I like this 'near Winslow' post card (maybe about 1900?). It is neat so see how the Frisco commercial artists could make colored pictures of Ozark passenger trains back in those old times. I like old tunnels and high trestles (viaducts). I like old tunnels and high trestles (viaducts). The high ones did not get filled over. It is neat to set old iron RR bridges keep lasting. And there are so many. Years ago my wife Robin and I took the " Dec 7th Pearl Harbor Special" of the A & M from (I think it was) Springdale, AR to Fort Smith and back. We went over the RR bridge over the Arkansas River after waits for several real freights to get by the crossing junction. I think the NRHS in NW Arkansas organized the special excursion. They had snack box s for all. They were dedicated rail-fans. They organized the Dec. 7th excursion on the A&M. That special excursion was set up for Vets and any others (us). At the Fort Smith river valley park they have a nice convention building. They had a lunch and program organized for all. Then we went through the old ____house that was there for single males before the pioneer wagon trains started westward. Following that we went through the Trolley Museum and their old steam locomotive on display. They told us that the St. Louis Museum of Transportation and St. Louis Steam Association had sent them copies of design drawings for the Frisco 1522 ( 4-8-2 Mountain type that pulled us numerous times ). Those drawings were to help them to try to attempt to fire their old (~1926) locomotive up. We never heard if they got that for. If any interest, contact the NW AR NRHS or A & M to see if they will have other special excursions. . So we got to go through Winslow tunnel. When they had the White River Scenic Rwy. out of Flippin, AR we took several excursions down the White River and back. Shame those are no longer. So we got through the Cotter Tunnel several times. They had a special on the mountain route westward of Flippin on the M&NA. (The White River Division of the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern (~1905?). On the mountain northbound we went through 3 ofter tunnels (Pyatt, one near Omaha and the other one at Cricket, AR). The one we did not get to go through is at Reeds Springs Tunnel north of Branson. There is an old Frisco tunnel in Oklahoma. I think now it is the KCS. Do not know if there are excursions through that one? Behind the U.P Challenger 3985 (4-6-6-4) the NRHS St. Louis organized an excursion where we went through two MoPac tunnels west of St. Louis (on a trip out of Jefferson City to Kirkwood, MO). Those do not happen often, but it is something to watch for. Charles mountaincreekar frisco.org
