Hello there! I’m a 22 year old from Salem, Missouri and I’ve been researching the Salem Branch for the last few months. I’ve gone out and hiked many miles of old rail across Dent and Crawford County this winter. I’ve found an interesting story about the first train into Salem. Apparently, it was known as Frisco Engine No. 1, and was a wood-burning engine, but is also referred to as steam in some accounts (I’m new to railroad research and a tad confused.) Engine No. 1 sat on an old siding outside Steelville for 14 years after it was condemned, until Frisco restored it for the 1904 World’s Fair. They wanted to show how far they had come since Engine No. 1. I’ve searched hundreds of World’s Fair photos with no success in finding the engine. Does anyone know more about Engine No. 1? With it being restored as a historic piece over 100 years ago, I would think it would be preserved then on, but I can’t find anything about it. I’m attaching 2 news articles from 1903 below, regarding the engine’s restoration for the 1904 World’s Fair.
I do not have records of the motive power for the St. Louis, Salem, and Little Rock (which name, like that of the Frisco itself, was much more ambitious than reality would allow), but I can help clear up one point. The engine was no doubt a steam engine, but all steam engines had to create heat to turn water into steam (the energy of which was used to push the cylinders to make the engine move). Generally, steam engines used one of three fuels to create that heat: wood, coal, or oil. Wood burners were common in the early days of railroading, especially where wood was plentiful. Coal and oil took over for a number of reasons, including scarcity of wood, energy content, and ease of handling on an industrial scale. Where wood hung on as a fuel was backwoods railroading in forested areas (many lumber-hauling roads, for example), but it was generally a novelty long before steam was replaced almost universally.
Wood, coal, oil: Areas that were devoid of readily available coal hung on to wood longer than the norm. Think: Northern California, Oregon and Washington state. They had wood burning locomotives into the 1880s. Same with New England: LOTS of wood burning locomotives into the mid-1880s or later.
A check of several early rosters, fails to provide any direct evidence of StLS&LR number one. An 1883 Missouri State Board of Equalization railroad valuation document does indicate that the railroad had 5 locomotives units roster. I can find four of those locomotives in the 1898 roster: During previous examination of the original Frisco rosters, I have become suspicious of some of the build dates and builders. In the case StLS&LR engines, the spread of the builder’s numbers might be considered too large. According to the Nat’l Bureau of Economic Research, during 1873, BLW produced fewer than 400 locomotives, so I am inclined to believe that the StLS&LR purchased these locomotives second-hand. After the Memphis Road merger, the Frisco retired locomotives 2, 3, and 4. The Frisco retained and renumbered the ten-wheeler; the Frisco scrapped the ancient locomotive during the mass extinction of 1914-1916. The news story about the “Number 1” also appeared in the Ft Scott, KS paper. Based on this report, we can assume that “Number 1” was built for a Wabash antecedent circa 1851, it was likely a 12 ton 4-4-0, and retired circa 1889. The local Springfield papers were usually pretty good with regard to the comings and goings at the Springfield Shops, so I am surprised that I haven’t been able to find anything further. The Frisco - Rock Island System did have a pavilion at the 1904 World’s Fair, so if the shops had completed “Number 1’s” restoration, the story should have made the local papers. At present I am inclined to believe that the “Number 1” was too far gone, and the project was abandoned. I hope further research proves me to be wrong. Here is one last wild-assed-guess. A Springfield realtor administers FB Group dedicated to Springfield MO, and from time to time, he posts some early Frisco images. Here is a link to an image of a very old locomotive. The old wagon-top boiler and the scalloped driver counterweights point to something that may antedate 1870. Is this the “Number 1”? Who knows, but I have yet to discern the heritage of this locomotive. Meanwhile, I await the delivery of some Wabash rosters. https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.ne...XIv0SQ1Fhjkwc09zJ-Hu4jGmbaYqp4mCA&oe=63F61C1B Post Script: As I looked through 1903-1904 newspaper articles, I came across several that reported that the extension to Little Rock was a certainty.
