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| 2001 NRHS ANNUAL CONVENTION |
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| 2 Mainline Excursion ran over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway behind the #1522, a 4-8-2 Mountain type built for the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway. The engine is owned by the Museum of Transport in St. Louis and has been lovingly restored and operated by the St. Louis Steam Train association. The first trip ran to Hannibal, Missouri. The route crosses the Missouri River, then follows the banks of the Mississippi as it heads North. Here is a runby on the way home. |
| There had been much flooding during the spring. Here you can see how the Mississippi has overflowed its banks. (The river is on the opposite side of the train!) We left St. Louis under damp and overcast skies, cancelling any morning runbys. But weather eventually cleared up on the way home. |
| Following the River Northbound. I spent a lot of time in the vestibule, enjoying that 'chilly' 60 mph breeze along with the sights and sounds of steam railroading. |
| We've stopped at Hannibal to service the engine. Behind the locomotive is the auxilliary water tender, then the 2 crew/tool cars of the St. Louis Steam Train Association. Souverniers are being sold out of the crew car to the general public during the layover. About a dozen volunteers are crawling over the engine, taking care of the necessary servicing. Oil lubricators are being filled, the tender filled with water and chemically treated, and the bushings greased. |
| Slow orders due to high water along the river, traffic congestion along the railway, as well as other factors resulted in a 3 hour late arrival in St. Louis. Here is a spectacular evening sunset, still almost 4 hours away from the Amtrak depot. |