Nostalgia & History > Frisco Friday: a trashy shot!

I don’t know precisely how many Bill Gibson pictures I scanned during my long & massive archiving project. It has to be in the low-to-mid thousands! But I can honestly say this B/W negative image is hands down the trashiest “WAG Sr” shot I ever worked with. Knowing his photographic traits as well as I do, I’m a bit shocked Bill would take a photo like this. I would have lost a heavy bet, thinking he would have passed this shot up on account of all the trash & litter strewn every which-way. Not to mention a virtual barrage of utility poles & wires.

In talking on the phone with Art I told him I considered editing all of the trash out of the image. But he beat me to the conclusion I had already come to: leave it all in! My reasoning was it would prevent me from also going after a couple of the more obnoxious wires running through the frame. His reasoning was the trash would give me something to write about. And that was because he was having trouble finding Bill’s photo-notes about the shot. Art did say he was sure this train was the KC-Florida Special, which was westbound leaving Springfield, MO. But it became an eastbound train between Ft Scott (KS) & Kansas City.

So, with tongue-firmly-in-cheek I’ll proclaim: “This will be THE trashiest Bill Gibson photo you’ll ever see here on TO.”

1. SL&SF 4-8-2 #4403 leads the “Kansas City ~ Florida Special” past the Kansas City Terminal Ry roundhouse area somewhere in the vicinity of SW Blvd in Kansas City, MO. Right ahead is Kansas City Union Station, the end of the run. Train # is unknown. Photo date: February 23, 1947.
Trashy photography by William A. Gibson (WAG) Sr
(…sorry Bill. I just couldn’t help myself… ;^)

Thanks for ignoring the trash!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Art Gibson (wag216)
count-down to rodney



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/23 03:05 by santafe199.

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4403 was one of the series that had the passenger striping which made an attractive engine.  The 4300s and 4400s that worked in passenger service in Kansas City had the sand domes altered to clear the train shed roofs.
Looks like the booster is cut in, Coffin FWH pump running and the engine down in the corner and working hard

Still a cool shot! I think of all the railroad trash in my backyard, lol.

Larry

Lance, there is some trash, probably where the laborers swept out the engines. I think that Bill was going for the amount of light, this looks like (to me) a great well lit shot especially down low on the wheels and bottom hardware that is usually not scene on steam locos. From what I cvould find, the engine is just about where the driveway is to get into the business park that is located there now, between 26th & 25th strrets on Southwest BLVD.  Neat picture all the way, KCRW287

Frisco employee TT from May 1, 1947 shows No. 106, Kansas City Florida Special, by Rosedale at 7:49 AM due into KCUS at 8:00 AM.

According to the same timetable, the direction of No. 106 between Springfield and Kansas City remained Northward on both the 
Ash Grove Sub., Springfield-Ft. Scott as well as the Kansas City Sub. from Ft Scott on into KC.

Charlie



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/20 22:32 by cewherry.

cewherry Wrote: > ... employee TT from May 1, 1947 shows No. 106 ......... remained Northward on both ...

Aha! Thanks, Charlie. Art was trying to pick his 7+ decade old memory. And this was all waaay before my time, so I can't complain. And it looks like our boy was close to, or right on time in the shot... :^)

Lance/199

Love the trash!   Railroads are usually awash with them so this would be something to try and model for someone(not me though).   Shots like this one add dimension to steam railroading glad you posted it.

That is what I call a "busy photo" and I like it.

Red over Red semaphores ?

Yup, absolute stop for an interlocking.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

LocoPilot750 Wrote:
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> Red over Red semaphores ?

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> Yup, absolute stop for an interlocking.

I saw those two blades at "Stop" position but Bill's photo appears to have cut off an upper blade that, based on the mighty show
of steam from the stack and various appurtenances, is allowing the 4403 to proceed. Victor's remarks that we are looking at an 
interlocking signal narrows the location down to either "KY Tower, Kan." or "Twenty-Ninth Street" two interlockings between Rosedale
and "K.C. Term. R.R. CR" interlocking at the throat of KCUS. 

Charlie

Good observatioin Charlie, it indeed could be a three-headed interlockiing signaling giving a green over red over red. But I don't know what kind of signaling the Terminal used. There don't appear to be any number tags on the signal, so it has to be an interlocking signal. Thinking again, the middle signal doesn't appeaer to have a motor like the bottom one, so, with it not moving from red, it has to have a top, third signal like you say.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/20 17:41 by wabash2800.

cewherry Wrote:
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> wabash2800 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yup, absolute stop for an interlocking.
>
> I saw those two blades at "Stop" position but
> Bill's photo appears to have cut off an upper
> blade that, based on the mighty show
> of steam from the stack and various appurtenances,
 
>
> Charlie

I agree that the uppermost blade has been cutoff in this photo as the vertical blade linkage parallel to the main mast appears cut in the photo.

Looks to me like this was more of a sudden surprise "grab" shot than a planned exposure since I doubt he would have deliberately let that pole block the view of the headlight.  In spite of the the cramped scene, it's a great shot.  Another observation: He must have gotten out of bed before breakfast that day to make it to Kansas City before 8 am, assuming the train was on time.  Ken Nagel



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/20 08:06 by kenN.