Without a clear number it's hard to say which specific car this is, but it looks like one of the steel frame, self-clearing hoppers, which were built for the SL&SF and the KCFS&M during 1903, 1905-1906. Cars 80900-80999 (SL&SF), 8100-81299(SL&SF), 81300-81799(KCFS&M), & 81800-81899 (KCFS&M). They were built to handle coal. Some will note that the build-dates post date the Frisco-Memphis Road merger, but it should be remembered that the Frisco bought equipment on the Memphis Road's books into the 1940's. See ... http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?1785-The-Biggest-KCFS-amp-M-Locomotive&highlight=4515
Excellent photo. I've been looking for a Frisco Hopper like that. I have the exact hopper diagrams. Now I have the Frisco labeling. Anyone have a closer shot of one?
COOL! You gonna have one on your layout Manny? The car, not the derailment! Would make for an interesting commercial kit don't you think? Joe Toth
Thanks for the. input Karl, I kinda thought it might be a hopper. The sides don't appear to be the same height, that you might see. Back when I started with Frisco, over in the scrap area, which was just North of the car shop a caswell car sat there waiting to be cut up. The lead water service man told me it was a old caswell car. In any event, they were real neat also. If any one else has photos like this, please post. Being a track guy, l like seeing photo's that show track work or derailment cleanup. Bill Jackson
Jim, very interesting photo, but I do not understand the location, diversion channel project for what?
In short, numerous drainage districts were created primarily during 1900’s and 1910’s to dig drainage canals, which drained the swamps of southeast Missouri in order to benefit the timber industry and to produce arable land. I have a attached a map that shows the extent of these canal/channels. The story of the digging of these canals is fascinating, and a few threads exist on the Frisco dot Org web site which discuss this topic further.
Richard, the diversion channel project you are asking about was part of the Little River Drainage District that was formed to divert creek and rivers coming out of the eastern Ozarks in to channels directing the water to Mississippi River to the south and east. The specific project featured in most of the posts Jim James has made recently refer to the Headwater Diversion Channel which captured the Castor River near Greenbrier and diverted in a nearly straight line to the northeast to intersect the Mississippi just below Cape Girardeau. The purpose of the Little River Drainage District was to drain the swampland in Southeast Missouri to allow access and create arable land. Part of the Headwater Diversion Channel can be seen in the upper left of the topo map that Karl posted.
This location is Kirk, Mo., just east of Kennett. This photo and others are online in the Missouri Digital Heritage site. http://cdm.sos.mo.gov/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/msalrdd&CISOPTR=2176&CISOBOX=1&REC=11
