Western Railroad Discussion > Columbia Star Dinner Train

On Sunday November 4, I made the 63 mile drive west on I-70 to meet up with santafe199 in Columbia Missouri. The Columbia Star Dinner Train was doing some event for train enthusiast from Columbia to Centralia Missouri and back. The Columbia Terminal (COLT) railway currently operates this line and been operating it since October of 1987. This line has history of former railroads that have owned this 21 mile branch line, here are a few: Norfolk Southern, Norfolk & Western, Wabash exc. The COLT picks up it's railcars from Centralia that the Norfolk Southern had dropped off to serve a small power plant, refineries and a lumber yard in downtown Columbia. This was a fun, scenic and easy chase along this line with the Wabash painted F7A's looking great. Wish the weather could of been greater tho. Thanks for taking a look.

1: The COLT's former ATSF GP7u #2001 sits beside the Wabash painted F7A #1950 at COLT's home terminal in Columbia Missouri.

2: The small crowd boarding.

3: Wabash #1951 on the rear crossing over North Brown Station Rd after the 1:30p departure.

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4: CESX 1950 getting ready to pass over E Heller Rd near Columbia Missouri.

5: Anther view of CESX 1950 finding a break in the tree's along N Brown Station Rd near Columbia Missouri.

6: A view from the rear of CESX 1951 near Columbia Missouri.

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7: CESX 1950 creeps at a steady speed through the woods near N Brown Station Rd.

8: Another view of CESX 1950 getting ready to pass over a small driveway near Hallsville Missouri.

9: CESX 1950 about to cross over Norris Dr near Hallsville Missouri.

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10: CESX 1951 on the rear of this north bound train after crossing over Norris Dr. near Hallsville Missouri.

11: CESX 1950 passing over E Roberts Ln near Hallsville Missouri.

12: CESX 1950 working it's way up a small hill towards E Union Church Rd near Centralia Missouri.

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Nice shots Jeff, I plan to do that next time I am in La Plata.

Chris

13: CESX 1951 on the rear near E Union Church Rd as the train continues on north towards Centralia Missouri.

14: CESX 1951 is now the leader as it works it's way south towards Columbia while it passes over E Roberts Ln near Hallsville Missouri.

15: Another view of CESX 1950 crossing over N Davis Rd near Hallsville Missouri.

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Nice pix!

I really like that line, not the most scenic one ever, but not boring, either. Plenty of little curves and hills. I'm lucky enough to have made a pair of round trips over the entire length of the line on a Fairmont Motorcar. That was a fun day.

Pump

Great pix and a somewhat fun ride BUT the food is average at best and WAY too expensive for 2 people. The wife and I went for her birthday in August and dinner, a bottle of wine, and a FLOWER (one) on the table was over $200.00. I could just about walk faster that the train and after the sun went down (the train starts around 6pm), so did the scenery. It was fun for one time but I won't be going back and would not recommend the ride except for the most die-hard rail fan. Sorry all.

16: CESX 1951 heads south towards Columbia along N Browns Station Rd.

17: Another view of CESX 1951 as it continues on towards Columbia Missouri.

18: CESX 1951 continues on south at E Heller Rd near Columbia Missouri.

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19: CESX 1951 leads it's train into COLT's home terminal after a 2 and a half hour trip to Centalia and back at Columbia Missouri.

20: One last shot before we called it a day at Columbia Missouri. Thanks for taking a look.

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Both F's are former Great Northern F7's, one a freight unit and the other passenger that once pulled the Empire Builder!

Great pictures of an operation I really want to see (and experience) for myself. I need to stop thinking about it and just do it. Thinking June might be a good time for decent weather and longer days. And on the same trip cross over into Tennessee and ride the Tennessee Central passenger train out of Nashville (with a former NP North Coast Limited dome on it!)

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA

REAL nice!!!

OYW

Looks like a former SP articulated coach pair in the consist...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

There appear to be two sets of former-SP Articulated Chair Cars -- the pair coupled to unit 1950 is newer, 1939 or '41, and the pair coupled to unit 1951 was built in 1937 or '38. The older set appears to still have its original triple-bolster trucks under the vestibule ends, while the newer set has had those trucks replaced, likely while in SP service in the 1960s.

The older cars can be spotted by the equal-sized windows in the coach section. The newer cars had a shorter window near the vestibules because the cars were originally equipped with baggage elevators in that location, allowing outside Porter access for loading and unloading of passenger's luggage. SP plated them over in the 1960s when these cars were rebuilt with the smooth sides you see in the photos.

Nice pics! Any of the cars themselves? Always nice to see...

~ BZ



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/12 23:59 by Notch16.

Great job with this presentation! I can't wait to get back home and take a look at my results on the screen. You'll have to come visit the
Flint Hills this spring & become am honorary Kansas Gangster!

Gary Helling (shoptonfan) & I spent yesterday around Galesburg with solid rain. We shot #4 detouring around the south side of the yard with
biz car "Santa Fe" on the rear, but it was coupled on observation end first! Just the way the day went. Were going to tackle the Decatur area
today, and the forecast is for rain again all day. We'll just do the best we can...

Lance (form the "Land of Lincoln", Springfield, IL)

This train is (at least mostly) made up of the former Traverse City, MI dinner train operation.

Nice photos! Love the F units!
Photo #8 is gorgeous!

Notch16 Wrote:
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> There appear to be two sets of former-SP
> Articulated Chair Cars -- the pair coupled to unit
> 1950 is newer, 1939 or '41, and the pair coupled
> to unit 1951 was built in 1937 or '38. The older
> set appears to still have its original
> triple-bolster trucks under the vestibule ends,
> while the newer set has had those trucks replaced,
> likely while in SP service in the 1960s.
>
> The older cars can be spotted by the equal-sized
> windows in the coach section. The newer cars had a
> shorter window near the vestibules because the
> cars were originally equipped with baggage
> elevators in that location, allowing outside
> Porter access for loading and unloading of
> passenger's luggage. SP plated them over in the
> 1960s when these cars were rebuilt with the smooth
> sides you see in the photos.
>

Looking at the photos, that newer pair of articulated coaches (next to the 1950) may need some work on the side bearings or springs. They seem to have a pronounced lean compared to the other three cars. Must make pouring drinks interesting...

NZ

NebraskaZephyr Wrote:

>
> Looking at the photos, that newer pair of
> articulated coaches (next to the 1950) may need
> some work on the side bearings or springs. They
> seem to have a pronounced lean compared to the
> other three cars. Must make pouring drinks
> interesting...
>
> NZ


I was going to say the same...definitely a pronounced lean...