Since the Frisco serviced MPS power plants I was wondering if the Missouri Public Service had their own rolling stock such as coal hoppers. I've done quite an extensive search for them but haven't come up with anything. Any info would be appreciated.
IIRC, the coal was hauled from mines in NE Oklahoma to the plant in large off-white coal hoppers. It has the MPS name spelled out, plus the "Reddy Kilowatt" cartoon character on the carsides. The train was operated as the MPS northbound on the Cherokee and Afton Subs, and the XMP southbound. I got the train names from Afton station agent Eldon Rose (deceased), who also nicknamed the train the "White Hoppers", for obvious reasons. I believe the train originated at Catale on the Cherokee Sub. To my knowledge, there are no known models that accurately depict the prototype, but Model Die Casting did offer their Ortner rapid-discharge hoppers in MPS livery in HO. To build a proper car, it looks like a scratchbuilding job. I wish I had taken pictures of the White Hopper trains, but I seldom saw them and didn't carry a camera. But apparently someone did: here is a link to a pic or two ( not my pictures, so I'm just supplying the link)
Don Kaiser who has posted here recently may be a good person to ask about photos for those cars. Tom G.
Thanks for the info. I tried searching for MPS without the X and didn't come up with anything. After no luck I thought about making a fictional MPS hopper just so I could use the Reddy Killowatt logo. Looks like MPS had the same idea. I'm currently working on the MPS plant in Clinton, Mo for my v-scale route. I'm assuming these hoppers could have been seen there also.
Maybe something like this? http://www.ebay.com/itm/110853870229?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648
In the photos I have seen of the Missouri Public Service power plant in Clinton there were always the two-bay 55-ton AAR offset side hoppers, brown with the large black/white coonskin logo, parked in the siding. The same cars were often seen in the yard at Clinton and at the large coal mine at Harvey, MO a few miles NW of Clinton. I doubt the track on the High Line could support 80-100 ton coal cars, at least not for long. The "white car" train with Missouri Public Service Reddy Kilowatt cars that originated in Catale, OK on the SLSFwent to the Missouri Public Service power plant on the ATSF in Sibley, MO, east of Kansas City on the Missouri River. That being said, I plan on using several of the Reddy Kilowatt cars on my N scale layout to shuttle between the mine at Harvey and the power plant in Clinton. In my model railroad world the tracks have been upgraded to handle the heavier cars. Pretty sure my crews would get bored running a tri-weekly train between KC and Springfield if we followed history to the letter. Dale Rush
This may help - http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=408847 or not since it is probably too new for what you are looking for.
Very true. Wasn't the track north of Clinton to KC kept in better shape? Maybe seeing one of those hoppers might not have been to far out of the question. I think I'll have to do the same and skin one of those hoppers. I just love the idea of running some rolling stock with reddy kilowatt on the side. As far as the 55 ton hoppers that were actually used at the Clinton power plant... uslw.net has some that might be perfect for reskinning. What do you think? http://www.uslw.net/index.php/contacts/rolling-stock?view=product&id=356
Re: Missouri Public Service Power Plant I've got just the car! I picked this up years ago at a train show in Springfield, Missouri. The main reason I bought it was I used to live in Jefferson City in 1967-1968 and remembered the local weather (Lee Gordon) on KRCG 13 being brought to you by "Missouri Power and Light Company" with the skinny light bulb man as the logo for the company. ! George View attachment 18532
Re: Missouri Public Service Power Plant I wouldn't mind having one of those myself. Well here's my v-scale version I finished today. Just uploaded to the Trainz DLS. I spent a fair amount of time searching for the exact prototype model for reskinning but couldn't find one. I think this will do for now and be a nice addition to any v-scale route.
