FRISCO Exposure

Discussion in 'New Member Introductions' started by Cosmo, Apr 2, 2009.

  1. Cosmo

    Cosmo Member

    Afraid my up-close-and-personal experience with the FRISCO is very limited, but hardly forgotten. In early February, 1967, I was in the U.S. Navy and driving home on leave from security school at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo TX to Columbus OH. Accompanying me were my wife of seven months and a fellow classmate who lived in Rhode Island but had a lady friend living close to Columbus, and who wanted a 'cheap' way to get at least that far on leave before heading on home to New England. Harry was warned we would not be making the trip without an overnight layover, and train chasing would be involved. He was game anyway... poor guy.

    Leaving San Angelo just after midnight, we hit dawn around Oklahoma City. My first objective was the KCS Southern Belle at Joplin MO... successful. Then on to the heart of the FRISCO, Springfield. By that time, as I'm sure most of you FRISCO fan members know, the railroad had only four passenger trains left in operation: a St. Louis-Oklahoma City round trip, and a Kansas City-Birmingham round trip. All four met at Springfield in the afternoon if they were on time. When we arrived, three of the four were in the station, and the fourth arrived as we were there.

    Now bear in mind it was a bitterly cold day, and all I had in the way of photographic equipment in those days was a new Super 8 movie camera. So I didn't wander around or photograph much waiting for stationary trains to depart. (Do have some footage of Harry wandering around the platform aimlessly while waiting. You can almost read his thoughts: "What am I doing here trapped with this nut?!") The Birmingham train seemed to have the longest consist, but it was just too cold to investigate. It was a surprise then when upon its departure its consist revealed itself through the viewfinder of my camera.

    Among the headend cars was an IC baggage car, but the real gems were three foreign line sleepers on the end: a MILW, a UP, and an SP car! They were probably destined for Ft. Leonard Wood down the line. After the St. Louis train departed, we took our leave of Springfield as well. By the way, most of the equipment on the four trains was heavyweight stock, with a lightweight car here and there. Did not notice any other foreign road cars but what were on the Birmingham train. I did dig that groovy layout through the street (alley?) the passenger trains used immediately east of the station too.

    And for what it's worth, the above is a small piece of a l-o-n-g story involving about 3 1/2 of the four years I spent in the Navy in which I was privileged to meet two other railfans - the first under what I consider a most fortunate coincidence, while the second involved a confluence of circumstances so extraordinary that I consider it a minor miracle in the history of the world (certainly in the world of railfanning!)

    Outside of the Springfield experience, and a trip in 1980 to the Laura Ingalls Wilder home/museum in Mansfield MO, I've not had any real time FRISCO exposure. But have always admired the postwar red and gold paint scheme on their E units, and the striking red window band and letterboards on their lightweight stainless steel cars. And FRISCO 1522 as revealed on videos certainly was an impressively LOUD engine for its size when compared to larger engines!

    Thanks for your indulgence.

    Cosmo
     

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