Gas Electric Motor Cars On The River Division

I am learning here that my community, Risco, MO, was served for several years by Frisco motorcars.

However, I am also running into a number of words new to me and I am not sure how the fit together.

Apparently the words gas-electric, doodlebug and bull moose all refer to motor cars.

Are the above words all describing the same motor car from the same manufacturer?

If so, was it GE, Electro-Motive or some other?

What type of motorcars did the Frisco operate?

General information would be helpful, but specific information about the River Division would be even better.

This information is all new to me and really transforms my perception of what powered trains through my community back in its passenger train days.

Almost all the older people here refer to the old passenger trains as the moose or bull moose which I now understand likely means it was a motor car.

But was there a particular type of motorcar that had the distinct whistle earning it the nickname bull moose?

Also I have never heard them refer to it as a doodlebug but will ask around now.

 

Here is a picture of a motorcar and freight train meeting at Tallipoosa, MO.

Note that the Frisco always spelled it Tallipoosa while the Post Office is Tallapoosa.

The photograph was made circa 1949, which would date it just prior to the end of passenger service along the Leachville Subdivision.

 

Starting on page 252 in Joe Collias book, Frisco Power, there are two different types of the motor cars.

The GE gas-electric motor cars had the rounded front end and the EMC built cars had the squared front end. The GE cars were numbered 2100 thru 2117. The EMC cars were numbered 2120 thru 2133.

You cannot make out the car number of the one at Tallapoosa in the photograph.

The motorman's cab was extended for increased visibility and also added a bulge on the right hand side of the cars.

All motor car operations ceased on November 8th 1953.

 

In 1949 when the photographer thought this picture was taken, Tallipoosa was on a route serviced by rail motor car service from Brooks Junction to Hayti.

As a side note of interest the Frisco was also running bus service between Kennett, Hayti and Caruthersville. Stops included Vanduser, Morehouse, Parma, Clarkton, Malden, Campbell and Kennett.

According to local papers along the route, the Campbell Citizen and Dunklin Democrat, the last run of Frisco trains No 881 and No 882, was Sunday, February 5, 1950.

The end of motorcar service also ended passenger service along this route.