20th Century Steam
1990s

Photos by Mike Condren

The 1990 NRHS National Convention was headquartered around St. Louis Union Station. Here we first see SSW 819 as it backed into the area where the 4 steam engine which operated to the convention were displayed.

Here we see the two 4-8-4 locomotives parked side-by-side at the St. Louis Union Station.

This view shows the N&W 1218 at the left and the UP 844 and SSW 819 in the distance. We missed getting any action shots of the N&W and UP engines.

The Frisco mountain #1522 ran an excursion from St. Louis to Newburg, MO. as part of the 1990 NRHS National Convention.

Frisco 1522 is west bound through Cuba, MO on its way to Newburg, MO.

The Frisco mountain #1522 ran an excursion from St. Louis to Newburg, MO. The train then went to the wye at Fort Wood Jct to turn and then returned to Newburg. Here we see the train at the former location of the Frisco station in Rolla, MO.

The train is now on the return trip roaring through St. James, MO.

We chased the Cotton Belt engine on its return trip to Arkansas beginning in East St. Louis. Here we see the train in Chester, IL along side the Mississippi River. The engine got a bad load of oil for fuel which did not burn well, thus the engine did not steam well, allowing for an easy chase as the train had to regularly stop to build up steam. Note the very black smoke in the action shots of this train.

The train is now seen at Dexter, MO having crossed the Mississippi River.

We ended our chase at Brookland, AR, north of Jonesboro, AR. After we left the chase the engine developed trouble in the form of the loss of the whistle at speed resulting in the loss of steam. The engine ended its journey being pulled by a diesel into Pine Bluff.

UP Challenger #3985 is seen in 1992 passing through Memphis on its way to the Clinchfield and their annual Santa Claus Train. This vist occured when I was on crutches, missing my left knee, awaiting the implantation of my second artifical left knee. Both were replaced at the same time in 1991 but the left became infected and was removed for 8 months. The first view is at Kansas Ave, just off the Mississippi River bridge.

Here we see the train parked at Lenox in Mid-Town Memphis on the paralleling UP and CSX tracks.

UP 3985 is seen here on CSX rails at the lead to Leawood Yard. It was being escorted by Gordon Mott, Special Assistant to the CSX President and friend since our days in high school.

SLSF 1522 is seen leaving St. Louis as it crosses the Mississippi River on the Merchants Bridge on June 5, 1993.

SLSF 1522 is seen passing through Belleville, IL.

The first day of the Frisco 1522s excursion to central Illinois is seen here in Centrailia, IL preparing to cross the ICG.

The Frisco #1522 is seen crossing the Mississippi River Merchant Bridge on an excursion to Centrailia, IL.

On June 23, 1994 I visited the Mid-Continent Rail Museum for the first time in 23 years. Running that day was Saginaw Timer #2.

In Oct. 1996 UP 844 made a trip to North Little Rock, AR.

On Feb. 14, 1999, I made a trip to North Freedom, WI and the Mid-Continent Rail Museum. This trip was for "no snow" Snow Day where I took the following shots with some snow on the ground.

Friends Kenny Young and Andrew Oliva visited me in Wisconsin where I was on a sabbatical leave from my position at Christian Brothers University in Memphis. On May 22, 1999 we drove up to the Mid-Continent Museum at North Freedom, WI where we found Saginaw Timber #2 working hard as it approached Ulrich Rd. and topped the grade at Summit.

This page was designed and is maintained by Mike Condren. If you have materials
that you would like to contribute, contact me at mcondren@cbu.edu