Nostalgia & History > WAG Wednesday: Bill shoots my Grandma’s Belle

I grew up in the 1960s knowing that my paternal grandmother loved riding trains. In a story I’ve told before my Dad had two sisters, one in Normal/Bloomington, IL and the other in Texarkana, AR. We would get up early in the morning here in Manhattan, KS to go down to the Union Pacific depot and put her on the train, undoubtedly train #10, the “City of St Louis”. She would ride to Kansas City and connect with either GM&O train #10, the motor car to Bloomington to visit my Aunt Maxine or KCS train #1, the “Southern Belle” to Texarkana to visit my Aunt Lila. Then as Amtrak became a reality she was left with only one option. And she hated flying...

But that childhood fascination with 2 trains I would never see with my own eyes, never left me. Funny how things turn out. Fast forward to adulthood, and that childhood train-nutness becomes a deeper and more refined thing called railfanning. Including the fact that I would meet and befriend an ever-growing circle of fellow railfan photographers & contacts. Because of my fortunate and deeply cherished friendship with the Gibsons, both Bill “WAG Sr” and Art “WAG Jr” I would get to see many RR scenes I was too young to see first hand. They were both out taking vital pictures while I was busy being born and later learning the three “Rs” in grade school. I was only in the 2nd grade when Bill shot a photo that would eventually show me what my Grandma’s Belle looked like. Thank you, Bill!

Just for kicks, here’s what my Grandma’s other regular form of RR transportation looked like in my formative years: ( https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4647888,4647888#msg-4647888 ).

1. KCS 26 leads train #1, the “Southern Belle” at Pittsburg, KS on November 10, 1962.
Photo by William A. Gibson (WAG) Sr.

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Art Gibson (wag216)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/19 05:31 by santafe199.

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Great story Lance. One has to love the human side of railroading whether it be the employees or the customers it served.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

As to 'Grandma's other....", I missed your original thread coming up exactly a year ago tomorrow but I am really glad 
I didn't miss the fine print today! A very nice piece of photo journalism.

The Official Guide of July 1958 shows westward #9 carded out of Bloomington, Illinois, Daily except Sunday at 8:00AM
for its 361.6 mile, 11:55  trip to Kansas City while eastward #10 departed KC at 7:15AM arriving at Bloomington at 6:45PM
again, Daily except Sunday. Quite a grueling schedule.  BTW the scheduled meeting point for 9 & 10 in this edition of  the ORG
was Bowling Green, MO, 39 miles east of Mexico.

An article covering GM&O's motor car trip across Illinois and Missouri appeared in the pages of, I believe, Model Railroader
back around the same time frame as your friend's trip. 

Charlie



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/19 12:15 by cewherry.

cewherry Wrote: > ... nice piece of photo journalism ...

Thank you Charlie, that's very much appreciated. About 6 years ago Art & I did a 4-part WAG Wednesday series called "Motoring Across Missouri". Here's a link to part #1, which should get you in the door for the other 3. First parts are in sharp B/W, and the finale in in COLOR. Pretty cool stuff, taken by Bill & Art on a special excursion with several NRHS friends & other members along. DO check it out:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3006886,3006886#msg-3006886

Lance/199
 

Enjoyed the story and great Belle shot.
Gary