Classic St. Louis Railroads

Go back in time to the late 80's are early 90's to when St. Louis railroad was colorful. Enough words, just enjoy the action!

[@kens.3729]

Thanks for the Great video. I recognized a Lot but unfortunately so many of these Heritage Railroads NO longer Operate but we’re Lucky to See them on trains today.

[@mikecordry1492]

To Me, the most famous road in St Louis was The ROCK ISLAND LINE. I worked there from 70 until they closed. What a tradition, Jesse James, Johnny Cash, etc I still have several items from Carrie Ave ( actually 6108 Bulwer ) Mike

[@gospelsparky]

Mike Cordry some old Rock St Louis sub stuff is what I came for, but still wasn’t disappointed (this was my railfanning heydays, along mopac in JC). Much of family grew up along the line, but I missed it by a few years.

[@nickwelchoff4677]

So nice to see box cars without graffiti.

[@stephenheath8465]

St Louis is always an underrated rail hub.Chicago and Kansas City are the top two people talk about

[@Clavichordist]

The coolest part is seeing trains without them being splattered with graffiti. It's interesting seeing the state-of-the art locomotives are all GP40-2s, and their GE equivalents, B-37s. How times have changed. Seeing the fallen flags though makes me feel sad.

[@DivergingClear]

Video by George Redmond of Centralia, Illinois, who is still filming approaching his mid-seventies. You'll note several scenes in which he zooms in on an approaching train and then backs off with it. This was a stylistic technique he used at times during this period, rather than a case where a train "snuck up" on him. Now I know where his footage of 3985 on its trek to and from the Clinchfield Santa train wound up. He showed up in our footage and we got in his, but we hadn't actually met yet. Most of George's footage from 1985 to 2010 is in our archives, and he still shoots steam with us... though he says he is retiring from the long trips; we tried to talk him into joining us with a Southern Railway 630/4501 doubleheader last fall, but no dice. Great guy!

[@yrunaked4]

lived by George for many years and most of my childhood, he took me along to so many places as a kid, that I would have never got to see in those days. I was probably with him in some of the videos he shot. great man

[@gethighonlife11]

Illinois Central Gulf was my favorite childhood railroad. It ran near where I grew up at in Chicago. I hate that they dropped the "Gulf' and then was absorbed by Canadian National. Love live the I.C.G. ( in memories ).

[@izzynutz2000]

I remember back in the day when these lines were ruled by Mopac, TRRA, Frisco Illinois Central, GM&O and Union Pacific some of those trestles that are downtown are over 100 years old.. I used to volunteer down at the museum of transport in Kirkwood and I have been all over these lines structurally back when they were deciding to put the metro in we as a bunch of volunteers and structural engineers from the railroad went down and inspected all of this before they made their decision a lot of people don't know that there's an existing trolley line that's under the base and goes through the base of eads bridge and goes into a huge supply station underneath the city that has been abandoned for many many years it was part of the Cold war radiation underground... There's also a huge army platform underneath Brentwood high School that had rail service to it underneath the city...😵

[@garysprandel1817]

Whoa A frame gates, a mating worms PC box and 2 Q hoppers

[@JawTooth]

I love that MOW car at 3:53 . That was very unusual, at least to me.

[@WedgeBoyd27]

Wow, I grew up watching trains in St. Louis during this time. Now that I am a adult it nice to have some old memories come back, how I miss some of old railroads. Thanks for the upload.

[@UNIONPACIFIC3606]

thank you for this much needed blast from the past!!!!!!

[@tunnelmot]

Thanks for taking the time to transfer/post. Amazed at the variation in power/consists running through there!

[@railfanallen]

I would love to see more old footage like this.

[@jdsharp1366]

Dad worked for Illinois Central for 43 years, retired as a conductor in 2003, he worked passenger, freight and coal, wish I could find some footage of him.

[@kd5gsp]

Excellent video. Enjoyed seeing the MoPac and MKT units in service, along with cabooses!

[@eccentriceric]

it's nice more people are converting their old footage to digital and uploading to youtube so we can enjoy the old stuff. a decade or more ago there wasn't as much train videos on youtube as there is today.

