Ladue, 1651, A Sad State of Affairs

Discussion in 'Streamlined Cars' started by Karl, Jan 24, 2010.

  1. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    Courtesy Paul Brand.
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 24, 2010
  2. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    Courtesy Paul Brand

    For years the the Ladue has languished in a junk yard, which is located on West Division St in Springfield.

    During December 1984, my brother stopped by the junk yard and made inquiries about purchasing the car. He was able to enter the car for photographs. The yard owner quoted an outlandish price, to which Paul offered his thanks for the tour, and then left.
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 24, 2010
    Ozarktraveler likes this.
  3. Sirfoldalot

    Sirfoldalot Frisco.org Supporter Frisco.org Supporter

    What a shame. It's too bad that this is the outcome of many parts of our history. I feel the same way when I see an aircraft scrap/bone yard. To me is is inconceivable that 10-12 thousand planes of a certain type were built - yet only one or two survive.

    BTW - What is the antenna looking rail on the roof? I have never known what this was?

    Thanks for posting, Karl.
     
  4. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Very sad to see - I rode in "Ladue" several times on #9 going back to Rolla in the early 1960's.

    What has become of it? Still in the same junk yard?

    Ken
     
  5. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    It was an antenna for the radio, which was located in a cabinet, which was located above the buffet (galley) small window .

     
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  6. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    It was an antenna for the radio, which was located in a cabinet, which was located above the small window in the buffet (galley) .

     
  7. diesel shop

    diesel shop Member

    It still there, looked very bad.
     
  8. JamesP

    JamesP James Pekarek

    Yep, I drive by there every so often on my way to visit the in-laws. It's still there and looks pathetic. Was this one of the cars that was used as a diner near downtown Springfield? I keep telling my wife that we need to rescue it, but she doesn't think so... and my checking account agrees. It would be nice to see it sitting behind 4524 at Grant Beach Park.

    - James
     
  9. TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020)

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

    The chair-buffet-lounge car in the salvage yard (#1651 "Ladue") was placed in front of the Kentwood Arms Hotel (Now Missouri State University's "Kentwood Hall" residence dorm) along with diner #1551, which had been converted from an observation diner. Those two cars served as a resturant for a while. A second chair-buffet-lounge (1652 "Huntleigh") was used as a bar along a side street near the Kentwood. When it was moved (either to or from that spot), it was damaged and later scrapped. The third chair-buffet-lounge (1650 "Sterling Price") was sold to a party at Pittsburg, KS.

    Tom
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 24, 2010
  10. FriscoFriend (Bob Hoover RIP 4/12/2018)

    FriscoFriend (Bob Hoover RIP 4/12/2018) Passed Away April 12, 2018 Frisco.org Supporter

    The third chair-buffet car that you are referring to was indeed 1650 "Sterling Price" and the man in Pittsburg, KS was the late Johnny Mairetta. It sat for years in his front yard coupled to one of the Baggage/RPO's from the KCS Southern Belle. Johnny also had at least two Frisco cabooses on the property. It was a trailer park that he owned and ran on West 4th Street a few blocks west of the bypass around town.
    Anyone that ever met Johnny can attest to how much of a character he was. He had numerous contacts in the railroad business and actually assisted the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus in acquiring some of their passenger car fleet. They once gave him a baby donkey born on the show and he kept it chained to the railroad cars.
    Johnny was always a gracious host and would open the cars for anyone to see. I will never forget the day that I called him about scheduling a visit and he told me about having the donkey and my admission to see the cars would be a bale of hay. That was vintage Johnny! He kept them in prestine condition and actually turned the baggage car into a museum of sorts.
    After his passing his sons had a gigantic auction of his collection which drew bidders from around the country. I believe the baggage car and the cabooses are still there and the Sterling Price was sold to an individual from the Kansas City area and moved to the Midland Railway in Baldwin, KS where the last I heard it was shoved up on a siding north of the depot.
     
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  11. TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020)

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

    The only time I visited those cars at Pittsburg, there was a fireworks stand there (Must have been around July 4th) and I think I recall they were also selling watermelons. There was a throng of prople, I was the only one looking at the RR equipment though...

    Tom
     
  12. mvtelegrapher

    mvtelegrapher Member

    The only car left at Johnnie's is the KCS RPO/Bag./Dorm. car. The two cabooses were sold with one ending up in New Mexico and the other in Arizona. One had been converted into an apartment. The Sterling Price was sold to an individual from Missouri who moved it to Baldwin, KS where it currently sits north of the depot with some windows broken and boarded up. It also is getting to be a sad site. It had the familier rust problem that all of these Pullman Standard cars had behind the fluting. When the car was moved from Johnnie's I helped remove the name and number plates and when we unscrewed them water came pouring out of the screw holes. That was over ten years ago so I can imagine how bad it is now.

    John Chambers
     
  13. diesel shop

    diesel shop Member

    Is the caboose that ended up in New Mexico the one that is in Taos?
     
  14. mvtelegrapher

    mvtelegrapher Member

    Yes it is.

    JBC
     
  15. FRISCO4503

    FRISCO4503 FRISCO4503 Frisco.org Supporter

    Too bad the owner can't be talked down on the price, sayyyyyy, someone tell him of the historical meaning behind the car, and just see, if we couldn't aquire the car and make her shine again. It is sad to see such a wonderful relic of our beloved railroad still in existence, but looking so so so sad. |-|
     
  16. TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020)

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

    I think we'll just have to be satisfied to just model this car and her sisters. And if the junk man won't lower his price for a serious buyer he can just wind up eating a pile of rust and kindling and go take a flying leap...

    Tom G.
     
  17. Peddling Joe

    Peddling Joe Frisco Employee

    Tom, my reply was purposely attempted to be deleted by me but I would be remiss if not mentioning possible mitigating reasons why this elderly person was out cleaning up in a heat index near 100 degrees on the 4th of July. Maybe he needs the money or is being a good citizen cleaning up his property during the zone 1, Commercial Street, Kearney, College St, Route 66 project, Jefferson Avenue foot bridge, Jordan Valley and other exciting improvement projects. All of Springfield in on the move but these are all in the area where the Frisco started and BNSF still thrives.
    The glass is 1/2 full for sure.
    Question: If a donor gave the LADUE to to a deserving group as is, where is, what action do you suggest?
    Respectfully submitted
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2018

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