This is a very interesting topic to explore. Indeed, these were endlessly
interesting, bucolic operations, and, as noted, they are easy and fascinating
to model. Almost anything would look right in place. Very little ballast
supporting rails, going over unfenced farm fields, past enormous cottonwood
trees, through foliage-lined tunnels bored by the passing train itself, and
over streams on wood-pole bents, supporting wooden stringers ? very photogenic
Until it was abandoned around 1982 I had easy access to the 60 mile branch from
Laclede, Missouri to Unionville, Missouri. The train would go north on Monday,
Wednesdays and Fridays and return southbound Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Since the train only traveled about 10 mi./h . it was easy to leapfrog.
I know a few retired CB & Q/BN men who worked the line. The other day one was
telling me about a particularly interesting load delivered to some farmer at a
gravel, county road grade crossing. It was 2 stock cars of cattle. The farmer
met the train with livestock trucks and the transfer of the cattle was made
there in the countryside at a forlorn grade crossing. So, these branchline "
locals" might carry just about any commodity.
For passengers the line was served up until about 1951 with a Doodlebug.
Thereafter, it carried an old wooden combine on the rear. When that
deteriorated past usefulness, passenger service was offered in the caboose, but
one would have to specifically request transportation on that in the depot at
Brookfield. The availability of the service was not obvious just by looking at
the train.
Would be interested to hear from others about similar interesting operations on
these numerous and wonderful Q branch lines.
~ John A. Swearingen
Brookfield, Missouri 64628
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