[@kd5gsp]

Enjoyed seeing MoPac and MKT.

[@ThundercatDarklion]

I grew up in Willow Springs Illinois in the 1980s around the old GM&O Chicago to St.Louis line and when I was an kid got to see the old ICG trains with locomotives still in GM&O paint. I also remember the short lived Chicago Missouri & Western which used South Shore's former Santa Fe cabooses on the end of their trains. My dad and some other people submitted an idea to Microscale decals to make CM&W decales in HO Scale. When that railroad went bankrupt SP bought them so I was able to see SP and Cotton Belt trains coming through Willow Springs Illinois. Now it's mostly UP. My dad also models the GM&O in HO scale. When I had an friend in Springfield Missouri I use to visit him I took Greyhound / Trailways and had to transfer buses at St.Louis Union Station. I remember the announcements on the PA system would be both for the busses and Amtrak.

[@markturner6240]

Thank you for sharing this amazing footage ! Just classic after classic! This was great! Thank you!

[@louGriggs1944]

Loved it. Great to see some of the old flags. Guest appearance of 3985 was great. Liked the Missouri Pacific lettering on the UP colors at the end. Thanks.

[@deancpr]

Awesome video. Love the variety of power and roads!

[@curraheewolf]

Superb!! Thank you for sharing and happy railroading!! Gary Watertown, NY

[@lou63376]

Great video. Loved seeing some of the older flags. Dad worked for the Katy before going to the Wabash in the '40s and father-in-law retired from TRRA as an engineer.

[@jameswolf195]

Great video. Sure brought back a lot of fun railfanning memories.

[@Richard_K1630]

Never been to St Louis. Where I live now there is nostalgia for the Reading Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad.

[@robertcampbelljr.3195]

With such a variety of railroads it wouldn't surprise me if this film is the basis of their product lineup 🤘😁🛤️

[@robertcampbelljr.3195]

I forgot to add model railroad companies in there. It wouldn't surprise me if this film is the basis of their product lineup

[@bryananderson4592]

Great video!!! Thanks for sharing

[@clkayleib]

Great video. The all-D&RGW consist on that SSW freight at Kirkwood startled me.

[@PoetryETrain]

We added this to the History Playlist, here, and on facebook, thank you.

[@wernersievers3153]

Hallo James .Die Bilder von den Brücken mit den Zügen in Betrieb sind Sensationell !

[@Redlod79]

Back when SD40-2's ruled the rails!

[@davidcohron7107]

Jason Matthew also cabooses

[@johnwilliamson5191]

thank you James great compilation i'm from stl know those area's well, some buildings gone now and several cabooses. brother in law had a few generations with FRISCO.

[@MrZeldalove]

The green Katy - with F-units, at that!

[@williammoseley17]

Worked as a Yard Clerk for ICG in E St. Louis 1980-1983. Prob still be working there today if railroad industry didn't tank during that period.

[@timpriddy73]

SUPERB FOOTAGE, MKT A UNIT, you got some gold on video sir.....

[@MrBootydaddy]

Love the MKT. Great video man.

[@old56timer]

Loved it, just wish there would have been some Frisco power in the mix. But great to see MOP and Katy,

[@MrZeldalove]

Union Pacific was so taken with the SD40, and later, the longer SD40-2 (note their extended "porches" here) that they bought over 680 of them. It might be the finest locomotive GM ever built.

[@tommy4trains]

Great video!!

[@supertouring]

Just come up on this video, GREAT stuff man.

[@davidbarnett9312]

Good video. The different railroads of the day are well represented. The editing is good in that you don't have to watch the entire train pass by. Also, has anyone noticed what you DON'T see on the rolling stock? Graffiti!

[@MrShadowknight2000]

Awesome video

[@KCSLines]

those were some damn good horns back in the day

[@Grumpy7783]

This is Railroading at it's finest.

[@biker944]

awesome video

[@mimishella4915]

Love trains.

[@PhysicsBear]

The extra at 23:19 is a Loram rail grinder.

[@rgsnidow1]

Them engines sure could stand a good cleaning..

[@jasonwomack4064]

29:20 is in front of the old Alton water company building, on the river road. I wish there was footage of the old railroad bridge in Alton. They tore it out in the late 80's.

