Mark Twain Alert!

[Ferrous]

Hey, everyone, listen up, your attention if you please!
Really want to give you this warning 'cause I found out this morning
'Bout a strange, and yes, a train-related tidbit.
If you should be in the Saint Louis area next week,
Better off protecting your chances,
Under no circumstances should you miss this move, or else you will...
Miss a wonderful streamlined extra-ha-vaganza,
A re-heal historical bonanza,
Beause you know they'll talk about it for a long, long time!
(Look Out!)
It's gonna pass you by on several flatcars,
(Look Out!)
A railroad consist worth a lot of gold stars,
(Look Out!)
A EMD creation noone expects,
This little bulletin was from the execs!

That's right, it's a
Mart Twain Alert!
It's gonna move next week before someone get hurt!
Forward this message on to everybody,
Warn all your friends, send this to everybody,
Tell everyone you know, tell everybody now!
What are you waiting for?
Just hurry up and forward this to every single person that you know!
Hit... send... right... now!

[/Weird Al]

Thought y'all ought to know, the Mark Twain Zephyr is going to move from wherever in Illinois it is now to Madison, just across the river from St. Louis. It's going to be stored at Gateway Rail Services (most likely) until space is made (and track is laid) at their Granite City location. Be on the lookout!

 

[Tokkyu40]

Thanks for the alert. I hope we get some pictures from one of the St. Louie Trainzers.

Claude

 

[robbiehanson]

If I can figure out exactly where this is, I'll see...I live in St. Louis

 

[Ferrous]

Link (the yellow placemark is GRS).

The Granite City Passenger Terminal (where the Zephyr will eventually be displayed) is across the street from the depot in, well, Granite City, near the US Steel plant (just up 203 from the Shops).

 

[robbiehanson]

Do you know what day they're doing it, and any other info? I really want to get out there...and I can borrow a few DSLRs too

 

[colhad]

Just found a site all about the Zephyrs, lots of info here....

http://www.gatewaynmra.org/articles/mt-zephyr.htm

 

[robbiehanson]

Just found a site all about the Zephyrs, lots of info here....

http://www.gatewaynmra.org/articles/mt-zephyr.htm

Thanks!

Come on, guys, when are they moving it? I just need to know which day...I have arranged for "parental permission" to go shoot some pictures

 

[Ferrous]

All I know is that it's supposed to move this week...

I'll see what info I can get from my dad tonight...

PS you have a PM, robbiehanson. :wave:

EDIT: or, you would, but your PM box is apparently full.

 

[Truemac]

man, I wish I could be there! I live in st. louis!

But the only thing restricting me is school...

I'll leave the info-retrieval to robbie

 

[Ferrous]

Sorry, guys

Oh, as much as I hate to say it,...

The Mark Twain Zephry will not move this week. Apparently, I misunderstood what I heard. Sorry.

So, to make up for it in part, here is a picture of it taken recently:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=772931

The good news is, it will move sometime in the next few weeks, and when it moves I will know.

Stay tuned...

 

[robbiehanson]

All righty then.

I'm still in school like Truemac, and I have a job, but first I'm homeschooled, and second I work for a photographer....school therefore isn't a problem, and if anything, my boss wouldn't just let me off work for the day, he'd want to come along!

Due to these weird occurrences in my life...I've got time for just about anything railroad-related....just let me know when it's coming(PM box cleaned) and I'll see what I can do!

 

[Ferrous]

Will do! :wave:

 

[JCitron]

The Mark Twain looks exactly like the Boston & Maine Flying Yankee, which is being rebuilt for use up in the White Mountains on the Hobo Railroad. The work is coming along slowly, but I think it'll be completed in another year. The trainset was a longtime exhibit at Edaville Railroad in Carver, MA until the company closed. It was purchased by a private group with hopes of bringing the famous trainset back to life again.

http://www.flyingyankee.com/

John

 

[Ferrous]

Good News!

Well, it's been loaded up on flatcars, and it should be in the St. Louis area soon!

Eventually, it will be next to the old Illinois Central Depot there in Granite City when it's (cosmetically) restored--they're going to restore it one car at a time. Until the cars are restored, they'll be at Gateway Rail Services just South of Granite City (off the UP Yard).

EDIT: d'you think I could get away with reskinning the Pioneer Zephyr?

 

[robbiehanson]

Do you have ANY data on what day it'll arrive and by what route? I work Thursdays, if it'll be around tomorrow I need to know so I can warn my boss!

 

[Ferrous]

I'll try and chat up my source, but I really don't think it'll be around tomorrow.

 

[Ferrous]

After talking, I found out that as of the 12th, it's still in wherever it is, ie it's not it St. Louis yet.

But, I do have some good news: I'll be at the RPCA convention in Duluth this weekend, and I'll be able to talk to the actual people who bought it, so maybe I'll have something definite by Wednesday.

 

[robbiehanson]

Thanks! I'll have a look through my maps(paper maps...I'm old-fashioned?), and see what roads follow railroad tracks over in IL. Should be a good day of fun. Unfortunately, if it's this Saturday, I have prior obligations.

 

[Ferrous]

Nope, still hasn't left--apparently, the railroad wants the full payment before the cars are moved or something. I'll keep you posted--if I hear otherwise.

Oh, the wiseguy writing the train order is going make it out to the scrapyard next door, just to rile up everyone not in the loop.

 

[Ferrous]

It's on the move!

As of last Thursday, it's on the move!

It'll be coming into St. Louis by the CN from Minooka any day now, but AFAIK it isn't there yet.