This photo shows the close relationship between Marquette Cement of Cape Girardeau and the Frisco. This loco was purchased new by Marquette and I believe in this scheme. I thought for years that this was a Frisco loco.
Tim, That is the first really decent photo that I have seen of this engine. When was it taken? I remember when the old steamers were still operational and then retired for this guy. Thank you. Ken McElreath
Ken I found this on eBay. I had several I had taken but they are long gone (lost). I think this loco is still on the property but no longer in use. Would you happen to know all 4 locos? I know the two steam engines in the parks but if this is #4 were there 3 others or just the two? Tim
Tim, I know of only two steamers that Marquette had, the ones at Capaha and Arena Parks today. I suspect they had another earlier one or other third one that I do not know. Ken
Tim, thanks for posting the picture of Marquette Cement #4. I have been searching for a picture of it since I joined the forum in January 2009. My dad and I even went to the current Buzzi Unicem plant office and talked to several people there to try to find out if they knew of any pictures of it. I did find out some more interesting history, though. The two steamers, were not preceded by another at the plant. I found a print of H.K. Porter builder's photo for their locomotive #6571; Marquette #1 as Porter painted it, but the H.K. Porter locomotive at the Arena park had a builder's plate with #6571 on it and it was known as and numbered as Marquette #2 and is documented as such on http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=702. So apparently, its number was changed by Marquette after delivery in 1923. The other steamer, Davenport builder #2108 was built in May 1930. My dad says that he remembers that it had number 3 on it on the plant property when he was a kid. The information on http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=1741 does not provide a number other than the builder's number. Additionally, I discovered that Marquette leased SLSF #4 GE 44 Ton Switcher for a period before purchasing the 45 Ton Switcher from GE. Thanks to Tim, I have a copy of the original order sheet (shown below) from Marquette to GE for the 45 tonner.
Was the little Marquette #4 an ex-SLSF engine? The stripes look very much like the paint jobs on Frisco (GE) #7 or #8?? Pages 12 and 13 in Marre's Frisco In Color. Thanks, Tom
Tom, the 45 Ton Switcher was purchased from GE as indicated in my post. Marquette liked the Frisco paint scheme and had ordered the 45 Tonner with a matching black & yellow scheme.
Have to admit, I always preferred playing around on the old switcher in Arena Park rather than Capaha Park. I always wondered if my folks were the only ones to say "Don't ring the bell; there are liable to be wasps nesting in there." Good times.
Do you remember when they were painted red, blue and yellow or some such crazy colors. I remember when I was finally big enough to climb from the back head up through the roof opening and sit up on top of it. Great memories