[@eccentriceric]

i saw that train car with the pictures on the side at the RR Museum at Parsons KS this year!!! 3:53

[@ALS2001]

@stlgevo51 Thats Keys summit on Kirkwood Hill, The CSX Train was at HN Cabin, and yes, the MRS still goes over to the A&S

[@IvanAguilar101392]

Cool

[@snakeplissken5493]

I always liked the F units, but never saw one in St Louis in use in the 1980's

[@thecurtray]

what is so great about watching this stuff.you see trains everywhere everyday.why would someone sit in there house and watch this when say like dr.phil is on or maury is on tv instead.

[@easyamp123]

+Curt Ray I agree this stuff is as boring as an amusement park. I like infomercials myself or reality tv maybe.

[@ClarkBR549]

+Curt Ray Dr. Phil? Maury? Damn I'd rather watch trains.

[@residentevil742]

+Curt Ray Because half the stuff on this video no longer exists. Many if not all of these railroads were merged away in the 1990s. I like watching trains because they're important without them nothing can move. It's pretty hard to ship an airproducts high and wide in a plane or by truck.

[@thecurtray]

hi yes I watch them also and some I am so grafeful to see.without this to be able to see,look at how much I would miss out on in my life.i was joking around and thought for sure the maury and dr phil would show that.i watch train videos about everyday.i have a large collection on vhs tapes also so I been at it awhile.take care railfan.it is fun for me also.

[@davidharris2519]

when I think classic I think around the time when union station was a bustling rail-hub

[@sthpac69]

Great video. I Is this the tracks up under Grand Ave. in Mid Town St Louis ? Right about frame :37 , i believe i am looking at the roof top of the Old Armory building on Market Street right besides highway 40, is that right?

[@ConrailSD70MAC]

Great catch on the MKT F7A(B). I had read about it being used in B unit service but never saw a pic of it until I saw this video. Question: What type of freight car is that at 19:31? Looks like one of the MX missle launch control/security freight cars.

[@garysprandel1817]

I think you're right on the MX car. Hard to tell how many trucks are under it but it does look very similar to the one on display at Wright Paterson

[@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan]

Whatever happened to that heritage boxcar that used to ride behind Challenger 3985 is it still stored in Cheyenne Wyoming?

[@mikeday6908]

Busch stadium 2 and Gratiot tower...both gone now.

[@stlgevo51]

George caught some great gems back in the day. I like the new GP60s, the Katy "cabless" F unit, and the challenger clip. I have a couple of questions: Was the shot of the two CSX Dash 8s at HN Cabin? Where was the shot of the 3 trains (Mopac-powered coal train with WC SD45 and the Katy train)? Does the MRS still run a transfer run to Gateway Yard?

[@BurlingtonNorthernModeler]

Very neat footage! Is this old footage you shot?

[@STL-Railfan]

Oh wow, Kirkwood at 5:35. I remember when that crossing had those goofy looking signals with the strange lenses. Way different now and lots of LEDs! Any footage of the Carondelet Branch (aka Kirkwood Cutoff) that is now the Grant Trail?

[@gurbani1175]

hey ,if anyone else wants to uncover how to apply for a railroad job try Corbandy Simple Railroad Crusher (should be on google have a look ) ? Ive heard some incredible things about it and my mate got great success with it

[@donnyschlosser3236]

msk578 KSHE

[@STL-Railfan]

what does a St. Louis radio station have to do with this?

[@donnyschlosser3236]

msk578 Kirkwood is where KSHE has been for 50 years

[@tejasnite]

The Merger of all the smaller short lines. , into one superseding,,, Helped implement national safety standards,,, and developed a much easier communicator between larger railroads instead of 32 different independent railroads, thatas sometimes were very competitive and not being flexible and nondominate. controlling who crosses the river bridges first. and who procecceds thru the manual controlled interlockers

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

were these all no horn zones even back then? or is it sold 8 mm footage that you just re documented with a soundtrack

[@stiffneck2090]

The Kirkwood crossings are "no horn zones".

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

@@stiffneck2090 back then I was talking about even in the late 80s and early 90s they were? That's interesting

[@kellingc]

how many SW's were on the Manufacture's Daily transfer. I don't think I've seen anything like that before.

