Frisco 4-8-2 1522's Last Run in 2002: The Ozark Flyer!!!

        From there we headed out on I-44 to a curve, over a creek, in a constuction site. There was re-bar framework for the new bridge covering. A GOB of railfans had parked and decended on the re-bar area that was protected by concrete construction barriers. Everyone took photos, I took two. Truckers were honking and the 1522 tooted the horn back, it was pretty neat, everyone beamed a huge smile. I ran back to the van, pacing the 1522 at 10 mph for a...shall we say...short distance.

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Here we see the train crossing the bridge.

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Here we see it once more.

        From there we chased it out near Webster Groves. We parked along a street called...believe it or not...Frisco Street. We watched the train come and go at about 30 mph. From then on it was trackspeed of 60 mph, a little harder to keep up with on foot!

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Here it comes at Frisco Street.

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And there it goes at Frisco Street.

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The Firefly painted car is the souvenier/tool car, Black Gold.

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Here's the Frisco Street sign.

        From there we lost the train (this was all in pre-me having a scanner days). We saw some people by the tracks near St. Clair that were scanner equipped. They said the train was held up near Eureka. So, rather than go back east and risk missing it again, we waited for a half hour or so. We watched the train pass.

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Here the 1522 rockets around the car a St. Clair.

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The train was making good time as it passed our location.

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Here's the train heading west by the end of St. Clair siding.

        From there we went to Sullivan, where my now-semi famous photo took place, where the train surrounded by old buildings, a depot, crossing gates, and hedges, not to mention a perfect sky, as Gary Hoover called it: EXCELLENT! If you get Pentrex's video, Extreme Steam, on the Frisco 1522 part I make a brief appearence taking pictures far down the track.

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Here the train roars into Sullivan.

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Here's my semi-famous photo.

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The train was doing about 40 mph here.

        We were then Cuba bound home of the wildcats, or so said the water tower.

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In Cuba, the lead sub leads off to the south where the BNSF still taps into the lead mines to the south.

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The train was doing about 50 mph here.

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A new Genesis locomotive brought up the rear.

        Then it was on to St. James where I was on the steam movie AGAIN! The train passed at full track speed! What a thrill, you can see the speed blurred photo. From there, there wasn't any way in hell that we we're going to beat the train to Rolla, so we followed the BNSF police officer that had been following the train all day into Newburg.

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Here we see the speed shot.

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I was on Pentrex's extreme steam while taking this shot.

        At Newburg, there were GOBS of people coming out to see th locomotive. Newburg was once a division point on the SLSF with a big yard and large servicing facility. We then watched it roll past slower as it moved by all the people that lined the tracks. It ran about 10 miles west of Newburg to Bundy Junction, where the branch to Fort Lost-In-The-Woods Leonard Wood comes off the BNSF. There is a wye there where the train was turned, but we remained at Newburg, and just waited. Soon we could see smoke, and hear a whistle, growing anticipation started to uh, grow (lol) as the train rounded the curve. It came to a stop where a swarm of men became servicing it as the (lucky) passengers deboarded.

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Here's a photo of the GOBS of people that showed up to see the train.

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It pulled into town but didn't stop, it went to Bundy Junction and returned.

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LOTS of people were out taking photos on that day.

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Heres' the train after it returned and they we're begining to service it.