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Our Fourth Anniversary Branson Scenic Railroad Dinner Train 7/6/2024

We pulled into the Branson Scenic Railroad parking lot then walked over to the train.

Branson Scenic Railroad F9A 98, ex. Maryland Area Rail Commmuter 7183, exx. Baltimore and Ohio 4566, nee Baltimore and Ohio 369 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1951.

We walked into the depot and picked up our tickets with a car number on the recipt then waited for our car to be called. We would be in BSRX 9320 "Silver Terrace", a 1952 Budd dome-observation from the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy train Kansas City Zephyr. After several cars were called before ours, we boarded and I led the way to our table which had our surname and menu choices on a tastefully-made small sign. We were seated with the grandparents of the couple and their grandchild across the aisle. All tables had salads and rolls in a basket when we arrived. The train left a few minutes late and soon was on its way south out of the station.

Branson Scenic understands that couples might prefer a "private table" and there are limited number of "private tables" that may be available up to five days before the Dinner Train date. Parties of two may select the private table option when purchasing tickets when that option exists. For Dinner Train assigned seating, you may now select your seat online. The Branson Scenic Railway depot and train platform has ADA access. The vintage historic passenger train cars have limited access to a specific car. Car seats and strollers are welcome on the platform and may be securely left on the platform but may not be taken on the train.

The comfort of the vintage passenger cars is quite a contrast to the harsh realities the railroad pioneers found when they undertook bringing rail service to the Ozarks. Laying the tracks for the White River Railway was possibly the most difficult construction task ever undertaken in the Ozarks. It meant creating hundreds of miles of level surface where there were only rugged hills and valleys. It meant stretching tall trestles across valleys and blasting long, damp tunnels through mountains of solid rock. The project required thousands more workers and millions more dollars than railroad construction in a more accommodating terrain. But its difficulty is surpassed by the accomplishment and the opportunities the railroad provided the struggling Ozarks pioneers.

The railway was built in two sections: a northward line beginning at Batesville, Arkansas, and the other going south from Carthage, Missouri. Construction began in January 1902, and the final spike was driven on December 29, 1905, which joined the northern and southern sections. The 239 miles of track cost more than $12 million-about six times normal rail construction costs. According to the White River Railway, an intricately detailed book by Walter M. Adams, in October 1901, laborers were paid $1.25 to $1.50 per day, and men with teams were paid $2.50 to $3.00 per day. This helps to put the total cost of the railway in perspective for that time in history.

The town of Branson is a product of the railroad. Adams writes, "It started out, as did most Ozark towns, as a country store owned by one Rueben S. Branson who was granted a post office in 1882 while on Bull Creek, north or in this case down river from the present location. In 1883 Branson moved to the confluence of Roark Creek and the White River. Here speculators established a small town called "Lucia" and on May 2, 1901, the post office was renamed Lucia". With the arrival of the railroad, rival land speculators got busy and bought up land to the west and north of Lucia. This was the Branson Town Corporation with Charles R. Fulbright as president. Fulbright also held the title as "immigration agent" for the Iron Mountain Railroad. The official plat of Lucia was filed on October 2, 1903 while that of Branson was filed October 26, 1903. When it became obvious that the railroad would run only through the Branson Town Company's plat the land owners of Lucia sold their interests to the town company. Both "towns" maintained their own newspapers for a time, the Lucia "Locomotive: and the Branson "Echo". On June 11, 1904, the post office was renamed "Branson: and the adjoining communities were finally incorporated as Branson April 1, 1912."

The construction of the White River Railway in the early 1900's made the area accessible for tourists and is largely responsible for the development of Branson and the Ozarks as a tourism destination. Before the area's economy was based on tourism, the railroad served a traditional industrial purpose, which continues to this day.

The railroad is known as the White River Route since it crosses the White River in Branson, now Lake Taneycomo, and then runs along side of it after taking a fifty-mile "short cut" over the Ozark Mountains. This was part of the Missouri Pacific Railroad between Kansas City, Missouri, and Little Rock, Arkansas. It became a part of the Union Pacific after the UP bought Missouri Pacific. The Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad now operates the line. In 1993, the Branson Scenic Railway was formed, and through a lease arrangement with the MNA, runs excursions through this historic route March through December.

