SW1500 SLSF 346 - BN 51 SW1500 SLSF 346 - BN 51 Springfield, MO. 5/4/1985 Edit 3/1/2024: Locomotives is parked on track 2 at the service tracks at Springfield / Kansas Avenue / West Yard, Springfield, MO. Note in the distance above the switch engine locomotive cab the sand gantry loading bin tower. The sand gantry spanned service tracks 4 and 5. It could move the length of these tracks to sand locomotives. It had a work platform that traversed side to side and could be raised and lowered to access locomotive sand boxes. Sand dumped from company service sand cars into a pit, augered sideways to an elevator leg, lifted up and dumped into the bulk storage silo or tank on the north side of the service tracks shed. Compressed air was used to blow sand from the bulk storage silo through pipes to the tower structure hopper. As needed the mobile sand gantry was parked under the sand tower hopper for gravity loading. The gantry and its work platform than could be moved to position its sand hopper by an individual locomotive sand box. Flexible piping and gravity allowed to sand to flow from the gantry hopper into the locomotive sand box. Sand was used primarily to improve locomotive traction between its steel wheels and the steel rails. In the end of locomotive sand boxes it also served as a secondary anti collision defense to help protect the crew and engine components. A latus braced yard light tower is in the distance beyond the front exhaust stack. To its east, right, are electric power poles and transformers for the pump house for the locomotive wash rack. The wash rack was located on track 2 to the right of this image. Added photograph narrative. MKD
SW1500 SLSF 332 And SLSF 346 Mood shots. A Frisco caboose hop with two SW1500s going out from Lindenwood Yard to rescue the Chrysler turn. Shot was taken at Lindbergh Boulevard, Kirkwood Road in Kirkwood, MO on a cold Sunday afternoon in February, 1979. The SW1500s were SLSF 332 and SLSF 346. I did not record the number of the 1200 series extended or wide vision caboose. Ken
Thanks for the pictures. I want to build a couple of these. I have no switchers as yet, all road switchers so far. I want to find a couple newer SW1500s with the upgraded drive. When you say rescue, do you mean the other crew was going dead on the law or they did not have enough power? Tom
Tom, The earlier Athearn SW1500 is not a bad model. They are hard to find but show up on eBay now and then. It has a decent motor. Mine runs great, and, with details added, looks very good. I am not sure of the details on that caboose hop in February 1979. There usually was a big "Chrysler Turn" auto parts train, often with Conrail power, that ran out from Lindenwood Yard to the Chrysler plant in Fenton, MO mid-afternoon on Sundays. This short train ran by Kirkwood, MO around 4 pm as I recall. I am not aware of the specifics, but just assumed it was running down to Valley Park, MO to help out at Chrysler. Where else would it be going on a late Sunday afternoon? Ken
