Old Orchard, MO, Rolla Subdivision, MP 8.7

Neat! Thanks Rich. I remember wondering what the concrete foundation was back when Caroline and I were looking around the depot location. I didn't know about the smaller replacement structure then.

Now what we need is a picture of the small structure while it was still standing. The search never ends!

Ken

ps - Looks like BNSF needs to get some people out there to tap down some spikes on the second.

 

This is where I remember the small tan stone building standing. Before I44, the street crossed the tracks here and ran over to Laclede Station Rd. Holekamp lumber was on the east side of the tracks north of the crossing and on the other side of the street from Holekamp, there was a spur onto an elevated track where they dumped hopper cars of coal into trucks, etc.
I'm not sure I have a picture of it. May have it in a movie I shot of Dad westbound on Number 9 one late afternoon.

 

Don, in the pictures that Rich (pensive) posted, the concrete foundation lies within 50' of your red X. Here's a view from the north; the red arrow points to the northern corner of the concrete foundation.

 

OK another posting in the never ending quest for truth, justice and the American way. I managed a frame capture from the old 8MM movie I shot of my Dad on No. 1 or 9 going through Old Orchard.
As you can see in the foreground, the gates are down at the crossing and just past (east) of the crossing is the tan stone building. Holekamp Lumber is just across the tracks. I'm not sure what the small foundation is in the other views, but it looks too far east to be where this building is.
Sorry the quality isn't better.
I-44 came along and ruined a perfectly good scene.

 

Let's see how the movie plays out.

 

Wonderful video, Don! It's neat that you have these scenes from your Dad's career.

I'd guess it is #9, basis all the HW head end cars. I would also think #1 would be a longer train.

Roughly when was this movie taken? I'm trying to figure out if the two E8's (2115 plus another) are in the gold stripes sans white border scheme, or it that is duluxe gold stripes. Note the nose coonskin looks to be blue.

Ken

 

I'm thinking this is about 1961 because we didn't have a movie camera before then. My mind might be muddled on this too.

 

I think the Texas Special, #'s 1 & 2, ceased running from St Louis at the beginning of 1959, so if the movie was shot in 1961 it has to be The Meteor, #9.

I'm having trouble reading the number of the trailing unit.

Ken

 

I went online to a place called http://www.historicaerials.com/ and entered 7000 Fyler Ave, St. Louis, MO and clicked on 1958. Image isn't the clearest in the world, but you can work your way out the main line to Old Orchard. The small stone "depot" is still there as is Holekamp's, the coal spur and the road crossing. Using the measure tool on the site, it's 46' east of the street that crosses the tracks. About one car length.
The defense rests.

 

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Brings a tear to my eye - I loved that train. I rode #9 many a time back to Rolla between 1960 and 1964.

Don's 8mm movie dates from 1961. Maybe I was on the train that night!

K

 

Two more images:

 

Experiences on The Meteor, SLSF Train #9:

I rode #9 back from StL to Rolla probably 20-25 times during my years at MSM - Sept 1960 to May 1964, including the summer of 1963. I took two chemical engineering labs that summer, plus a "Diffy-Q" math course, so I could relax a bit at MSM my following senior year and go on a lot of interview trips to try to gain meaningful employment. It worked!

I usually rode #9 back to Rolla on a Sunday night after a weekend at home in StL. It left StL US at 6:00pm, arrived Rolla at 8:24pm. It was on time an amazing number of times - I don't ever remember it being seriously late when I rode it.

I bought my ticket at StL US from the huge, circular TRRA ticket counter the evening of the trip. I was never refused, though on Sunday nights the train was usually close to full. Lots of Miners going back to Rolla - I always saw freinds on the train. I usually traveled with a friend or two - we always tried to get a seat in the coach (I never understood why they had only one chair car), but about half the time, I had to sit in the chair/buffet/lounge. That was not a bad deal - many times we got a booth/table to sit in. One time, in a booth/table, I graded papers all the way back as I was a student teaching assistant that semester. Heck of a way to waste a Frisco train ride!

I never had a meal in the diner (I regret that, but I was always broke), but we usually bought at least a Coke from the diner or from the lounge. The sleepers were always behind the diner (coach and lounge car ahead of it), and a couple of times we walked through the diner to take a look at the sleepers. Each time, we were told to go back to our seat. Darn! But, usually, the train crew were nice folks. They enjoyed talking about the Frisco. I recall the diner was rarely very full - perhaps it filled up more so after 7:30-8:00pm.

After clearing the St Louis area, I often found an empty Dutch door and hung out there for the balance of the trip. It was always neat to hear the sounds of the E-units, and to watch the brake shoe sparks at night when we entered a curve. I also enjoyed waving at people from the train.

When we hit St James, I would usually go back and reclaim my seat. When we rolled by 1501 in Rolla, I would grab my bag and prepare to detrain. At the Rolla depot, I'd always walk up to the E's, compliment the engineer on the nice ride, and watch him leave town for the trip down to Newburg, then walk to my room.

Great memories! Thanks for the video Don.

Ken

 

Don, the movie is priceless. I've sat here, wondering if that is too strong of an adjective; however, I will leave it. A fully-streamlined passenger train, in color. Sincere thanks to you for sharing and to your father for filming. Tom, thanks for including the consist description, too.

Ken, the memories provide a lot more sentiment than I suspect I'll ever be able to provide in regard to traveling by air here or there.

Best Regards,