SD45 in Union Today

Discussion in 'General' started by wpmoreland719, Apr 22, 2010.

  1. PAC MAN

    PAC MAN Member

    Thanks Pat. At least there is some of the old Rock to hold onto hope with. Even though trains gave it up some time ago the remnants are still interesting to see and find. I have read stories of the last trains on the Rock derailing on the bad ties around several towns there. I enjoyed seeing the old crossbucks in Eldon along with the depot (complete with several free paint jobs). Wish I had the money to do it I would rehab the line myself. That bridge over the Gasconade is really impressive. Hope the steel holds up for a long time. For such a round about line it sure did have some good engineering with the large steel bridges and unique tunnels to hold the grade down. If they can just keep ownership or railbank the line so that it will be available for a rehab if needed that would be great compared to some of the fates other lines have had. Have been to Freeburg a couple of times but no time to go see the old tunnel that runs under the town there. So many neat things to see on the line. Willow Springs has a Coastal Energy business here now and they have had to put in a 4 track facility to keep up with all of the tank cars there now. It isn't exactly where the old Current River Line took off from the main but it is good to see that the potential is there for something new and rail worthy to pop up in Gerald or Versailles for example. Keep the faith...it could happen! Then we could discuss paint jobs for the locomotives in a snappy maroon, red/yellow or even blue/white scheme.
     
  2. dricketts

    dricketts Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I've heard rumors that retired UP execs still own most of the right of way between KC and STL. Hoping to cash in someday if the demand for high speed passenger rail ever comes knocking at their door.
     
  3. wpmoreland719

    wpmoreland719 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    The line is owned by Ameren Union Electric and is known as the Central Midland Railway. Ameren bought the line in 1999 as a bargaining tool in the event that Union Pacific raised their coal shipping rates for the plant at Labadie, which UP was considering doing around that time. Ameren threatened to rehabilitate the entire line and haul the coal themselves if they failed to reach to an agreement with UP. Of course, UP conceded and the line remains dormant.

    The State of Missouri has been seeking to take over the line from Kansas City to Belle as a settlement with Ameren over the 2005 Taum Sauk dam failure, which ruined Johnson Shut-Ins State Park. The intention is to make a connection with the Katy Trail into Kansas City. Ameren has not wanted to relinquish the line, but I talked with one of the CMR locomotive engineers about a month ago and he told me that the deal is essentially done. Hate to say it, but any chance of train crossing the state over it again is probably gone and a hiking/biking trail is likely what the future holds. The conversion will have some benefits in that it's a very scenic line with four tunnels and two spectacular bridges that are currently inaccessible from public property.

    Pat Moreland,
    Union Mo.
     
  4. Morailfan

    Morailfan Member

    It warms my heart to see so many people interested in the old Rock Island line. It seems that the older this line grows, the more curiosity it attracts; the more lore and mystery it exudes. At some point I wonder, if today the life of this old road lives more in memory or imagination. Enigmas like the St. Louis line are somehow both tragic and romantic, yet despite their decay, or perhaps because of it, they animate a meaningful and human story of triumph and loss. Everyone has heard of the great empires of Rome, Greece or Persia, but how many of the Rock Island or Milwaukee Road? It's nice to see that somewhere still, the history of this line is being whispered, whether it be recollection or legend. :)

    In any case, I've been an admirer of the route long enough to have made myself familiar with a great deal of it. This includes both taking and collecting photographs wherever they might be found. Here are some I'm sure you all will enjoy.

    -Best Wishes,
    Brian Daniel


    (Of course, these photographs belong to their respective owners.)

    1. A westbound local freight at HWY 19, just east of Owensville. (1975)
    2. Track scene from the early years. View east at MP 138.8.
    3. #74 at Meta, MP 134.4. (June 1975)
    4. Eastbound exits Tunnel #1 at Freeburg (MP118.3) with 54 cars. (April 1975)
    5. #74 eastbound at Labadie, MP 46.0 (June 1972)
    6. Eastbound #74 exiting Tunnel #3 at Eugune. (1975)
    7. Construction of the Osage River bridge. (ca. 1902-03)
    8. A westbound crosses the Osage River. (1975)
    9. Crew change at Eldon for eastbound #74 with 81 cars. (1975)
    10. Westbound #73 at Eldon. (1975)
    11. The Jewel of the line: The Gasconade bridge with an eastbound daily freight. MP114.6 (Feb. 1975)
    12. Mile Post 134 still stands just east of Meta. Mainline in background. (Photo: 2009)
    13. This 1975 vintage 'ROCK' hopper car was brand new when it slid into the ditch at MP 138.6 and was never recovered. (photo: 2010)
    14. Traveling companion at MP 137.9. (photo: 2010)

    1. Rock Island_Owensville_1975.jpg 2. RockIsland MP 138.8.jpg 3. Screen shot 2013-02-09 at 9.25.35PM.jpg 4. Screen shot 2013-02-09 at 9.26.42PM.jpg 5. Screen shot 2013-02-09 at 9.28.48PM.jpg 6. Screen shot 2013-02-09 at 9.31.55PM.jpg 7. henley01.jpg 8. Screen shot 2013-02-09 at 9.32.08PM.jpg 9. Screen shot 2013-02-09 at 9.32.23PM.jpg 10. Screen shot 2013-02-09 at 9.32.33PM.jpg 11. Gasconade-River-RI-74-2-28-75-M-Nelson.jpg 12. R1-24.jpg 13. R1-25.jpg 14. R1-22.jpg
     
