Missouri Pacific Ft. Smith/Van Buren Railroaders

Mike Condren Photo

MP Brakeman Oscar Whitson, March 27, 1960, his last trip north. Mr. Whitson lived in the apartment across the hall from us when I was a kid. At that time he worked as a brakeman on the local freight to Greenwood, AR. When that job was abolished and the line abandoned, he became the brakeman on the passenger train to Coffeyville, KS. On the last trip into Van Buren, he invited me to ride from the Van Buren station to the Yard Office. At the yard office, the crew had their photo taken, see below.

Mike Condren Collection

The last crew on a Missouri Pacific passenger train on the Central Division, Wagoner Subdivision, March 28, 1960. The photo was taken at the Yard Office, Van Buren after the completion of their last rip. Left to right: Earl Hollaway, engineer; Vernon Muck, fireman; Paul DuVal, conductor; Oscar Whitson, brakeman; and Emory May, porter. The position of porter on a passenger train fullfilled the Arkansas Full Crew requirement. North bound, the porter worked from Van Buren through Greenwood Jct.,OK to Ft. Smith and back to Greenwood Jct. This was a total distance of less that 20 miles. The porter would then wait for the next south bound passenger train, deadhead on a freight train, or call a taxi. For freight trains, the trip was shorter, more like 5 miles from the Van Buren Yard Office to Greenwood Jct.

Contributed by John Dill

John Dill writes, "the man on the left is Everett Pogue, my grandfather, who was a long time MoPac employee there. The man just to his right is probably John Phillips. I believe the man on the far right is probably Edwin Crutcher."

The following pictures of Everett Pogue's retirement in 1967 were contributed by his grandson John Dill.

Left to right in this shot on the end platform of their engine are: L. C. "Gus" Gustin,(brakeman), John W. Phillips, Mr. EE Pogue Norman(NG) Muck (fireman) And M.U (shag) Hampton (engineer).

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The following pictures all show Everett Pogue on his last day.

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