The Final Excursions of the St. Louis Steam Train Association
The last excursions for the St. Louis Steam Train Association and St. Louis & San Francisco 4-8-2 #1522 occurred on September 28 and 29, 2002. The trips, billed as “The Ozark Flyer,”ran from the Amtrak station in St. Louis down the former Frisco mainline to Newburg, Missouri, and return. Following the conclusion of the trips, #1522 would be returned to static display at the Museum of Transportation in nearby Kirkwood. This CD chronicles the last run of Frisco 1522.
Just after 8:00am, two blasts of the whistle announce the departure of the Ozark Flyer. 1522’s exhaust bounces back from a nearby building. Further west in St. Louis, 1522 works up a short grade approaching Lindenwood Yard. In the suburbs 1522 pulls the Ozark Flyer up the grade at Webster Groves and accelerates out of Valley Park.
Further west, 1522 tackles 1.2% Iron Hill, just east of St. Clair. At Sullivan, the Ozark Flyer is accelerates with the whistle tied down. Just east of Rolla 1522 digs in for the grade from West Dillon to Rolla.
Eastbound 1522 tackles Rolla Hill with an Amtrak P42 pinch hitting for the helper that once was stationed at Newburg. West of Cuba, the Ozark Flyer passes at speed. Near Sullivan, a marching band and cheerleaders at a high school football game can be heard in the distance as 1522 passes at speed with the Ozark Flyer. At St. Clair, 1522 starts down Iron Hill after meeting a B.N.S.F. freight. In St. Louis, the Ozark Flyer pulls up to a red signal about a mile from the end of the trip.
Usually we edit our programs in chronological order, but this case deserves to be an exception. At Eureka, 1522 pounds along the mainline at speed, laying a perfect trail of smoke in the backlit sky. As the train recedes into the distance, the groups nearby disperse quietly. Downtown the large group of people stands around talking amongst themselves and smiling following a fantastic performance. This is the way we will always remember 1522, at speed with a long train on the mainline.
Track Listing 1. Departing St. Louis 2. Near Lindenwood Yard 3. Webster Groves 4. Valley Park 5. Iron Hill 6. Sullivan 7. Near Rolla (Westbound) 8. Rolla Hill (Eastbound) 9. Near Cuba 10. Near Sullivan 11. St. Clair 12. Near the end of the run in St. Louis 13. Eureka at Sunset
