SLSF FRISCO Steam

South bound on the River Division.

 

I love seeing steam in cool weather. The smoke plume is so impressive! Especially if you can catch action in Fall colors, on a frosty day.



Boxcab E50

 

Bless you Russ. That's the good stuff all right.

Charlie

 

Yeah, W.W.II before the pipe lines were built and U Boats (not the GE ones) made water born tankers in the Gulf a risky proposition. Most oil tank trains ran from southwest to northeast, which begs the question, why was this train heading south? Could be empties I guess.

 

I forgot to ask- What is/was the "River Division?"



Boxcab E50

 

It was one of nine divisions that made up the St. Louis & San Fancisco RR. It ran from the high bluffs along the Mississippi River to the pancake-flat Bootheel region. It was made up of the St. Louis, Chaffee, Leachville and Jonesboro Subdivisions.

 

I have to agree with Charlie on this occasion. That is a good looking FRISCO locomotive

 

Yep, those were empties headed back South for more crude (or perhaps gasoline). Frisco was busy running unit trains like this (as was any railroad near the oil fields) during wartime- German U-boats were making shipping up & down the eastern seaboard a dangerous business, and this was the best way to move the lifeblood of industry.

THat's an awesome shot of steam action in winter! And IMO, most Frisco steamers were plesing to the eye (the exception being those articulateds kept around Birmingham, AL).