Chris, Discussion in 'Salem Branch' started by Explorer Chris, Mar 26, 2015. mountaincreekar answers Chris's questions in the order that they were asked: - WIKI-missouri railroads .com lists all railroad in Missouri's history. - Salem branch started in Cuba in 1871. got to Salem 1873. Branches had different construction dates. - "Lead Jct." to Viburnam; dates ~ 1966 by Frisco, 1980 owned by BN , BNSF RR 1996 to now. Now the Leadline is embargoed since about 2004. - Abandoned roadbed from just north of Cook Station shown on the older topo map was the Sligo Branch. - All Salem Branch had rails removed ~1984-85 to Lead Jct. - Sligo Branch was paid for by Sligo Furnace Railroad 1880-1881, deeded over to the St. Louis Salem and Little Rock RR. who at time was the Salem Branch. - Sligo to Viburnum 1912 was for the Sligo and Eastern RR paid for by the Iron County Center RR Inc. (a paper organization of investors from Iron County with the Sligo Furnace Company). - Crooked Creek East Prong to Dillard row ~ 1890. - The Sligo Furnace Company incorporated the S & E RR in 1902 - When they got their first shay loco was ~ 1906. No records found what steam locomotives 1, 2 and 3 were. One or some of those three loco's were still used at least to about 1905 - 1906 when the two Shay locomotives arrived. The third Shay arrived in ~ 1916. - The point north of Cook Station ~ 1.5 miles to the Sligo Jct. was renamed as Goltra Junction when Mr. Goltra purchased the Sligo Furnace Company. - Where was a bridge over the Meramec River? Now highway MM at the former Goltra Junction. - The Salem Branch was the St. Louis Salem and Little Rock Railroad 1871 to 1877. Reorganized as the St. Louis Salem and Arkansas Railroad 1877. The St. Louis Salem and Arkansas Railroad started leasing to the SLSF. - 1875-76 SLSF RR was incorporate (spun off) by Atlantic and Pacific who was not a parent company. The Director who had been the President of the South Pacific RR Company of Missouri (and a Director in the A&P RR) purchased the SLSF Inc. at a foreclosure sale on the capital steps; and two days later re-sold it to the investors of the new SLSF RR. He did the same for the Pacific RR to become the Missouri Pacific Inc. - Leadline was built in 1966-67 by the Frisco. - The Sligo furnace blew-out again in ~ 1921 and was not rebuilt. - Yes, the row from Dillard to East End was were today are the highways except for the small switch-back up in the first hill SE of Dillard. The S & E RR operated from 1902 - 1929. It's financial books were closed in 1934 along with the Furnace Company's. Frisco still used a short section of the Sligo Branch near Goltra Jct. for a few years. - At Viburnum the ICC RR owned a rail yard where cord wood was stored; stacked back to what is the football field today. ). Bangert to DeCamp always follow the ridgelines. . Bangert 1st long branch goes nnw to blue knob mountain, Then w to clinton ( to now hwy 68) Then n to winkler mine, ( now hwy 68) Next n to smith's mine, ( now hwy 68) Then n passing by asher cemetary ( now hwy 68) Then (departs hwy 68) follows ridge ~ 1.5 miles to the north and returns to (now hwy 68) Goes for ~ 1.5 miles north. Next turns westward on decamp road Westard to decamp mine. Bangert Decamp Decamp Abandoned 1934 Bangert condrary Howes sta. to plank 1874/1879 Plank iron bank branch, Howe's to plank iron bank Condrary branch, Bangert to condrary Salem (sse) to riverside mine Salem (sw) to mines Cherry valley branch, Sankey to cherry valley Other branches Send me separeate conversations with just A few questions on each and put on other addressees On each coversation. i recommend addresses: Wpmorelad719 for salem branch Jesse henry for leadline Me for all Pick two others on each new coversaions MY ANSWERS WILL BE IN BOLD TYPING THEM BEHIND EACH OF YOUR QUESTIONS IN EACH NEW CONNERSATION. YOUR Discussion in 'Salem Branch' etc started by Explorer Chris, Mar 26, 2015.
I have been up that line many times working several machines. That would have been in the mid 70's. I don't recall any evidence of a wye or any where an old one could have been. I didn't make it all the way to Salem, other wise I covered it all and down close to the mine.
Little bit late to the party here, but the settlement or village of Boscobel in Dent County was in this cradle if you will. There was a short spur here, with a west connection that shows up on a 1950 topographic map. However, no wye is shown. The village of McKenzie was just east (geographically north) of here, but again, no indication of a wye or even a siding or spur at the latter location. I use Historicaerials.com to view aerial photos of the area, as well as topographic maps. I used the 1984 aerial viewer to confirm that the branch was still in use that year, as evidenced by a few cars spotted at the end of the line in Salem. Pat Moreland Wesco, Missouri
Very late to this conversation, but this Time Table from The Salem Monitor on May 15th, 1875 shows Benton Creek, at the right location for this spur to be located. Picture attached below:
Note there was a train turning at "Bent n Creek" (the "o" didn't survive somehow): No. 3 arrived at 12:00 and left as No 4 at 12:45. Operating logic at the time meant it was highly likely there was a means to turn the engine. Seldom would a line in the 1870s run tender first for any significant distance. To me, that lends credence to the supposed wye at that location. Just sayin'.
More references from the Salem Monitor to a switch at “Benton Creek”. At the northern terminus of this wye was an iron bank known as Benton Creek Iron Mine. I’d say this confirms the wye at this location. Newsclippings below:
Wilson's MO, Wilson's Mill, became _Boaz?__for a short time, then renamed as Wesco when electric service [ or telephone service] came