BSRX 98, Locomotive, 1951 EMD F9PH, rebuilt 1981, has HEP (Formerly B&O, then MARC #83)

BSRX 99, Locomotive, 1962 EMD GP30M, rebuilt 1982 (Formerly C&O, #4625)

PPCX 800603, "Silver Eagle", 1949 Budd 60 Seat Coach (Formerly the Eagle from the Texas Pacific Railroad)

BSRX 3118, "Silver Lake", 1951 Budd Buffet Lounge (Formerly the Parlor Car Casimir Pulaski from the Pennsylvania Railroad, then converted to a buffet lounge by Amtrak)

BSRX 9540, "Silver Island", 1947 Budd Dome Lounge (From CB&Q, Twin-City Zephyr)

BSRX 8503, "Silver Chef", 1956 Budd 48-Seat Diner (From CB&Q, Denver Zephyr)

PPCX 800287, "Silver Garden", 1952 Budd Dome Lounge Coach (From CB&Q, Kansas City Zephyr)

PPCX 800336, "Westport", 1939 Budd Lounge Observation (From Atlantic Coastline "Champion" Train)

BSRX 9320, "Silver Terrace", 1952 Budd Dome Observation (From CB&Q, Kansas City Zephyr)

BSRX 8521, "Silver Belle", 1949 Budd 48-seat diner (from Southern Railway, Crescent)

Our tickets for this excursion.

Lake Taneycomo is a reservoir on the White River in the Ozark Mountains of Taney County, Missouri. The reservoir's name is a portmanteau for the county and state in which it is locatedi. Lake Taneycomo originated when the White River was confined by the completion of the Powersite Dam, near Forsyth, Missouri, in 1913. From 1913 until 1958, it was a warm water lake. In the 1920's and 1930's, tourists began to be drawn to the lake and its nearby communities, Branson and Rockaway Beach. Water skiing, boating, fishing, sunning and swimming drew people to its warm waters and restaurants, lodging and amusement attractions, such as bumper cars and skee ball, were plentiful in the towns along it.

The completion of Table Rock Dam in 1958 changed the source of water to Taneycomo from that of the White River's flowing waters to the bottom tail water of Table Rock Lake from the dam spillway and made it into a cold water lake. The clear cold waters pour out of the dam into Lake Taneycomo and made swimming and water sports undesirable. Tourism declined sharply in Rockaway Beach and started shifting to Branson and Table Rock Lake.

Although tourism declined, fishermen found that the chilly water of Lake Taneycomo made it one of the top trout fishing lakes in the country. In 1957, the Missouri Department of Conservation constructed the Shepherd of the Hills Trout Hatchery. All methods of trout fishing — fly fishing, artificial bait and live bait fishing — may be used year-round to pursue trout that inhabit the waters of Lake Taneycomo.

Lake Taneycomo has the characteristics of both a river and a lake. The shallow colder water, located near the Table Rock Dam, averages 48°F, resembles a river and permits wading and bank fishing for trout. The average temperature of the water gets warmer and the depth of the lake deepens to more than 50 feet near the Powersite Dam in Forsyth. When Table Rock Dam is generating power its current is very strong throughout its whole length, its water temperature drops and for all practical purposes, becomes a very deep, cold and fast-running river. Exactly how deep, cold and fast depends on how many generators are being used to generate electricity at Table Rock Dam.

The stairway to the dome.

The view from our table. We went through the Crest Tunnel, a 3,485 foot bore completed in 1903 and enjoyed our meal for Prime Rib for me and Baked Fish for Elizabeth, both of which were excellent.

Crossing the Walnut Creek trestle. While we ate, the train went through Cricket Tunnel, a 2,746 foot bore completed on October 22, 1904 then on to Barren Fork trestle, which is 913 feet long and 125 feet high.

Views from Barren Fork trestle, our turn-around point.

Dessert was chocolate cake, which was most delicious.

Trees on the way back. We had a nice conversation with the couple at our table during our meal.

A rose was on everyone's table and the crew gave each lady a choice of a red or yellow rose to take home; Elizabeth chose a yellow rose.

About to cross the Walnut Creek trestle.

The view crossing the trestle.

The very happy couple.

This gentleman entertained each car and for ours, played and sang "That's Amore" and played "Habanera" from "Carmen" on his accordion.

The White River that we followed back to Branson.

Passing underneath the road that goes to Branson Airport.

A few of the many shops in Hollister as we passed through.

Crossing Lake Taneycomo again for the last time today.

Coming back into the station area, we passed Main Street Lake Cruises. Upon arriving at the station, we detrained, ending a happy anniversay day of celebration.

Branson Scenic Railroad dome-observation 9320 "Silver Terrace", ex. Rail Voyages in 1993, ex. Amtrak 9320, ex. Burlington Northern 1192 (not applied), nee Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 365 built by Budd Company in 1952, which ran on the Kansas City Zephyr. We walked back to the car and returned to the Best Western Plus Landing View Inn for the evening.

4/7/2024 We arose and did our Internet duties before going to Bob Evans for an excellent breakfast. Elizabeth drove us to Lebanon and then I drove us though heavy traffic in Jefferson City before we took US 63 to Airport Road, then Missouri Highway 163 to Route K back home.

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