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
Here are a few more of my primitive snapshots of Frisco power taken at Lindenwood Yard in St Louis from the yard end of the bridge over I-44. These pictures are all dated March, 1979. Lindenwood was assigned several of the new Frisco EMD SW1500s when they were first obtained in 1968/1969, replacing a bunch of old NW2s and VO powered Baldwin VO-1000s at Lindenwood. The SW1500s were the first new switchers purchased by the Frisco in many years. They were all capable of multiple unit (MU) control, and most often worked yards in pairs. A nice 3000 HP combination. They were also seen in transfer and hump service. Lindenwood was a flat yard, no hump here. The EMD SW1500 was a first class switcher. - SLSF 320 - Working the yard in MU paired with SLSF 322 o SLSF 322 - With its MU paired mate SLSF 320 o SLSF 331 - Working the yard in MU paired with SLSF 332 o SLSF 332 - With its MU paired mate SLSF 331. The yard office is the building you see at the right. Ken