[@animenut69]

+Chris Kelling believe it was 2/3 depending on how much needed moved. Was a frequent transfer till it was shutdown several years back. Can still find the sw's around st.Louis

[@gregleuze6657]

Why was the track being sprayed at the 24:00 mark in the video?

[@SkateboarderRobley]

Man, back then was no graffiti on them? Too fuckin coo, love the SP caboose.

[@UNIONPACIFIC3606]

And when EMD ruled the rails, why is it nothing good ever lasts ? Oh well great video!

[@grayfireproductions]

I can't understand why no one ever took videos of the old N&W U.D. line that the MetroLink runs on now. It ran through Ferguson, Normandy, U. City and railfans just ignored it?

[@houstonrailfanTX]

MKT!!! Nice Cotton Belt U-Boat The McArthur Bridge is abandon now isn't it? Starting at 23:19 is that an early railgrinder?

[@SCRANE1115]

The MacArthur is still the vital rail connector over the Mississippi at St Louis. Auto traffic stopped in the late 1980's and some of that car decking is removed. The Loram rail grinder looked mostly that way for a few decades.

[@fiberrabit8229]

wish i was alive then when railroads where the coolest and damn UP for killing those other railroads, but was a neat video giving me the visual of what trains where like back then

[@danielc7964]

Granted companies merge for financial incentive or are on the verge of bankruptcy. Still sucks in the eyes of railfans. But there are larger factors in place. The least that major companies can do to pay homage is to paint more heritage colors on current locomotives.

[@MrBootydaddy]

What was UP hauling at 3:38?

[@SCRANE1115]

Good eye. My guess was a communication dish. Those 1970's-80's work trains often carried their own satellite phones and communications for reports. The satellite bounced the signal off the few towers that were around. Only a few major industries could afford that type of service then. Since the late 1990's, cell phones and satellite connectors on portable lap tops are standard from management to maintenance. Since 2010 or so, Class 1 train crews still use radio because of RR relay towers found even in the most remote areas.

[@Bob-ed9tc]

Algorithmic comment.

[@seamanE9]

Serious question...at about 24:45 or so...those engines have these over-sized "platforms" (or whatever they are called) on the front. Seems that most engines don't have these...just a regular-sized space. Was there a specific purpose for those things? I would assume so but can't think of what it would have been. (Don't bother with jokes...dance floor, bandstand, picnic area, etc, I've thought of them all...lol.) I love seeing trains, but I'm not a "rail fan." Thanks for the info.

[@jimolsen8632]

seamanE9, I believe you are talking about the gap between the Stairs and the Body of the Locomotive. The Locomotive in questions was an SD that has 6 Axles. The Carbody of the Locomotive is the same as a GP that has 4 Axles. By placing the smaller Carbody on the longer Locomotive Frame, it created a Veranda on both ends (Front and Back). The rear Veranda was big enough for Lawn Chairs and a picnic.

[@robertclark6349]

Several models of SD locomotives were built on a standard frame. The length of the carbody varied depending on the number of cylinders and other equipment installed. Some models would have longer platforms on the ends than others.

[@IvanAguilar101392]

Mp gp 40 in lts been in mexico

[@dubledeuce875]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIDKhIGHhLmqaLc You can see UP 3985 (only steam engine in this video) here sill running in 2008.

[@zacharycalgher3978]

3985 is now owned by the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America in Silvis Illinois where it’s being restored back to operation.

[@MilwaukeeSDman]

At 33:35 was that a hotbox I spot?

[@SCRANE1115]

Good eye. I'm not sure if it was a burning tie/refuse on the adjacent rail. White smoke though.

[@ALS2001]

@Maxqstl Its been Scrapped

[@tk48states]

Guess he doesn’t like Amtrak.

[@donnyschlosser3236]

oops lol

[@edsel6818]

Why is everyone focusing on the locomotives, it would be nice to see the variety of (DIFFERENT) rolling stock that consists of these trains, ESPECIALLY IF THEIR CARGO IS HUGE/OVERSIZED, it's gets boring on jus seeing locos. Good grief😫😬🤔