My name is Luke Welte. I live in Nashville Illinois, which had the old Missouri Illinois-Louisville Nashville diamond. I don't live near the Frisco, but I like them because the MoPac interchanged with them. I mostly model the MoPac and L&N in Ho scale. I am also a MoPac Historical Society member.
Welcome to frisco.org Luke! I'm sure you will enjoy the group - a fine group of people who are enamored with what was a very fine railroad. I'm also a long-time MoPac Historical Society member - it was the second HS I ever joined (first was GM&O). I'm a member of about ten now, and love their publications very much, along with many friends in their memberships. Ken
Im in nashville every now and then. On south broadway by the community center there is a house with signals in his back yard against the garage, you know who that is? I have drove by there quite a bit
Yes, I do. That would be Mike Kirsch. My dad and I designed the circuit boards to run those lights. I live by the community center on West Belleville Street (by the house that just brunt down). In my backyard, I am currently restoring three searchlights and a Crossing light. Next time you are in town you will have to take a look. If you can't find my house go to Restoff Hardware and ask for Dennis he can point you in my direction.
I know Dennis, ive been in restoff a number of times. I might be around nashville monday so ill see if I can see them the next time I am down belleville st. I have 3 searchlights myself that I bought from a salvage company in Missouri
I finally had a chance to see your setup when I drove by early in the week, nice! Were those searchlights off the L&N? I live in Centralia BTW
Yes, and the Missouri Illinois. When they tore the diamond out, they saved two searchlights, one from the M&I and one from the L&N, and gave them to an employee in town, who died a while back. His family knew Mike Kirsch and asked if he wanted them. He said no because he didn't have space for anymore, so he turned them to me. Neither of us knew they were full size until my dad and I want out to get them. We got to their house and this is what I saw (view attached pictures). Sadly I forgot to take pictures of the searchlight pole, but it is still in the same condition. The items in the pictures have been restored to full glory. I also did not take pictures of the L&N Searchlight pole, relay box, or dwarf (from Addieville Illinois) as they were in better condition. I got everything for free, which was nice because I have spent all my summer job money restoring them (concrete and paint are expensive). I will post more pictures in the future. Sadly I don't have anything hooked up yet, and I don't have any searchlight heads on poles yet.
You got the dwarf from Addieville that was on the abandoned siding by the elevator? I been eyeing that for a long time and was going to ask the maintainer about it next time I seen him since everything is dead from the Ashley diamond to the end in Okawville. Then one day it was gone. I need to get a base and full size pole but need a trailer first, then need to find one to pick up. In my welcome thread right by this one I put some pictures in it of the lights up and running
