Cutting across Tennessee today, we decided the Graceland fee was outrageous, and Elvis had a pink Caddy, but no pink Baldwins. Took a side trip to Colliersville, and caught this Frisco 2-8-2 alongside the N.S. rails. The Mikado is the first thing you see as you roll into town, so it begs the question as to why her paint job is so awful. There is a Southern caboose, a Southern open end observation, and three stainless steel passenger cars. Most of this equipment is intact and not looking too shabby. The Mike is fairly intact but beginning to succumb to the ravages of warm weather and water. She needs a good scraping and a professional paint job. I found a small bronze casting from the cab, laying on the ground, and returned it to the station museum for safe keeping. Apparently the C of C has asked the town for funds to have it repainted, and I mention that to alert any professional restorers who might read this note. She also needs asbestos abatement, and I think this might be the holding point. There are three small trees growing out of her jacketing as well.




Later in the day, we stopped at the Casey Jones Museum, in Jackson. At first I worried that this would be a bogus exploitation; I couldn't have been more wrong! There is a railroad themed mall around the museum, but there is a well cared for ex-Clinchfield 4-6-0, dressed up as a IC 382 stand in. She's not exact, but no pretense is made to pass her off as Jone's locomotive. The museum grounds hold a wonderful collection of artifacts, hardware, and documentation. The gentleman operating the museum is knowledgeable and well disposed towards answering questions as well as passing along history. Next door is the house Casey Jones and his widow occupied, left exactly as it was while the legacy grew. Since Casey Jones holds a place similar in railroad history to Elvis's place in music, I offer this as a great place to put on a vacation intinerary.

Wow, poor old gal does need some paint.
Looks like Frisco did their standard cosmetic restoration. They removed all the lagging, put circular bands standing off from the boiler shell the thickness of the lagging and used galvanized sheet metal for jacketing.
If someone down there comes up with the money, I can furnish photos and details on how she should be painted. (No whitewalls!)

I'm really liking this trip of yours, Richard...if we could find someone to underwrite more of it, you could be doing it year 'round!

Stephen

Stephen: I'd gladly accept the grant. I would add that while I find the locomotives and museums, my pictures don't nearly come up to what you produce, which is, after all, true art in photography. Thanks for the back pats. Thanks to my tolerant and indulgent wife, who has encouraged the whole trip.
The Frisco locomotive still has her lagging, so that will have to be addressed if she gets the makeover she deserves.

It appears that the SLSF 2-8-2 has a Coffin feedwater heater (technically, the heat exchnager for the FWH) sunk into the top of the smokebox. How many other locos survive with a Coffin FWH? B&M used them extensively, but not many other RRs.

- Doug Debs

The Northern Pacific used them on some of their Pacific's (Q-5 class comes to mind) not sure if the preserved NP pacifics (at least 3, two at MTM and one at Toppenish) were so equipped.

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

Frisco 2-8-2 #1351 in Colliersville, Tennessee is one of the Mikes that the Springfield, Missouri Shops of the SLSF converted from older 2-8-0's between 1943 and 1946. Springfield rebuilt a number of steam locomotives through the years, and these 7 Mikado's were the very last. Of the seven (1350-1356), three still survive and the American Steam Railroad Preservation Association of Groveport, Ohio was attempting to purchase number 1352 for a restoration to service.

Les

MEC 470 is equipped with a Coffin feedwater heater. Thanks for the information regarding Collierville's Mike - far more interesting than one would have thought. She looks like the type of local freight engine you'd see paddling around and between southern railroad stations. I'd love to see her painted and covered under shed.

Most of the passenger equipment at Colliersville is for sale through Ozark Mountain Railcar - the DL&W diner is shown as being sold.