Steam & Excursion > Frisco ugly ducklings-the Spot engines

After investing in 7 2-8-8-2s, Frisco decided that they weren't the answer.  Couple of years later, the idea of drag pullers arrived.   Frisco ordered 60 big 2-10-2s.
They could pull long trains and not too many years after delivery, they went through the Springfield shops and were fitted with Delta trailing trucks with booster and other changes and emerged looking different.
However, they had one huge fault.  The big heavy engine and the short drivers were serious rail pounders and they were limited to 30-35 MPH in order to stop damaging the track.  The carried this trait to the end.
All but two were out of service by 1940 and those two were overhauled for use on the new Ft. Leonard Wood branch.  The branch left the main line at Bundy Jct which was a couple miles west of Newburg and wound through the hills 20 miles to the new Army post.  It was built to mainline standards, signaled with passing tracks and was capable of handling the biggest Frisco power.  The longest straight stretch on the branch  was just a bit over a quarter mile, fills, trestles and cuts.  The contractor who built the branch said he'd rather build a railroad through the Rockies than do that again.  Amazingly, unlike today's world, the first train arrived at the Post six months after the first shovelful of dirt was turned!
the 19 and the 40 soon were in trouble for trying to straighten out curves and were sent to the grave not long after.  The branch was super busy during WWII.
During the mid thirties Frisco was seeking ways to move freight faster and the shops turned out 11 4-8-2s, 4300-4310 with new boilers, frames and utilizing as much as they could from the spot engines.  They used the steam domes which was stamped with the original Baldwin builder's number in order to claim the new nickle steel boiler was taxed as used.
Still needing more power, but funds were short, they utilized 23 of the spot engines to build the 4400-4422 BIG 4-8-2s.  The rest of the old drag engines were scrapped.
My Dad told the story of a trainload of them went through Newburg on the way to the scrapyard and the enginemen stood on the platform and cheered.  They hated those engines.
First picture is #5 sitting at Rolla with a caboose in 1917.  My Dad was fireman and is the big guy next to Mike Faber, the engineer.
#15 is pulling an endless freight up through Shrewsbury leaving Lindenwood in the mid 30s.
Roster shots continue the post in different variations.
BTW it is the 15th and I'm still here.  I got a PM saying some generous soul re-enlisted me.  Thank you whoever you are.

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The 20 was fitted with a Coffin feedwater heater.
Uglier yet, 22 sported an Elesco FWH
And the 45 is resting between helper assignments at Newburg,MO
Take notice that the 5 spot also has a Jacobs Shupert firebox.  It was replaced after a few year as was the other various engines on the Frisco which were so equipped.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/23 05:55 by Frisco1522.

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Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> BTW it is the 15th and I'm still here.  I got a
> PM saying some generous soul re-enlisted me. 
> Thank you whoever you are.

A big sigh of relief from many quarters, I'm sure.  Glad you're still here!

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

Interesting Don, I had never noticed 45 had been fitted with Walschaert valve gear.  Were any others?  Must not have made much difference or else 45 would have been a Ft. Leonard Wood engine.

Gordon

Glad you are staying. Really enjoy your steam posts.

Tom

MaryMcPherson Wrote:
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> Frisco1522 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > BTW it is the 15th and I'm still here.  I got
> a
> > PM saying some generous soul re-enlisted me. 
> > Thank you whoever you are.
>
> A big sigh of relief from many quarters, I'm
> sure.  Glad you're still here!

Yes indeed!!  ALL stinkbox haters are welcome in these parts.  Big thanks to your benefactor, and to you for accepting the "assignment" to stick around.

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

gbmott Wrote:
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> Interesting Don, I had never noticed 45 had been
> fitted with Walschaert valve gear.  Were any
> others?  Must not have made much difference or
> else 45 would have been a Ft. Leonard Wood
> engine.
>
> Gordon
I'll have to go through what pictures I have and see.  I noticed that too.

More fine images and information to go with them. Despite having read and often referred to Joe Collias' Frisco Power book, I had honestly completely forgotten about these engines. Thanks for the reminder about these "uglies". And wow, that Elesco feedwater heater grafted in behind the smokebox door of the 22 is one of the crazier applications of an appliance that I can recall seeing. Must have made the Elesco salesman happy, though.

Glad to see this post and to know you will still be with us. Good news for a pleasant Sunday in western Michigan, along with some of the very little sunshine we've had in weeks of dreary overcast. Knowing you'll be around now and then made the sunshine feel even better.

MC

Notice engine No 5 is sporting a train indicator number box similar to that found on Harriman Lines engines.
Any comments regarding this are appreciated---as well as the 'generous soul'. 

Charlie

On the Frisco back then it was just an engine number box, since they had that billboard on the tender.  I think that was gone in the early 20s.  I'm glad.

Wonderful stuff, 1522, and so cool to have your dad's photo there. Thank you!

That shot of #5 is a reminder of how some of the large power being built in the teens carried some of the styling of the previous generation of locomotives, much like the Southern MS1 Mikes that would look much better later in their careers.  A builder's photo of #4506 makes for a fine example.

A smokebox mounted bell would have greatly improved the appearance of these "ugly ducklings" even if they still would have been a pain in the backside for the crews.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/23 13:53 by MaryMcPherson.

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Great post.  Lots of great background history; wonderful photos!  

JB - Omaha