Sligo & Eastern #7 at Roulon, MO. Date unknown. Photo from St.James, MO. library. Copied by Pat Moreland.
My Grandfather, Hiney McGinnis, was the last Suoerintendent if the Sligo and Eastern Railroad and the Sligo Iron Works. He was once the Master Mechanic of Sligo and Eastern. I am interested in pictures of the Sligo and Eastern, especially the Shay locomotives. I believe there were 3 Shay locomotives made especially for the railroad. Does the St James Library have any more pictures of the Sligo opration and equipment?
There is a Shay website, http://www.shaylocomotives.com/ , that is second to none. Specs and dispositions of all three Sligo Furnace Shays are listed, and there is a photo of #4 or #6, which are identical. The locomotives are listed by serial number. SN 1744 -#4 SN 1929 -#6 SN 2883 -#7
Interesting! When I was a kid (1950's-1960's), we would vacation one or two times per summer at the "Old Mill Lodge" at Dillard, MO, on the Huzzah river. It was a great place - rustic mill, neat dam and mill pond, and great fishing and meals. I loved it. It is now a Missouri Historic Site, and the mill is still there. Just before you came into Dillard on MO-49, the road crossed a small creek along side of which ran the old road bed of, I assume, the Sligo & Eastern. You could still make out that it was a former railroad, obviously a narrow gauge. We would take a break from fishing and go on field trips into the Mark Twain Forest, including several visits to Sligo. MO. I recall a few ruins of the former Sligo Iron Works, and the slag piles, which I assume are still there. We would climb up on the slag piles - more times than not getting a bunch of chiggers in the process! I still have a piece of "Sligo Slag" around here somewhere. Good times. I'd like to learn more about the Sligo operation and the railroad. Does any one have suggestions for references? Ken |-|
I'm unaware of any comprehensive references on the SL&E; from my notes though, it was chartered as a standard gauge line in Aug 1902 and abandoned Nov 1929. Operations were over 33 miles, from a connection with the Frisco at Sligo to Bixby and beyond, to a point called East End. As of 1926 the Equipment Register states they had three locomotives; presumebly the Shays they bought from Lima (#4, 6, 7, built 1906, 1907, 1916). (which, of course, makes you wonder what nos. 1-3 and 5 were...) There was also a Davenport 2-6-0 listed as built for Sligo Furnace in Apr '05. Rick Morgan O'Fallon MO
Thanks - standard gauge. Interesting. I remember years ago (1980's) Tim Kubat did a seminar on the Sligo and other shortline roads in Missouri at one of the early Springfield RR meets. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend it. There also was a book I remember from my young days - "Pioneers of the Ozarks", by Leonard Broadfoot, that had some general comments on the Sligo Iron Works and the TT's in the area. I don't remember any details, however. Ken
Ken & Rick, Pioneers of the Ozarks, by Leonard Broadfoot, amazon.com/dp/B0007AYVBM?tag=sa-sym-new-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1 Hardcover $245.00
Charles, there is no mention of the word SHAY there, it is not current (from 2018) and not active; 1 originating post with no responses.
Leonard Broadfoot's classic book "Pioneers of the Ozarks" is a true classic! My very favorite place in Missouri, the Dillard Mill, is even featured, plus it featured local citizens of the Ozarks. We vacationed at the Old Mill Lodge (Dillard Mill) usually a couple of times each summer from when I was in grade school until well after I graduated from MSM. They were highlights of each year. Later on, I took my mom and dad down there to visit when my dad was afflicted with cancer. Been there several times since with my family. This is a meaningful place for me. The ROW for the Sligo railroad was still visible in Dillard when we first started our annual visits. Dillard Mill is now a Missouri Historical place. I'd like to buy a copy; hard to find. The St Louis County had a couple of copies which I checked out many, many times. Then once I went to cheek out a copy, only to be told they were no longer in the library collection as they were too worn out. Yikes! Ken
ref to Ken's "There also was a book I remember from my young days - "Pioneers of the Ozarks", by Leonard Broadfoot, that had some general comments on the Sligo Iron Works (furnace) and the TT's in the area. I don't remember any details, however". Ken ~~~~~~ Hi Ken, Keep watching Amazon Hardcover $245.00 is pricey, but it maybe worth it since you have so many great memories. Good luck brother, Charles
