SLSF #2019, Cavalcade on #107-117, the Sunnyland, at Merriam, KS

Re: SLSF #2019 on #107, the Sunnyland, at Merriam, KS

This picture that Keith posted, shows how the combined train looked before it arrived at Ft. Scott and was slpit. Thanks Keith, very neat photos.

Tom G.

 

Re: SLSF #2019 on #107, the Sunnyland, at Merriam, KS

Some of the chat the other day was about how Ft. Scott would be a neat place to model, this is an example of an operation that could be included in a Ft. Scott layout.

Tom G.

 

Re: SLSF #2019 on #107, the Sunnyland, at Merriam, KS

Chris:

What would you like to know?

GS

 

Re: SLSF #2019 on #107, the Sunnyland, at Merriam, KS

Don't know if it's been discussed before, but going southbound from Kansas City (In the ca. 1950-56 period), tr. 103 was split off tr. 111 at Ft. Scott. Northbond, tr. 104 was combined at Ft. Scott with tr. 118. Later (After 1956) when trs. 103-104 were discontinued. The combinations were: trs. 107-117 and 108-118. As I understand it, the southbound combined train left KC and when it arrived at Ft. Scott, it was broken down into two trains. The reverse was performed on the northbounds 108 and 118.

Tom G.

 

Re: SLSF #2019 on #107-117, the Sunnyland, at Merriam, KS

Wow... I was six years old at the time that pic was taken. I do remember the crossings over in that area, but not many details.

Dad used to shop at a lumber company in Merriam that was right on that line and received rail service. I recall watching the trains go by when he was over picking up lumber for another project. Used to be SOOO disappointed when the oncoming train proved to be a passenger train... it went by too quickly! (Freights took longer and were more interesting to me at the time.) Man those passenger trains used to click by at amazing speeds for such suburban track.

Thank for sharing the pic!

Andre

 

Re: SLSF #2019 on #107, the Sunnyland, at Merriam, KS

This is pure speculation, but my guess is that the locomotive, first two cars and last two cars had arrived Fort Scott as train 118 while the middle three had been 104. My basis for saying this is that 118 arrived Fort Scott ten minutes ahead of 104, so I assume that it was then split apart so that upon its arrival, 104's locomotive would cut off and its train inserted between the two halves of 118. Whether this was done by the road crews or by a switch engine I have no idea. Each train would have had a baggage car and a baggage-RPO. Train 118 had a coach plus a Buffet-Parlor while 104 only had a coach. What is really interesting is that it was accomplished within ten minutes from 104's arrival -- something Amtrak would be totally incapable of doing today!

It's always nice when a photo is more than just the locomotive as, especially with passenger trains, the train itself often has a story to tell. Thanks for posting.

Gordon

 

It was long before this picture was taken, but the E-8s were originally delivered without the white stripes. It was determined that there was insufficient contrast between the red and gold and so the white outline of the gold was added. This shows clearly in some of the very early publicity shots.

Gordon

 

Without question the white outline was a huge improvement. I don't have readily available a photo of the early E-8's as delivered, but the overall impression was not nearly so striking. I had never stopped to look at whether all of the E-8's were originally delivered without stripes or not, so thanks for setting the record straight. I still think that it is a particularly attractive scheme, the names of famous horses just adding to its appeal. Several lasted well beyond the end of Frisco passenger service, so it's really too bad that none quite made it to the point of preservation. Nothing before or since the E-units sounded quite the same -- when I first went to work for the CB&Q in Chicago in 1968 I rode a commuter train home in the evening that got to my stop just in time for me to walk to the end of it and see the Denver Zephyr come barrelling through on center track at 75mph with three or four E-units in Run 8. If that sound didn't give you an adrenalin rush, I don't know what would (sorry Don, but steam was gone).

Gordon

 

There is a "Vanishing Vistas" color post card of a Frisco E8 outside of the EMD shop with gold stripes. Looking in the archives I found a photo of three units in Springfield with gold stripes. I was under the impression they had the white added at EMD, but at least three made it to Springfield without the white stripes.

John Sanders

 

John, I think there were more than three delivered without white stripes. In the group photo, it appears all those engines were two-unit sets. I believe 2006 through 2012 (Not sure if 2012 was the cut-off??) were originally delivered without the white outline stripes. Those units then had the stripes added later. 2013 (Again not sure of the cut-off??) through 2022 were delivered with stripes added at the factory. If you'll look closely at photos of 2006-2012, their stripes with the outlines added after the fact, look "fatter" for lack of a better word. To add further confusion, I think all the "Racehorses" had a complete full re-paint at least once before any simplifying and touch-ups began being added.

Tom G.