Photo's my father had of the last passenger train out of Thayer, MO circa 1962. My grandfather worked as a carpenter for the Frisco, and dad spent time in high-school (back in the 40's) as a dispatch aid (glorified term for the guy who gets the engineer's out of the bar at 4a.m. for their train - lot's have changed since then). These pictures were taken by an unknown-to-me photographer on the Walnut Street Bridge (in the background of the first, you can see the newly built Highway 63).
Yes, they are! I was really astounded to find them in his computer files after his passing. I believe the lead motive is an E-8 (I think, if I read the road number right, it is the 2012 "Flying Ebony"). I have a couple of photos I took this past April at the Thayer Depot of a BNSF coaler downhill from Springfield. BNSF 4806 and 4737 (both Dash 9's). It was interesting, as they also had power in the mid-train (but I couldn't get over to where it was to get a good photo). Enjoy them! Rog (a.k.a. theBlur) p.s. Long-time railfan, just recently finding out others are like minded.
Goodness but those are awesome shots! I always wondered when the last passenger train passed by here.
The images are very nice, but the last passenger trains through Thayer left their respective points of origin (KC and Birmingham) on Dec 8, 1967. The green foliage in the images would date the images at another time. http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/last-passenger-on-the-road.1360/
It's possible, but given that fact the the engine has two E-units, and the fact that the train has light-weight cars, I am inclined to believe that the images depict train 101. The second car from the end is one of the chair-lounge-buffets, and I wonder if the last car isn't one of the Pullmans, which graced The Southland for a very brief time. Anybody know when US 63 was routed around Thayer?
1966 according to the ugly bridges website http://uglybridges.com/1273339. I just barely remember when they built the bypass. Roger
