Western Railroad Discussion > ex-MP Switcher in KC's "Space Center" Caves

Earlier this week, I was turned onto this interesting switching operation in suburban KC by UPTRAIN, and with free time at my disposal, I knew I HAD to get out to shoot them.

Photo 1: This is Space Center Distribution's SW9 getting ready to start its day's work underground in Independence, MO.  Space Center is an underground complex in a former limestone mine with a network of man-made caves for storage of products.
 
Photo 2: The locomotive the former Missouri Pacific 9178, which was built in 6-1951. Eventually, it became 1240, before being retired by the UP in 1983.  I absolutely love the class lights on this thing, and in the video, you can see that they still use them underground.

Photo 3: Well, video, but here's a snippet of their operations.  I posted the full length, higher resolution video on the tube of you's.

- Jeff Carlson

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Here are three final shots of the unit working the Cham-Pagne yard in Independence.  This is at the east end of the Pixley Industrial Lead, which had previously been the MP River Sub's allignment, until it was rerouted to the north.  As was pointed out by Randy Volskay on Facebook, "It was becoming a hazard, getting trains through downtown Independence, when the automobile came on the scene. I'm wanting to say that trackage rights were obtained 1920-ish, but would have to look. The line was abandoned, past Pixley, in 1938 or 39, when the government obtained the land for the Lake City plant. They wanted the road bed, from Pixley, east, so they could bring the workers across Little Blue on the old railroad bridge. World War II was looming, so they were in a big hurry."

The Cham-Pagne Yard is switched out by UP's LMR-40, bringing cars in and out of here a few days per week.  Looking at these photos though, they could pretty well pass for MP photos from the late-70's/early-80's.  The unit has been repainted, but they kept it essentially as it was, and living in a cave has kept it in fantastic condition.

Enjoy!
- Jeff Carlson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/16 16:52 by bnsfsd70.

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These caves are amazing, we had a customer who had a huge printing facility underground with dock height
rail service. The offices and support areas looked just like a normal building front though in a cave and the
production facility was a series of large open areas with buttressed supports. The heating and cooling costs
were a fraction (as was the rent) of surface buildings.

Out

I bet!  When I was there on Monday, it was in the mid-90's outside, but in the caves, it was probably in the mid-upper 60's.  From what I've heard, the temperature under there generally hangs around those temps year round.

- Jeff

callum_out Wrote:
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> The heating and cooling costs
> were a fraction (as was the rent) of surface
> buildings.
>
> Out

Great shots of an obscure operation!  One minor correction, the River Sub was rerouted North of Independence, with a connection to the ATSF at Eton Jct.

Trivia note:  Paul Henning, creator of The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres, was born and raised in Independence.  Do ya think that may have influenced the naming of the mythical Pixley in the TV shows? <g>  We know that the Shady Rest Hotel was based on the real-life Burris Hotel in Eldon, MO, that was run by his wife's grandparents.

Got it.  My MP/"East side of KC" knowledge is sketchy, at best.

Thanks,
- Jeff 

mopac1978 Wrote:
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> Great shots of an obscure operation!  One minor
> correction, the River Sub was rerouted North of
> Independence, with a connection to the ATSF at
> Eton Jct.

Great, rare shots!  What does the loco look like on the side and how extensive is the underground trackage? What does the portal look like where the tracks enter the complex?

Well done, Jeff!!!  I used to drive by there every day when I worked in Liberty and lived in Blue Springs.  Now I'm 1200+ miles away, so these shots bring back good memories.

Tom Parisoff
Boylston, MA

railwaybaron Wrote:
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> Great, rare shots!  What does the loco look like
> on the side?

Well, I was using the long lens and the lighting wasn't terribly favorable to side shots but here's the best that I got.  Hope it helps!  Additionally, you can see more of its side if you check out the video.


railwaybaron Wrote:
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> how extensive is the underground trackage? What does the portal look like where the
> tracks enter the complex?

Honestly, I'm not entirely certain how complex the tracks are down there.  When I went in there, the unit went straight north for about a half mile or so before picking up its car and coming out.  Not wanting to miss shots outside, combined with not wanting to get lost down there, I didn't do too much exploring at that point.  So far as the portal goes, I'll leave that for my next visit.  You do drive right by it on one of the roads, but parking is a challenge by it.

Thanks a lot,
- Jeff Carlson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/16 19:52 by bnsfsd70.

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Glad I could help, Tom!  Do you happen to have any shots of the line in earlier days?

Thanks,
- Jeff

bn2310 Wrote:
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> Well done, Jeff!!!  I used to drive by there
> every day when I worked in Liberty and lived in
> Blue Springs.  Now I'm 1200+ miles away, so these
> shots bring back good memories.
>
> Tom Parisoff
> Boylston, MA

Very interesting Jeff!

USPS keeps their stamps down there

Great coverage Jeff.  I knew about the ATSF served caves in Turner (KCK), but I never knew about this operation.  Really cool.!

Need to make a trip out there.

Jeff N
Olathe

Jeff, What are the exhaust fumes like - do they have fans to draw them out?

Hmm...  Interesting. It makes sense, given the low temperature and humidity down there. 

- Jeff 

dan Wrote:
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> USPS keeps their stamps down there

It really wasn't bad at all.   They've got fans blowing all throughout the facility, and I'm sure there are plenty that go up and out as well, so I didn't really notice anything terribly bad when I was there.   Heck, there was a giant fan sitting directly next to the locomotive blowing the exhaust away too, so that definitely helped.

- Jeff 

dlh Wrote:
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> Jeff, What are the exhaust fumes like - do they
> have fans to draw them out?