Hank, I asked a 99 year old brakeman if he remembered how the plant was
switched in the early years and he told me that he was in the military when the
war broke out and he was assigned to guard the plant as it was being built and
when it was finished and started producing anhydrous ammonia. He said the work
train would bring the workmen down to Louisiana in a coach and after letting
everyone out at the plant, they would take the coach back up to Louisiana and
set it out behind the depot and then do all the local work around Louisiana.
It seems they had discovered that the anhydrous ammonia could be used to
produce bombs. I also heard that they were making gasoline out of coal too.
When he was discharged around 1943 he hired out on the CB&Q as a trainman as
they were short on help because many of the younger men were in the service.
The Hercules Powder and Chemical Co. was running the plant from the beginning
and after the war went into fertilizer production. He said that the plant was
always switched by an assigned local out of Hannibal after the war. I hired
out in 1966 and that was how it was then and even now. The local now also
switches the cement plant near Clarksville, Elsberry, and Old Monroe. We
handle covered hoppers, tanks, boxcars, and at one time delivered the coal for
the power house. It is trucked in now. I have a map showing the plant tracks
if that would help. There were 13 tracks in the plant. Several years ago the
plant was separated into two different companies. Ireco and Aqualon. Since
911 security has been beefed up and it is entirely fenced in so pictures would
be out of the question. In the early years of my career it was not uncomman to
have the regular crew hog law after 16 hours and then take almost as long for
the relief crew to finish. I've seen 50 or 60 cars come out but now maybe 8 to
15 a day. Hope this sheds some light on the history of the Cosgrove Turn as it
was called since the station where the plant is located is named Cosgrove.
----- Original Message -----
From: Henry W Kraichely
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2006 1:37 PM
Subject: [SPAM] [CBQ] Missouri Ordnance Plant on K Line
Can someone give me information on the old Missouri Ordnance plant 2 miles
south of Louisiana, Missouri.
I have been told that after the war it became a chemical plant. I am modeling
the early 60's and would like to get info on the plant in this period.
Specifically:
1. Did the Q switch the plant or did they have a plant switcher?
2. Did a yard crew (out of Louisiana) or a local switch the plant?
3. Does anyone have any idea what the layout of the track is in the plant?
4. What kinds of cars were delivered to and picked up at the plant?
5. Any idea of the volume?
6. Is there anyway top take photos of the plant without trespassing?
Thank you for your help,
Hank
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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