This is extremely intriguing! Thank you for digging so deep. This story has fascinated me recently, and I want to know more. To make the research more confusing, here is an excerpt from The Salem Post in 1937: World’s Fair? Smithsonian? This engine has allegedly been on a journey! As for the certainty of the line arriving in Little Rock, it is still a sore subject in little Salem, even all these years later. Many history books about Salem and Dent County allege that the entire idea of making it to Little Rock was a lie to get the area on board, so they could access our iron deposits. Salemites were burned further when the Salem, Winona, and Little Rock Railroad promised to make it to Salem by 1908, and the Missouri Southern Railroad intended to make it here before the end of 1907. Men from Salem donated time and built a massive interchange for the 2 railroads to cross Southeast of Salem. Neither railroad kept their promise. Salemites today often feel that the reason Salem never prospered is because we never got any of the 3 through railroads that we were promised, and we’ve always been “end of the line.”
locomotive #1? Construction for the Salem Branch started at Cuba in 1871. At that date it was the South Pacific RR of Missouri passing through Cuba. Looking for Locomotive #1 should start looking for with information in ~ 1873 when the Salem Branch construction ended andwhen #1 arrived. This Salem Depot "photo shoot" shows two new looking locomotives ~1890. The St L S & L R rr reorganized in 1887 to be the St. L S & Ark. Karl's lcomotive list showed that the four St. L S & L R locomotives were retired from service in 1901. So, yes, the two new looking locomotives were truely "new". Everyone was all possed and had nice clothing. A "photo shoot". The new locomotives likely put the reorganized railroad in a sure financial position. Some years later, the minutes of the Board of Directors meeting show that the St. L S & Ark was negociating some track rights to the SL-SF. The Frisco was bringing chunch coal and iron ore in to the Sligo Furnance. The local mines alone could not keep up with needs required for continuous furnance operations. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/44...peg?odnHeight=2000&odnWidth=2000&odnBg=FFFFFF
Lots of good links and a great picture. As one that has studied thousands of 19th century railroad photos, I would suggest that the locomotives appear to be much later than the dated 1873. First, they have air pumps. Air pumps were not adapted until the early-mid 1880s for most roads. Second, they both have extended smoke boxes that was becoming standard in the early-mid 1880s and older engines were being retrofitted with extended smoke boxes. Third, they are equipped with and smooth steam/sand domes, which began to appear in earnest in the mid-late 1880s. Lastly, the stacks are straight without "caps". Straight stacks w/o caps began to be used in the late 1880s. All of these features suggest this photo was taken in the very late 1880s or even the 1890s. (1890s is more likely.) Here are some examples to illustrate what I'm explaining. First up is a builder's picture of a Frisco Baldwin 2-8-0 built in 1881: Note the above engine has NO air pump (trains had handbrakes only), equipped with ornate fluted domes, short smoke box, a diamond stack, and doesn't even have water injectors (uses a cross head water pump). Now, here's a Frisco Cooke engine delivered in 1884. Note how quickly appliances and fittings were being instituted during the early-mid 1880s: Note that in 3 short years the engines are being delivered with air pumps, siphon injectors, extended smoke boxes, and capped stacks. I don't have a Frisco example of the builders art for the late 1880s, but here's a Colorado Midland engine built in 1886: Note on the above CM engine: Air pump, siphon injectors, smooth domes, extended smoke box, and capped stack. Lastly, to illustrate looks of engines by the 1890s, here's a look at a Frisco 4-4-0 taken on the south side of Backbone Tunnel near Jenson, AR in 1890. The "spotting" features of the tunnel pic engine are pretty much dead matches for the above Salem picture. I realize that most here have none, or only a passing, interest in 19th century railroading from the 1850s on up to 1900, but I dig it tremendously, thus I've inadvertently learned a smidge about such railroading in the 3-4 decades I've been interested in it. Hope I didn't bore you!
A minor point I need to clarify: There is a difference between a long smoke box and an extended smoke box. I used the term "extended smoke box" generically, which is technically incorrect. If the locomotive came from the factory with a long smoke box, it's just that: A long smoke box. IF it was extended after delivery at the railroad's shops: It's an extended smoke box. Difference being a double row of rivets around the circumference of the smoke box can be seen where the extension to the original short smoke box was attached. See the above pic of #32 at Jenson Tunnel and you can see the double rows of rivets I speak of. Clear as mud?
