Rolla-Lebanon Subdivision - Salem Branch - List Of Stations And Mile Posts

Cool pictures today from the St. James library. Will be going back to search more! I’m going to break this down into a few different posts. Let’s start with bridges.



This was labeled Steelville Bridge. What bridge?? Is this the trestle over Yadkin Creek? I’m hoping someone can help with this one.



This obviously is labeled as Meramec Bridge; but which one? Birds Nest or Goltra?

 

This photo of an engine was captioned. Sadly it’s not a great quality photo.

 

Today’s research also provided some insight into the various mining spurs, including a definite spur to Marsh Iron Mine.



This picture is awesome. Check out the Frisco cars, ready to be filled with hematite. Obviously, there was a spur to the mine operated by Frisco.



There are a lot of awesome photos of the iron mining operation at Cherry Valley, as well as the Cherry Valley Railroad. They documented the operation well.



Cars being loaded with iron ore at Cherry Valley Iron Mines



Tram lines running into one of the mines at Cherry Valley



Steelville Iron Bank No. 1 was once a stop on Time Tables for the Salem Branch, so it likely also had its own short spur.

 

First bridge picture during when its was being constructed. This is funny. I was about to post this same picture tonight.

I was assuming it was the 1st steel frame bridge over the Meramec River at Birds Nest. But you pose a good question? Looking at the construction picture again, the drainage looks small and narrow. If a river, the width of the drainage would be much wider. Also, the distance upward to the rails is small. If over the Meramec river, the height of the bridge piers would much higher. There are wood piles; no stone bridge piers.
It is likely Yadkin Creek.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That is the Birds Nest truss bridge. In my younger years, I was Meramec River canoe floating guide for the BSA. This is the 2nd or 3rd bridge over the Meramec at this location. Bridgehunters said that the Birds Nest truss bridge was not the first bridge at that location.
I agree.

If there was a prior metal bridge [no picture of that yet] there is also a possibility that the first bridge at that location could have been all wood. With high and fast flooding, an all wooden bridge could of had a limited life. If so, the present bridge at the Birds Nest is the 3rd bridge at that location. With the railway starting construction at Cuba in 1871, they might of made a decision for a fast construction and an all wooden bridge over the Meramec to quickly get on for 35 miles to Salem. Maybe Jacob could find some old newspaper clips about that phase of the construction.

Today, the present bridge has two girders, open above and below. No truss. Has Concrete piers.

The prior truss bridge had stone piers. Those still remain. unused.

 

Map shows Yadkin Creek, Steelville, Birds Nest railway bridge and more.

[scroll down]
Service times at Salem, MO by the St. Louis Salem & Little Rock Railroad
and the Salem Eastern Railroad [correct legal name] Nov. 11, 1881 with company officers.

https://books.google.com/books/cont...sig=ACfU3U1Biy1fB5x7LtTaUHDaEii6W_9-7A&w=1025
--------------

Added in July 2023.
1881 was when the Sligo Branch finished construction from Sligo Jct. to the
Sligo Furnace Company.
The topo map attached below shows the Sligo Branch rails remained in place in 1937.
The prior issued topo map [not attached] shows Sligo Branch rails remained
in place in 1936 except there was short section of tracks which had been removed
preventing a train to entered into Crooked Creek watershed.

The last Sligo Branch schedules service was in 1933 when the Sligo Furnace Company
was finished with all of their scrapping. 1934 was when all of the Sligo companies'
financial bo0ks were closed with the approval of the State of Missouri.

''''

 

Members: Keep up-to-date with the Salem Branch Research Team.
xd9t3-MTlA8rLR9yk5Y2lYaALqrpUU&g_ep=CAISBjYuNTE
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1PuNhgAIN1iQgJVUw==&g_st=ic jdstotler, Feb 6, 2023R&ll=37.60785751524502,-91.49153365979261&z=10

Their Results Map is Evergreen

 

Thanks for sharing my map again, Charlie. I have a lot of hours invested in it at this point!

 

1881
At the bottom of this page, is the Salem & Eastern railroad's
Nov. 1881 operations.
That railway went from Salem, MO south to the Riverside Mine.
Train's operational times and owners are shown.

