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MoPac Steam Power
A Golden Age

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MoPac Steam Power
A Golden Age
On July 4, 1851 at St. Louis, ground breaking for the Pacific Railroad Company marked the beginning of the Missouri Pacific, becoming the first railroad west of the Mississippi River.

With a history dating back to the mid 1800's, the Missouri Pacific and it's predecessors such as the Iron Mountain had run a colorful assortment of engines - from the earliest 4-4-0's pioneering the westward march of the young Pacific Railroad of Missouri, to the massive Baldwin-built 2-8-8-2 Mallet used to tend transfers drags and yard hump in St. Louis and Dupo near the close of the Steam Era.

Like other roads, the American class locos were the early favorite of the line, pulling passengers and freight over farmland and wild prairie west into the new territories of the U.S. There were the countless disastors and tales often associated with the pioneer railroads. One legend often told was known as the "Great Train Robbery" no less, which perhaps inspired the fictionalized yarns recounted in the novels of the day.

MoPac grew and the need for bigger, faster and stronger locomotives grew as well. The age of 'modern' steam power began after the turn of the century with the growing size of steam engines. The new age began with the appearance of newer and improved designs to meet the needs and specifications of different roads. Traditional 4-6-0 locos evolved with the placement of the heavy firebox behind the driving wheels over a newly added two-wheel trailing truck. In fact the new class of steam locomotive - the 4-6-2 'Pacific' class - was named for the Missouri Pacific, the first rail company to use this new type of engine.

Even back then the ever forward-thinking MoP was quick to use the newest technology available.



The pride of her crew, Missouri Pacific Railroad #152 (built by Hinkley Locomotive Works in 1872) poses for the camera at Hermann, Missouri in 1877. Though all are unidentified, it is clear everyone wanted to be included in the historic moment. Twenty-six years earlier, in 1851 the company was the first railroad to forge west of the Mississippi River. - W. A. Anderson Photo / T. Greuter Collection

During 1942-43, MoPac was operating a wide variety of over 1,150 steam engines, what would be the highest total for steam power in the system's history. Painted a conservative glossy black for the boiler, graphite for the smoke and fire box with brushed aluminum numbers and lettering, MoPac's power represented steam in it's purest form. MoPac crews were long-noted for the pride and care shown to its locomotives. As one would come off-duty it would be scrubbed and washed, the running gear was hosed off with hot water and kerosine, and the boiler lagging was wiped dry. Finally, the headlight and number boards were polished.

With one modest lttle engine, which brought amusement to onlooking crewmen's faces, the Missouri Pacific system began the introduction of small gas and diesel powered yard switchers around 1939. It would be years for the new power to be fully accepted by yard crews and the corporate executives alike, but inevitably, the days of the steam engine were numbered on the MoP.

In April 1955, a hundred years after its first steam loco would roll past the Mississippi River, a string of the last steam locomotives lead by MP 124 puffed together toward Dupo, Ill., for disposal as scrap. The "Missouri River Eagle," the first diesel-powered, streamlined passenger train on the Missouri Pacific, went into service in 1940


MP 724 - The 2-10-2 literally fills the sky with hot steam on this frigid 21st of January day, 1951. It would be one of the last times steam would be seen on this mainline, as #1724 pulls a freight northward near Lake Street in Omaha, Nebraska - photo © copyright William W. Kratville, used with permission

 

What a classic shot - The two Missouri Pacific crewmen pose in front of the cylinders of their turn-of-the-century 4-4-0 locomotive with a couple of kids looking-on from the gandy-dancer nearby. The MP's eight-wheel locos like this one were largely disposed of by 1905, though a few lasted until the Depression. Brownsville, Texas. Photo - The Robert Runyon Photograph Collection, [image number, e.g., 00199], courtesy of The Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

 

Click on the thumbnails to see a larger image


The following ten photos were once in the collection of Gene Hull, the great Little Rock, Arkansas based railroad/trolley collector and author of "The North Arkansas Line"

Missouri-Illinois 4-4-0 205 - the MoPac subsidiary's power is shown in a fireman's side view with two passenger cars in this very good Donald W. Furler (he of Glen Rock, New Jersey) shot. On the white border, below the photo, Furler wrote the name of the railroad, its length, and number of engines and cars. - T. Greuter collection




MP 1808 - fireman's side view of a 4-8-0 at Alexandria, Louisiana on August 3, 1931. - photo postcard/ T. Greuter collection



MP 9764 - a 0-8-0 - T. Greuter collection



MP 6628 - is another passenger train scene, showing the 4-6-2 with the Little Rock local leaving Memphis in 1948. Note the three heavyweight passenger cars and the Stratton Warren water tank in the background. - T. Greuter collection



M-I 502 - a fireman's side view of a 2-8-2 , by Furler. Again the photographer wrote the info on the photo border below. - T. Greuter collection



Mo Pac 2-8-2 1244 - seen from the fireman's side with full head of steam on April 20, 1935 at Poplar Bluff, Missouri. - T. Greuter collection



MP 1490 - a 2-8-2 - T. Greuter collection



MP 1565 - this view of a 2-8-2, with the engineer resting his arm on the cab window and three builder's plates visible. - T. Greuter collection



MP 5341 - is seen in a distant view of the 4-8-2 heading south from St. Louis with "The Texan." No date given, but this is a great scene and shows the engine from a front engineer's side perspective, Mississippi River in background, signals and grain elevator showing in a fine "period" view. - T. Greuter collection



MP 1711 - is the 10th Gene Hull photo, this one of a 2-10-2 . Steam is up. Location is not given, but some railfan somewhere will recognize the bridge crossing the yard in the background. - T. Greuter collection





MP 5340 - As several crewmen buzz around the burly 4-8-4, MP 5340 pulls out of the yard with her passenger train at the St. Louis Union Terminal back on October 15, 1947 - old postcard image.


There is supposedly a photo from the teens or earlier showing a loco painted in black with gold lettering and a green boiler (of all things). Prior to the 1920's MoPac did use gold on their steam locomotives - block lettering for the numbers and roman for the lettering, but this changed after L. W. Baldwin became president of MP. Nothing but austere black locos for him!


In April 1955 a string of the last steam locomotives lead by MP 124 puffed together toward Dupo, Ill., for disposal as scrap. The "Missouri River Eagle," the first diesel-powered, streamlined passenger train on the Missouri Pacific, went into service in 1940. - from MPRR Publication


"The Flight of the Missouri Pacific Fast Mail" - postcard dated 1910 - T. Greuter Collection



The Last Survivors
See Preserved Locomotives for more on the history, locations, photos and current status of these True Survivors.

T&P 316 - Former Texas & Pacific Steamer is at the Texas State Railroad in 1993. Here the locomotive was repainted and renumbered into its original number for a photographers weekend. Seen at Palestine, Texas.- Steve Rude Photo/Jay Glenewinkel Collection

T&P 610 - the mighty engine, also owned by the Texas State Railroad, as seen displayed today in Palestine, Texas - photo © copyright Chris John
MP #2522 - this loco is one of only two known surviving examples of Missouri Pacific steam. Displayed at Paris, Arkansas. Also see MP #2522 - photo Elvin Klepzig

 


 

Last update: 29 March, 2002

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