in the water for the entire distance is 6 ft. wide on top and has a maximum height of 20 ft., with a slope of 1:1 on each face. While the concrete wall is located parallel to the track with its top 3 ft. below the top of the rail, the rip-rap wall is located on the slope line some distance out in the stream with its top a maximum of 24 ft. below the top of the rail. On the completion of the wall and of the filling behind it, the slope above the wall will be paved with rip-rap on a 1 ½ : 1 slope.
    This improvement which is estimated to cost about $240,000, is being handled under the direction of F.G. Jonah, Chief Engineer of the St. Louis & San Francisco.”


    For reference, pictures from the article and some from the collection of James Haman:
    A picture looking south about 1900 before construction: http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?attachments/south-riverfront-1900-jpg.7397/

    The first and second are looking south and north, respectively during construction. The third is of the balustraded wall after construction and the fourth is of the balustrade August 2009.
    The last picture is from the old bridge showing both ends of the constructed walls and rip-rap and the resultant park areas and the new depot built in 1920. The next to last picture was taken before the current flood control was built along the entire riverfront.

    Note: The old freight depot is visible in the background of the first and last photos.

    IMGP0016.JPG IMGP0012.JPG scan0003.jpg Riverfront h_027005.jpg IMG_2308.JPG IMG_2444.JPG
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2020
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  13. mark

    mark Staff Member Staff Member

    Keith,

    You might want to consider stocking up on Pikestuff parts for your soon to be constructed layout.

    They have a bridge kit with separate parts for an Early Railings (4 50' Railing), part 628-0104, that with slight modification should make quick work of your Mississippi River front scene. Please see http://www.rixproducts.com/6280103.htm.

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks!

    Mark
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 29, 2010
  14. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    The west approach of the original river bridge was a combination of cast concrete and plate girder design:

    344016pv.jpg 344018pv.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 25, 2011
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  15. SAFN SAAP

    SAFN SAAP Member

    Wow! Talk about courage. Today's railroads wouldn't even think about going through water like that. That's when men were men and trains were steam powered.

    The modeling was absolutely gorgeous. I hope to get close to that. I love the horse and wagon and the wig wag. The fuel plant was gorgeously laid out and I love how you incorporated a hidden track line, that crossed over the main and secondaries. Pure genius!

    I know this is an old thread, but it needs to be brought back to life. Gotta keep the Frisco going!
     
  16. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Manny, Ken McElreath, as I, was born in Cape Girardeau, and is an excellent modeler. I hope that as I model Cape Girardeau on my layout I can approach what he has done with the Birmingham area on his.
     
  17. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    St L M & SE RR Map 9/17/1902

    I have had a couple of requests to post more from my St L M & SE RR map.

    Here's the section through Cape.

    cape_girardeau.jpg
     
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  18. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Old Hwy 61 Overpass - Cape Girardeau MO

    A story in the "Southeast Missourian" on the 100th Anniversary of local firm Penzel Construction includes an interesting Frisco related photo.

    http://www.semissourian.com/gallery/6619

    Click on "Show All Photos," (or click back to photos #61 and #62) and then scroll to the bottom for a photo of the old U.S. Highway 61 overpass that bridges the River Division-St. Louis Subdivision just south of Cape Girardeau. The first photo is a contemporary view; you can see what used to be known as Marquette Cement to the north.

    The bottom photo is the same approximate viewpoint in 1929.

    I think this location is just south of MP 135, perhaps around "Rock Creek" (MP135.7 - see Roger Taylor's compilation of stations and mileposts at http://www.frisco.org/vb/showpost.php?p=8222&postcount=1).

    My late 70s track chart that Karl Brand provided to me some time when I was dumber than a bag of hammers is still packed away in the workshop at the new house.

    Maybe other Scissorbill Country folks can confirm or clarify.

    Best Regards,
     
  19. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Chris, one correction; the upper, color photo is looking northeast, the lower, b&w photo is looking southwest. The viaduct runs almost perfectly north/south and the tracks run northeast/southwest. The angles in the b&w photo would dictate that the view is to the southwest.
     
  20. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    International Shoe Co. - Cape Girardeau

    Folks -

    I could just about place this under "operations" or "Freight Cars," but this seems like the best place.

    For those interested in Cape Girardeau industries, or if you are simply looking to model a large, old style with limited trackwork, today's Southeast Missourian has a nice photo essay of the "old shoe factory" in Cape.

    http://www.semissourian.com/gallery/6570

    The first picture (aerial view) shows the two sidings off of the Frisco's St. Louis Subdivision. I'm intrigued by the gondola that's visible in the bottom of the photo; it almost appears as if it has ties or some other sort of objects in it.

    Would this have been spotted to ship scrap wood/leather, or was it placed there for later spotting at, say, SEMO Sand?

    Another article on the history of this factory cites Dr. Frank Nickell, Director for the Center for Regional History at Southeast Mo. State University, as noting that "the factory produced 12,000 pairs of shoes daily, enough to fill a box car." This gives an aspiring modeler a good idea of the traffic generated by the plant in its heyday.

    The name of the factory changed throughout the years. It was opened in 1907 as the Roberts, Johnson & Rand Shoe Co., later becoming the International Shoe Co., and later Florsheim Shoe Co.

    The building has been gone for 20 years now, and even the old bend in North Main St. that used to go around the south end of the factory is gone. At last check, I believe Isle of Capri is preparing to build a casino here.

    Note that Keith Robinson (klrwhizkid) has included this industry as part of his Frisco River Division - Cape Girardeau Southwestern layout.

    http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index....er-division-cape-girardeau-southwestern.2415/

    Best Regards,
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 23, 2016
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