  5. PAC MAN

    PAC MAN Member

    How cool is that. Those photo's are awesome! I cannot believe that hopper is still there. I need to go see that one. I had visited the tunnel at Eugene several years back (or at least tried to). Not sure it is easy to get to though. Looked a little overgrown at the time. Would rather see the line made into a public transit line instead of a trail...but will still be fun to walk it when the trail is finished. Wonder if they will go across the big bridges at the Osage and Gasconade?
     
    mountaincreekar likes this.
  6. Brad Slone

    Brad Slone Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Brian,

    The pictures are really great to see, it's hard to find action shots of the line. I was able to ride with the crew that buried fiber optic conduit along the line for a day back in 1995 heading west out of Meta. It was quite a sight, a mile or two west of the hopper were the line runs parallel with the Osage river prior to crossing there is 4 or 5 boxcars still laying in the river bed. I was told at the time by the folks in charge that if the mainline rails were ever removed that the right of way would revert back to the original land owners and since it was a valuable corridor for telecomm and other utilities between StL & KC that regardless of the condition the rails would never be removed. Don't know if there is any truth to the story or not but thought I would share.

    Brad Slone
     
    mountaincreekar likes this.
  7. wpmoreland719

    wpmoreland719 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Thanks so much, Brian, for sharing your photos. I know that with this thread we have strayed from the Frisco, but I think that raising awareness about it to all railfans will undoubtedly contribute to the memory of the line. One connection (literally) between the Rock's St. Louis Sub and the Frisco is that the Frisco's Eastern Division was supposed to join with this line at their respective stations of Moselle and Villa Ridge. A roadbed running parallel to the Bourbeuse River was constructed, but track was never laid down. I suspect that this connecting line was proposed during the time that the Rock Island controlled the Frisco. You can see the roadbed from Old Hwy 66 at the Twin Bridges. I took some photos of the grade if anyone is interested in seeing them.

    I too visited the old blue hopper car about two years ago and took along my camera, only to discover that I had forgotten the disk once I reached it. I believe that the car was abandoned after a large derailment in 1978. Prior to that, I put my jet ski in the Osage River at Bat Cave (yes, it's really called that) and rode downstream under the magnificent bridge to the discarded freight cars that were lined along the bank for erosion control in the 1960's. I managed quite a few photos on this trip.

    Just a note: During it's history, there were five accidents on the line that were significant enough to be investigated by the ICC (1923, 1929, 1935, 1945, and 1970). The 1923 and 1970 incidents occurred here in Union. All of them can be found on the ICC Historical Accident Report database and are good reading.

    Pat Moreland,
    Union Mo.
     
    mountaincreekar likes this.
  8. PAC MAN

    PAC MAN Member

    Those bridge shots (8 & 11) are the cats meow. Can't believe I haven't seen them before. I think it is just west of Eldon, there is a substantial steel bridge there. But nothing like the other two. I hope that what ever artifacts are salvaged from the line are taken care of and don't just get thrown into a scrap pile. Even though it wasn't the first or quickest route across the state, I would argue that it was THE most interesting by far. The tunnels were unique, the bridges were spectacular and the scenery was awesome. Wish the Frisco had retained ownership of the ROCK. They don't make'em like that anymore!
     
    mountaincreekar and Joe Lovett like this.
  9. Brad Slone

    Brad Slone Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Not really Frisco related, but I heard today that Ameren has sold the line west of Beaufort to Pleasant Hill to a rail to trails group.

    Brad Slone
     
  10. wpmoreland719

    wpmoreland719 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    We at the Central Midland have been somewhat nervously waiting to hear who purchased the railroad. I read the same thing that you probably did on the 'net a few days ago. Progressive Rail, which owns the CMR, was wishing to purchase the active portion of the line, as well as the unused portion between Mile Post 71 and Owensville, while a couple of different salvage companies were looking at purchasing the entire line and leasing the active portion. Union Pacific still owns the segment between Rock Island Jct. near Mile Post 11 to Mile Post 19, and leases it to Progressive Rail/CMR. We still don't know if our parent company (PGR) was the successful bidder for the section between MP 19 and MP 71, but we do know that Ameren has been very pleased with the service that we have provided to their plant in Labadie, and hopefully that counts for something.

    Pat Moreland,
    Union Mo.
     
    mountaincreekar and Joe Lovett like this.
  11. RogerRT

    RogerRT Staff Member Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    FYI they are taking up the tracks from Brickyard Rd. (Vale) to Jefferson St. in Lee's Summit...Here is a photo of the Vale Tunnel I took last Wednesday...Roger

    rsz_1022.jpg
     
    mountaincreekar likes this.
  12. I have a friend that lives out from Jerold and his acreage
    backs up on the railroad's ROW. He saw men working on it in
    ~ 2007.
     

Share This Page