SSW Freight Trains
The following photo was taken by J. Parker Lamb in 1954.
 |
Two Cotton Belt F-units in Black Widow paint are seen
exiting the Harahan Bridge. |
 |
Phil Gosney Collection |
| By the time of this June 1959 photo, SSW passenger trains had been truncated and only operated between St. Louis and Pine Bluff. The north end terminal, was not Union Station, but located in the freight yards at "E. St.Louis". The text continues that in 1959 units 301 (PA) and 306 (FP-7) were assigned to trains 7-8. Unit 300 was "the relief engine" for these trains, and therefore we see it at Memphis making a quick Pine Bluff-Memphis turn. Also note the track leading off to the right and the RI coach yard. |
 |
Phil Gosney Photo |
| A pair of Alco "Alligators" (Model RSD15) are heading west onto "Broadway" at IC Crossing in downtown Memphis. June 1968. |
 |
Phil Gosney Photo |
| SSW 5159 has just entered "Broadway" and is heading west toward Kentucky Street and the Harahan Bridge over the Mississippi River under a cloud of black "Alco smoke". Maybe the Cotton Belt crew will have a better trip home to Pine Bluff, Ark on this date. Note the pair of train order semaphore signals set to "clear" for Frisco trains at Kentucky Street. June, 1968. |
 |
Phil Gosney Photo |
| A Cotton Belt train is entering "Broadway" at IC crossing and heading west. The lead unit is a GP-9 painted in SP's "Black Widow" livery, followed by a GE model U-25-B and finally and Alco model RSD-15, known as an "Alligator". Taken October, 1968. |
The next 3 photos are by Phil Gosney on one day in November 1968.
 |
Phil Gosney Photo |
| Phil's desciption of a day at our favorite railfanning location in Memphis. This is his first of 4 shots. "I arrived at Kansas Street just as a westbound Frisco train was leaving town and crossing the Mississippi River Bridge. I shot the caboose and noted a Cotton Belt train, with 3 GP-9 units - the rear unit still lettered in Cotton Belt paint, awaiting his turn to head into IC's South Yard. November, 1968." |
 |
Phil Gosney Photo |
| Phil continues with Photo 2 of the "Conflict at Kansas Street".... "After the westbound Frisco train passed, I was spotted by the friendly Cotton Belt crew. The engineer came out and had his crew pose on the front of the geep. He lamented to me: "We make a fast trip from Pine Bluff and we just sit. They nevah treat us good once we arrive in Memphis." True to form, he was correct and this train sat at Kansas Street for about 30 minutes awaiting their turn to enter IC's south yard." "Since Arkansas was a "Full Crew" state, this train consisted of an Engineer, Fireman, Head Brakeman and Swing Brakeman, all depicted here on the front of this train. In the caboose at the rear there was the Flagman and Conductor, totaling 6 crew members on this train!" |
 |
Phil Gosney Photo |
| Phil's comments continue, "The ultimate insult. The Cotton Belt crew has already waited for a westbound Frisco train to pass at Kansas Street. Now they are getting passed not by not one, but TWO trains simultanenously!! The engineer was right... 'They nevah treat us good in Memphis'" Frisco 911 an SD-45 passes the ill fated Cotton Belt crew, as a eastbound RI train does so at the same time, lead by two GP-7 units. November, 1968. |
 |
David Johnston Photo |
| Popsicle Treat (as it appears in the April 2005 Trains magazine) Cotton Belt's Memphis- Pine Bluff, Ark., freight MFPBY is a burst of color on April 1, 1978. In the lead are two of only four SP TE70-4S " popsicle" locomotive (U25Bs rebuilt in '78 by Morrison-Knudsen with Sulzer 8-cylinder engines). A Conrail GP40-2 trails, departing Memphis on the Harahan Bridge over a swollen Mississippi River. |
 |
David Johnston Photo |
| N&W GP30 # 551 is leading a westbound SSW freight at Kansas Ave., 9/21/75. Cotton Belt sometimes "captured" run through power in East St. Louis to use on their lines. Occassionaly this power would run east to Memphis from Pine Bluff and then return. |
Return to main Memphis Historical Railroad Page
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