Steam & Excursion > SLSF Saturday-A Mike makin time.

This was the first steam locomotive I actually ran.I was in 6th grade at the time. My Dad seemed to always catch what was called the "Pacific Switcher" during summer vacation season. It normally left Lindenwood mid day with a collection of empty hoppers and gons and ran extra out to Pacific, MO which was on the Meramec River and had numerous gravel pits which had loads of Meramec gravel waiting to be switched out with the empties.
My Mom drove me out to Pacific one day and soon Dad showed up with the train and I got on the engine. First move was to go out to the west side of Pacific and start with that gravel plant. There was also a wye there. I rode out there with him and it was time to come back. He told me to sit down and take us back to Pacific. I managed to start the train without breaking in two and carefully accelerated. Coming to a grade crossing, I blew a perfict crossing signal to the fireman's astonishment.
Pretty soon it was all over and we got back into Pacific and Mom and I started back on 66 for Maplewood. I was wired for a couple of days after this.
The photo was taken by Joe Collias in July of 51 as the train is crossing Leffingwell Ave in Kirkwood just about to cross the MP at Fairlawn where their Carondolet Branch crossed the Frisco.
4100s bore a resemblence with the 1500s as they were built concurrently with them and Both classes shared as many common items as possible. Smart move back in the 20s.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/25 16:20 by Frisco1522.

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Slick engine and nice story :-)

That is a very nice story and I'm glad that you got the chance to run a steam train.  You were a very lucky young fellow back then.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Great photo but even better story!
Bob

Don I am jealous as hell.  No doubt you got a real thrill out of that.

Fine photo and a neat story. The Pacific gravel pits were interesting, even later in diesel days. It must have been a lot of fun to do some switching there, and even more to handle the train. Lucky guy!  Thanks for another good one, D on.

MC

As a locomotive engineer learning to fire and run a steam engine is something I would like to do. Great story.

Regards

Posted from iPhone

On Sundays when Dad wasn't working or called, we would drive over to E. St. Louis, IL and check out roundhouses since there was still some steam left over there on the IC, NKP, Burlington and NYC.
One Sunday, we hit Madison roundhouse on the NKP. It was quiet and the hostler was getting ready to do his thing on an inbound 2-8-4. Dad and I talked to him and he seemed to be a wee bit tipsy. Upshot is I got to spot her for coal and water and on the cinder pit. The grand finale was running her on to the turntable and into the roundhouse.
Dad was right beside me in case I screwed up.
Those were good days. You could drive around over there without a military escort and nobody bothered you.