Crystal clear, Andre, and good info all around! I, too, have a passing interest in that era, and, though I have never taken the time to put all those changes together like you have, I understand exactly what you are saying. If only we had more early engines and rolling stock available. I once tried to put together an even older ACW RR, but the choices in O scale were either ridiculously expensive brass or living with AHM 1870s/'80s engines and kit-built or scratch built rolling stock. I'm not against the kits--I actually built a fair number of them--but the problem at the time of figures and so forth was pretty much intractable. Now, with 3D printing . . . NO, stop it, Steve: you have too much to do as it is
Photo posted on Facebook today by Cordell Webb. This is the Salem Turntable, being operated manually. I hadn’t seen this photo before, but this engine fits the description much better. Unfortunately, the Frisco logo is present, which means this photo has to be post 1898, when Frisco purchased the Salem Branch.
Post 1898: Yup. Right you are. Headlight and other details suggests much later. EDIT: For what it's worth, that's the same class of engine that the Frisco leased to the Black Mountain & Easter/Combs Cass & Eastern. Also the same heredity as the Frisco (former Frisco?) engine that operated on the Cassville & Exeter.
Jacob, that is a great picture! Has the coon skin logo. Coon skins started ~ 1900 on documents and by ~1904 (not 2004 my typo) on everything [asssuming that ment all locomotives and rolling stock]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As Karl says.. The search for StLS&LR number 1 has gone off the rails and into the ditch. He is correct. In forums that routinely happens. Someone can try to address that. Others do not always comply. When your Salem Branch research guys see something they are going to jump on it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Another pic also we would like to date shows the turn table & water tower. picture#2 It also shows passenger railcars. That may help to date that picture. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the 1st picture, the coon-skin Frisco logo on the locomotive is also on the box car which has steel [thin iron?] pressed end plates was after 1904. The logo story: [ The Frisco logo story 1900 - 1904 https://thelibrary.org/lochist/frisco/history/1962history.cfm ]. 3rd locomotive with the coon skin. This picture#3 is after 1904 Ghost turntable and shed were 1 mile north of the depot. What does that look like today? More Salem railway photos; http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/salem-mo.425/ Your research group will like these too. Salem depot 1956 http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?attachments/frisco-depot-salem-mo-1956-jpg.2519/ #4 pic shows the turnable ad shed picture#4 Hard to date? More for the research team.
As Karl said later on Feb 4th. He is correct. The search for StLS&LR number 1 has gone off the rails and into the ditch.... In forums that happens routinely. Others may not comply. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That happens quite often. Others may not comply. [/QUOTE] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, me being a 19th century junkie, I would be highly interested in what a line such as the St. Louis, Salem, & Little Rock originally used for power, If I'm recalling correctly, the StL S & LR came into being in the late 1870s, correct? That so, it ought have had a truly interesting engine No 1: Either a nice new one with a snazzy paint job (things had settled down in the paint departments A LOT by the end of the Civil War), or an older engine that has been refurbished and sold to them. EDIT: Back to the StL&LR: It would have been interesting the route they intended to take to reach Little Rock. There's some pretty serious mountainage down that way! Either way, it ought to date to the 1870s and thus would be a truly handsome machine. I'm hoping for the best. IF one could know the builder of No. 1 it might help narrow the search. As an example of an engine from the mid-late 1870s, here's an engine built for the Little Rock & Fort Smith in about 1876. Snazzy paint scheme, but no longer were engines shipped with murals and/or portraits painted on the tenders/etc. The LR&FS engine certainly qualifies as a handsome engine!
I have been searching the Smithsonian, so far the only thing I have found was described as a small miniature locomotive train giving rides to folks at the fair next to the Ferris-wheel.
mountaincreekar here: Coon Skin logo s started ~ 1900 on documents and on everything by ~ 1904 [pardon my typo 2004]