St. Louis Salem & Little Rock Railroad 1881
Time table and the owners and officers are shown .

1881 is when the Sligo Branch connected the St. L S & L R 's
mainline to Sligo, MO and the Sligo Furnace Company.
The St. L S & L R Railroad, the Sligo Furnace Company
and Sligo, MO, all had the same owners, A.L. & H. A. Crawford.

The St. L S & L R Railroad being built during 1871 to 1873 was
before the birth of the SLSF Rwy. in 1878.
1871 to 1873 the railroad through Cuba was the
Atlantic & Pacific Railroad.

Several other 1881 SLSF routes are shown in this document.

1881 information

 

By the trees in the background being on both sides of the heavy truss bridge,
I would say that is at Birds Nest. This is where the approaching route
is headed perpendicular to the river.

If it were at Goltra there would not be trees to the left.
That is where the approaching route was heading parallel to the river.

View attachment 44507 is a wood pole pilings tressel is at Yadkin.
View attachment 44508 is at Bird's Nest. A heavy duty truss bridge over the Meramec River. It has stone pilings. How being unloaded, those still exist today.

 

Looks like excerpts from the Official Railway Guide and not an ETT.

 

Let's have a contest.

What is the earliest route timetable of any type
posted on frisco.org? Going back to 1878.

Atlantic and Pacific Railroad SLSF 1866 1878 St. Louis and San Francisco Railway

 

The old water reservoir for the steam engines at Cook’s Station, Missouri, just behind the mercantile. It still stands today.

 

Keep up-to-date with the Salem Branch Research Team.
xd9t3-MTlA8rLR9yk5Y2lYaALqrpUU&g_ep=CAISBjYuNTE
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1PuNhgAIN1iQgJVUw==&g_st=ic jdstotler, Feb 6, 2023R&ll=37.60785751524502,-91.49153365979261&z=10

The Results Map is Evergreen as research proceeds.

 

Topics for this Salem Branch, Rolla-Lebanon Sub Division forum

The branch line from Cuba south to Salem was built by the St. Louis Salem & Little Rock
in 1871 t0 1873. That was even before the SLSF started their operations in 1978.
More on that, is later below.

Ref: The page 288 time tables document is about numerous railroads
and has been posted prior for this forum. Karl is correct, that
document is not an offical Frisco ETT. Thanks to Karl.

Not for the SLSF part on that page 288 document, presented here
is early information about St. Louis, Salem & Little Rock and
also about the Salem Eastern Railroad in 1881. For both early railroads we have
never found any thing like this before. We will have to search for some other
old Offical Railroad Guides and Evaluations Reports for these two railroads.
Other frisco.org members are welcome to help to find other information.

The Frisco received track rights for on the branch line from Cuba south
to Salem in 1887. Operating on it for 10 years, then in 1897 the Frisco
purchased the that branch line and they officially name it as their
Salem Branch.

Off of the Salem Branch were many finger branches, some were
owned by local short-lines railroad companies. Most were for
iron ore, shipping smelter iron, timber and freight. The longest short line
was the Sligo & Eastern Inc. operating from 1902 to 1929. Through the years,
most of those other finger branches became the Frisco's.

For specifc information about any finger branch, ask our frisco.org
member Jacob Stotler. Surprisingly, there were many finger branches.
He heads up our Salem Branch Reseach Group. His investigations and
results have been massive. Just to us, he as made over 150 emails to
Pat Moreland and myself. Jacob shows no sign of slowly up. His many
pictures and knowledge on this and other forum is amasing.

 

Salem Branch Closed July 1984 by the BN rr
newspaper article is attached

 

Thank you Charlie! I’ve slowed just slightly as summer gets so busy, but I will pick back up soon! Thank you to all in this forum for your help in my research. I’ve had a great time digging as much information as I can about the Salem Branch and its various tributaries.

 

Great photo, Jacob. Do you know what the date of the picture is? Looks like late 70s to early 80s.

Pat Moreland,
Wesco, MO

 

I think water at Cooks Station railroad water source had two different pools of water North and South connected by one foundation. The locomotives re-watered there by siphoning. They could make one pool water taller, better for siphoning not to break the seal while the other pool was filling up water from the spring up in the hollow.