Steam & Excursion > Frisco 1522 Audio from 1995

In 1995 at the end of my junior year of high school the Frisco 1522 made a visit to eastern Nebraska. On Wednesday June 14th the locomotive ran a round trip excursion between Lincoln and Omaha on Burlington Northern's ex CB&Q lines between the two cities. The train left Lincoln and headed east to Ashland and followed the Platte River to Oreopolis and turned north to Omaha then back west along the "Omaha Line". My dad and uncle chased the train from Lincoln and I was able to join my dad in the chase at Ralston on the return half of the trip. For this trip the 1522 sported a whistle from a CB&Q engine.

What I have offered here are two audio recordings, the first from my dad and the other from my uncle, from the trip.

The first recording is from Ralston, NE as the 1522 and train climb the westbound grade from the Papillion Creek and cross 77th St. The train continues up the hill whistles under 84th St. and the last grade crossing is at 90th St. This recording is special in my heart as I grew up less than a mile from this location and this was the first time in my life that I saw steam on this line.

The second recording was made by my uncle in Greenwood, NE, about 15 miles east of Lincoln. I don't know how fast the train was traveling at this location, but the speed sure made the whistle scream as it went through town.

Please enjoy these offerings and turn up the volume.

Aaron

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shay2305 Wrote:
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> Please enjoy these offerings and turn up the
> volume.
>
> Aaron

Turned up the volume on my best headphones, sat back in the dark, and listened...with the greatest enjoyment. Indeed, several times. And there will be more replays to come.

The 1522 as I remember her. The sharp exhaust beats turning into a syncopated roar as she passes, like a rocket on rails. Not her usual, deeper-toned "steamboat" whistle was the Burlington whistle mounted for this trip, but still marvelous. And a fine hand on the whistle cord. Wonder who was running that day? Doesn't sound like our TO friend, Frisco 1522...but, I could be wrong, now with the haze of the years. Do you recall, Don?

I'd give about anything to have her running again. Thanks for the wonderful memories through these terrific recordings.

MC
Columbia, Missouri



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/13 22:12 by ironmtn.

Outstanding! I'm working on converting some old 630 and 4501 tapes from the 1970s to digital and will definitely post soon.

It wasn't me because I had to leave the trip for a few days and go back to work. I rejoined it in Galesburg. The first one sounds like Jeff Schmid's whistling. He may have been running on the high speed runby also. Would have been him or Wellie Lazier. I tended to "play" a little more on the Q whistle. It sure was different.

Fantastic audio!!! 1522 was a favorite and was able to chase it going home after Galesburg Railroad Days I believe that same year. Had that Q whistle on it and just loved it! I'd sure like a copy burned to a CD and with any other sounds you might have.

Roger Holmes

Aaron, Didn't know you were on TO! Really cool that you posted these recordings that your Dad and Uncle made. They've made so many cool recordings over the years. I was on that trip around the horn as the "Q" guys called it. I really miss that engine,no better stack talk.
Steve Jones

WOW! THAT was GORGEOUS!! That is one BEAUTIFUL
whistle! Those are SUPERB recordings! Thank you for
posting them here. Got any more? Maybe of her accelerating
from a stop, so those of us who never got to experience her
in person can her that awesome stack talk?

[thread drift!] BTW -- the most awesome stack talk I have
ever experienced was the UP 3985 back in 1995, from a
standing start, and I was right next to the cab. Wow!
(That was on the City of Portland 60th anniversary trip.)

BTW -- the most awesome stack talk I have
ever experienced was the UP 3985 back in 1995, from a
standing start, and I was right next to the cab. Wow!
(That was on the City of Portland 60th anniversary trip.)

Too bad you never heard 610 blast off with a heavy train and accelerating. The two loudest locomotives I've ever heard was 610 and 1522...

610 and 1522 are definitely talkers. I've never hear one of the Reading T1s in person but I'm told they were super loud also. I have heard Burlington O5s talk it up and they were no slouch.

If you go to youtube and search for Frisco 1522 Q, there is a short bit of video of her with the Q whistle on her way north to Hannibal.

Aaron, I was on this trip . The train roared through Greenwood westbound at passenger track speed ,79 mph, by my calculations from the vestibule. Jeff Schmidt was the engineer. What sound and what a ride !
The best to your fine family .... Kelly R. Martin

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> The first one sounds like Jeff
> Schmid's whistling. He may have been running on
> the high speed runby also.

Jeff always seemed to run the fastest. Those were good days. Just had lunch with him today - none of us are getting any younger!

UP951West Wrote:
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> Aaron, I was on this trip . The train roared
> through Greenwood westbound at passenger track
> speed ,79 mph, by my calculations from the
> vestibule. Jeff Schmidt was the engineer. What
> sound and what a ride !
> The best to your fine family .... Kelly R. Martin

I was also on the trip and with the Omaha Line trainmaster we calculated, west of Greenwood, Jeff hit 82 mph at that time the trainmaster said no one needs to know this, what a run will never forget.