This release in The Heritage Series features St. Louis & San Francisco 4-8-2 #1522 in some of her first excursions after her return to service in 1988.
First we stop by the National Museum Of Transport in suburban St. Louis and see some of the restoration work in progress before jumping ahead to see the freshly restored locomotive under steam at the museum.
Then we move to St. Louis Union Station where 1522 is busy putting together the consist for her first excursion departing her hometown, and all day run up Norfolk Southern’s former Wabash mainline to Decatur, Illinois, in October, 1988.
Once the excursion is underway, we see the train on the elevated trackage along the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis. Then we see the train easing through the metro-east area on the Illinois side of the river, before the train gets out on the mainline. On the northbound run to Decatur, we see the train trackside and also pace the locomotive.
At Decatur, the locomotive was turned for the return trip. Due to several meets and a late departure from St. Louis due to a late fuel truck, the train left Decatur late in the afternoon. We see the train leaving in the late afternoon sunlight, and again south of town at twilight. A couple of scenes after dark wrap up coverage of this excursion.
We next see 1522 under steam at Union Station in St. Louis in May, 1989. We see a short segment of the locomotive pulling shuttle trips around the station grounds, and climb into the cab with the crew for a short cab ride.
Two weeks later 1522 is back on the former Wabash for another excursion, this time headed west to Moberly, Missouri. Again we see the train at several trackside locations and see her up close in several pacing scenes. We also see the locomotive in the former Wabash engine terminal at Moberly, including up close as she takes a spin on the old turntable.
This program will be a welcome look back for steam fans and those who fondly remember the excursion career of Frisco 1522.