Re: Missouri Public Service Power Plant I like the vscale Missouri Public Service hopper! Is it available in N scale too? Back to a previous post you asked if the track on the Clinton Sub was kept in better shape on the KC-Clinton segment. Looks like the track was kept in about the same condition from Springfield-KC. The limiting factor appears to be in the weight limit on the bridges. Espically the bridges between Clinton and Weaubleau. I had heard the Osage River bridge at Osceola was the weak link in this segment. Maybe Karl or Charlie Dischinger knows the answer to this. From the 1971 System Timetable No.1 Bridge class of engines and derricks: Kansas City to Leeds Jct...........60 Leeds Jct. to Clinton................53.8 Clinton to Weaubleau................43.7 Weaubleau to Springfield Yard....53.8 Dale Rush
#3681 - Reddy Kilowatt Billboard Reddy Kilowatt is drawn as a stick figure whose body and limbs are made of "lightning-bolt" symbols and whose bulbous head has a light bulb for a nose and sockets for ears. Reddy was created at the Alabama Power Company by Ashton B. Collins Sr. and debuted March 11, 1926. Unfortunately it is seldom seen today. This is a limited production sign. Suitable for HO/O scales, Size: 4.5" tall x 4.8" wide #3681 $49.95 Hey Guys, Look what I found listed from Port Line Hobby Supplies. Don't know if it's still available as it says it is a limited production, but worth checking into anyway. It has a little history of Reddy Kilowatt with the ad. How cool would he look on top of a power plant with a string of MPS cars on the siding? George
Re: Missouri Public Service Power Plant Maximum gross car weights allowed on the Clinton Subdivision are listed as follows: Kansas City – Leeds Junction: 263,000 lbs; cars shorter than 40 feet are limited to 220,000 lbs Leeds Junction – Clinton: 220,000 lbs Clinton – Weaubleau: 177,000 lbs; cars with gross weight between 177,000 lbs and 220,000 lbs and longer than 40 feet may be handled if separated from locomotive and other cars (having gross weight between 177,000 lbs and 220,000 lbs) by at least one car with gross weight not exceeding 150,000 lbs. Trains handling any car with a gross weight in excess of 177,000 lbs shall be restricted to 10 mph over bridge D-114.7 (Osage River). Weaubleau – Springfield: 263,000 lbs; cars shorter than 40 feet are restricted to 220,000 lbs. Trains handling any car in excess of 220,000 lbs are restricted to 10 mph over bridge D165.8 (Sac River). It might be more accurate to say that the weight restriction placed on a particular segment had more to do with bridge capacity than it did with the degree of maintenance applied to a particular segment. I would argue that one could infer the track quality from the speed limit. Clinton Subdivision maximum speed limits were: 1969 Leeds Jct – Clinton: 35 mph Clinton – Bolivar: 30 mph Bolivar – Springfield: 40 mph 1975 Leeds Jct – Clinton: 35 mph Clinton – Bolivar: 30 mph Bolivar – Springfield: 35 mph The 40 mph limit between Springfield and Bolivar is the legacy of the track work that the Frisco performed to get Harry Truman to Bolivar for a Simon Bolivar Celebration during July 5, 1948. As traffic levels declined and maintenance deferred, the speed limit on this segment dropped. The difference maintenance level and gross weight capacity might also be demonstrated with a comparison of the Ozark Branch, which had a higher gross weight capacity than did the Clinton Sub (at least between Leeds Jct and Weaubleau). South of Kissick, the Ozark Branch retained its original 1883, 56 lbs rail, but yet heavier cars could be handled on the Ozark Brach than on the Clinton Sub. The 10 mph speed limit was a nod to the ancient rail, poor tie condition, poor surface, and poor line. The Clinton Sub had heavier rail and better tie condition, hence a higher speed limit, but the steel bridge over the Osage and the steel bridge over the Sac were never brought up to more modern standards, and therefore they limited gross-weight capacity. Kissick – Ozark: 263,000 lbs gross car weight Galloway – Ozark: Speed limit 10 mph
If anyone is interested, N Scale Supply has several N scale MPS hoppers (used) for sale: http://www.nscalesupply.com/pon/PreownedDetail.aspx?id=42739 Tom G.
There are four sets of these coal hoppers on eBay today (Athearn HO sets of 5 cars), if anyone is still looking.
