Trains No 20 And No 21 - Local Passenger Trains - Clinton Subdivision - Riding The Highline - 8/1950

On the rear of train No 20 this day we had a business car.

My best guess is it is SLSF 5 but others may overrule me on this. Other reading here on Frisco.org has shown that often there were cars of chicks to be picked up at Clinton which seems to be the case today with at least one extra car ahead of the baggage.

The business car attendant is taking a break and observing the goings on.

 

Here is a much better photograph of the interior of a coach used on these trains.

A branch line this may be but the crew is attired in full dress uniform worthy of the finest Frisco has to offer.

 

As the last offering I include two passes from the Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield (KCC&S) or "Leaky Roof".

My grandfather on dad's side was a claim agent for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (M-K-T) and these were routinely issued to allow claims representatives to travel on company business. Dad obtained these along with probably 30-40 others which I still have.

As you may be able to tell, I made the classic error of placing these in a scrap-book with pages that had a sticky glue that did a terrific job of holding whatever was so unfortunate to be placed thereupon. I am told that professionals can salvage them. Someday.

When I first started working on putting this collection together with the idea of sharing it with somebody, anybody, I had grown up believing that the tracks we rode over on that trip were of the former KCC&S. After doing just a little reading, I found that was not exactly the case.

Yes, there were parts of our route that were former Leaky Roof, but for the most part the tracks were former Kansas City, Osceola & Southern (KCO&S) and probably a few others thrown in for good measure.

It has been a fun and educational experience for me and I hope folks here at Frisco.org can appreciate what it was like to ride the Highline back in the day.

Charlie Wherry

 

Yikes, these make me feel really old!

To think that I twice rode over that right of way (ROW).

Thanks Karl.

 

So there were two back-up moves required to get over the road.

Any more?

Thanks Karl.

 

Charles,

With regard to passenger train operation, that is correct. Two reverse moves, one at Clinton and one at Deepwater were required.

For freight operations, things were a bit more interesting. Remnants of the Leaky Roof existed at Belton, Harrisonville, and South Clinton, so freight crews still switched the industries, which were located on these segments.

After the Katy abandoned its Holden Subdivision during 1958-1959, the Frisco switched the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) tracks at Harrisonville, MO and East Lynne, MO.

Karl

 

Charles,

I cannot tell you how much that I have enjoyed the images and story of your trip over the Highline.

There are several members of this group that are devotees of the Highline and Leaky Roof. We are each drooling.

The Clinton Subdivision was one of the last to be dieselized, and it was the haunt of the 4-6-0 SLSF 1100 class and 4-4-0 SLSF 182 class locomotives.

The freight work was handled by the 2-20-0 Bolsheviks SLSF 1600 class locomotives, which on occasion would work the passenger trains.

Thanks much,

Karl

 

Charles,

In this image and just behind the chair car one can see one of the the "chick cars".

It is awaiting the arrival of train No 20, which will take it to Kansas City, MO.

 

Thank you ever so much for the photographs and "tour" of the highline.

Of great interest was the Clinton Yard shots and Clinton depot.

 

Thanks to all for your kind comments.

I am really happy that these photographs have finally seen the light of day and can be useful for many purposes.

When we take photographs little do we realize that some seemingly obscure detail might be just what another person has been looking for.

I am just sorry that I do not have others of similar content that could be shared.

Enjoy!

Charlie Wherry

 

This is absolutely fantastic!!

These images are priceless!!

Thank you for posting.

 

Ken,

If you are asking me for directions I am sorry to say I cannot help.

Others on this site could be helpful though.

 

Whoa, talking about a roundabout way to get to Clinton, but yes.

The old Rock Island line runs parallel to Missouri 52 Highway from Eldon to a mile or so east of Cole Camp and crosses it again in Windsor. In Windsor, Missouri 52 runs parallel, more or less and off and on, to the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT or KATY) Holden Subdivision line.

Once in Clinton, at the 52 and 13 Highways interchange, go straight on Price Lane. Make a right on East Sedalia. In about a quarter of a mile, you will go over the old Katy Sedalia Subdivision line. In another quarter of mile you will cross over the Highline.

From Google Maps, it looks like it is active as track is there, albeit not original, and there are cars at Champion Products in the distance. Turn right on 3rd Street and just before the intersection of 3rd and Chapins Lane, you will be crossing the Highline again.

Continue north on 3rd to 2nd Street, take 2nd north to MO 7 Highway. Turn left, and in about an eighth of a mile, you will cross the Highline again. Probably be hard to see the old roadbed. The row of grain bins to the south parallel the old roadbed.

If you continue west to U.S. 71 Highway/Interstate Highway I-49 and go north on 71/49, you will cross the Highline again, just north of the intersection and run parallel to it after the road veers more west. You will lose it again before Peculiar, MO, but gain it back, past Peculiar.

Remnants remain in Belton, MO. Belton is home of the tourist line the Belton, Grandview and Kansas City (BG&KC) Railroad.

Have fun!

 

"There are several members of this group that are devotees of the Highline and Leaky Roof; we are drooling."

As Karl said, we devotees are drooling.

Thank you for posting these great photographs!

 

Wonderful trip info.

Is there some way in which you could compose this and that we could down load it in a file that could be printed and kept for enjoyment in the future.

Thank you

Tony LaLumia

 

What Karl said and Ted seconded!

I am drooling too. Thanks for sharing your story and photographs.

I am a big fan and modeler of the High Line, born about two decades too late to enjoy what you experienced.

My Granny Rush used to ride No 21 from Blairstown to Clinton, MO, shop for groceries, then board No 20 for the trip back to Blairstown.

She rode on my grandpa's pass.