Bootheel Railroad - 1996-1997 - Inquiry

Please forgive me for bringing up a road that was well after the Frisco

I am looking for information on the Bootheel Railroad, which tried to operate the former SLSF Hayti to Kennett line in 1996 and 1997, before it was abandoned in 1998.

Is there anyone out there who can provide any information on power or even a picture?

Thanks,

Rick

 

From MISSOURI RAIL PLAN 1995 UPDATE, June 1995 pages 4-5 and 4-6.

Hayti to Kennett Cluster - The BN's Hayti to Kennett branch diverges from the BN main line at Hayti in Pemiscot County and runs east approximately 17.8 miles to Kennett in Dunkin County from which three industrial tracks radiate, the Holcomb, Piggott, and Senath Stubs.

The line is laid with approximately one mile of 112-lb. continuous welded rail (CWR), ten miles of 85-lb. and 6.9 miles of 112-lb jointed rail in fair to poor condition. The three stubs, a total of approximately 5.2 miles, are laid with a mixture of 75-lb., 85-lb., and 90-lb jointed rail in fair to poor condition. Cross tie conditions would be classified as fair to poor for all the trackage.

The trackage is designated as FRA excepted track, thus the maximum operating speed is 10 mph. There are a number of industries located at Kennett, however, only two appear to be active rail users. The remaining industry tracks are either covered with vegetation or pavement, or have been cannibalized. indicative of their lack of usage.

 

I am trying to find a photograph.

The railroad did not last long. The bridge fire at the floodway ditches pretty well put it out of business.

As luck would have it the locomotive was parked in Hayti at the BN interchange when the fire occurred.

 

If you could find a picture you would be my hero.

No one else seems to know anything about this road.

Rick

 

Try Googling SEMO Port Authority Railroad.

They list some videos but I do not have the latest software, Adobe reader, versions 9 and 10, to pull them up but was able to get considerable information but no locomotive pictures.

SEMO Port Railroad was listed as a member of the American Short Line Railroad Association (ASLRRA) in 1999.

The Missouri Rail Plan 1995 Update, June 1995, pages 4-17 to 4-20, first paragraph reads as follows.

REHABILITATION OF THE PEMISCOT COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY LEAD TRACK

The Pemiscot County Port Authority, in two separate transactions (1966 and 1994) acquired 11,000 fee (2.1 miles) of the BN's abandoned Hayhti-Caruthersville line. This track is to be used to connect the Port Authority slackwater harbor facility, opened in 1981, with the BN main track at Hayti as show in Figure 4-5. Service over the line will be provided by the Pemiscot Port Terminal Railroad.

Just a hunch, but maybe the locomotive you are looking for may still be in the Hayti, MO area?

Keep me posted as I have left out a lot of information.

 

The Pemiscot Port Authority Railroad is an entirely separate operation.

Bootheel Railroad ran from Hayti west to Kennett and ceased operations by 1998.

The Pemiscot operation runs east of Hayti to the Port Authority.

It is currently being operated by the Pioneer group.

Rick Morgan

 

The Port Railroad is complete.

Pioneer Railroad runs the line.

The power which is parked at Hayti is an EMD GP20 #2017.

Currently the only thing going on the line is railcar storage.

 

I saw a video of St. Louis Southwestern (SSW) or Cotton Belt 4-8-4 819 heading north to St Louis.

The video had pictures of a steam engine on a track that intersected the route of the 4-8-4 SSW 819.

It was quite a while ago as the 4-8-4 Northern SSW 819 has not operated in quite a few years.

 

Good news Rick,

Looking thru a old photograph album I found pictures of the Bootheel Railroad.

As soon I can scan them I will post it on the site. Also as of today The Pemiscot Port Authority ran a "test train" for a new oil offloading facility at the port. BNSF brought a 104 car train to test. I have pictures will post soon. It is also an easy modeling project.

Good news for a former Frisco branch that has sprung back to life.

 

That train was the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern (SLIM&S) Railroad H.K. Porter 2-4-2 SLIM&S 5.

I was on that train as a brakeman.

However, the 2-4-2 SLIM&S 5 is in pieces awaiting reassembly.

 

I eagerly await your photographs!

 

Okay, here are the photographs.

Remember these are taken in the 1990s.

 

Photographs 1, 3 and 4 were between Pascola and Bragg City, MO.

Photograph 2 is taken at the BNSF junction in Hayti, MO.

These pictures were taken a few weeks before the bridge going to Kennett burned.

Luckily the locomotive was at Hayti.

 

Thanks for putting the shots up.

They answer a big question.

Locomotive AKDN 1610 is an EMD GP9, builder number 19860, built 8/54 as Union Pacific (UP) 263.

It is former Relco 1610, former CNW 4385 after the UP.

Rick

 

Glad to help.

 

Tom,

That video was taken at Delta, Missouri.