Frisco 1522 (4-8-2 steam loco) with St. Louis Steam Train Association (SLSTA) excursion support train - MOC

[Murdoch17]

The Frisco 1522 loco is a 1926 oil burning 4-8-2 "Mountain" type, (4 leading, 8 drivers, 2 trailing) that was made surplus in 1951, donated to the Museum of Transportation (in St. Louis, Missouri) in 1959, and restored to working order in 1988 by the St. Louis Steam Train Association (SLSTA) for it's excursion career. It's new lease on life lasted until 2002 when rising insurance costs made the engine enter it's second retirement, which will be probably be forever.

When the engine was running in it's second career, the SLSTA had four train cars in it's excursion support role. They carried parts, tools, merchandise to sell, and crew members not on duty. After re-retirement of the 1522, most of the cars were eventually sold to Milwaukee Road 261 organization and were renamed and repainted into a different paint scheme more suited to that group.

This may not be the best interpretation of the Frisco 1522, but it seems to be the one of the few I've seen built out of Lego. The model you see here has been my dream ever since I was 5 or six years old and rode behind the steamer on one of it's last public trips. (I don't remember much of the trip, but I do remember the sense of awe and respect for the power of steam after seeing the loco pull past us on it's journey back to the museum and into what looks to be permanent retirement.)

The cab walls on both model and real engine have the name of the railroad (Frisco) on it's side, while the number of the loco (1522) is on the tender sides.

One half of this baggage car (named 'Black Gold' after a train the 1522 used to pull) housed tools, spare parts, lubricants and a fire hose or getting water for the loco, among many other things. The other half (usually closest to the engine) had the souvenir shop with shelves and tables for fundraising merchandise selling. The car is now repainted and named 'Golden Valley'. It has been used with Milwaukee Road 261.

The 'Firefly' was the crew car. It was also named after a train the 1522 used to pull. The car has been sold to be used with Milwaukee Road 261. It sits in storage currently.

The diner-lounge 'Chouteau Club' wasn't owned by the St. Louis Steam Train Association (SLSTA), but by a private individual who was a member of the club. It now is stored / owned by Illinois Transit Assembly in Madison, Illinois, sidelined by side sill rust.

The 'Bluebonnet' was a business car and brought up the rear of the train. It was also named after a train the 1522 used to pull. The car has been sold to be used with Milwaukee Road 261. It has been renamed back to it's first name of 'Milwaukee' and repainted into the proper colors for that railroad.

The real engine is publicly displayed at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri. The Lego model of the loco is sitting on the front of the loco, just above the cowcatcher.

This official Frisco 1522 website gave me invaluable info and pictures of the excursion cars and the loco itself. This page in particular was very helpful in getting the window amount / spacing / 'look' of the excursion cars right.

NOTE: The excursion cars will be built as funding allows. ...and yes, I had a thread made in 2016 for the loco only. That thread was last updated in 2017, and I didn't want to mess with the moderators by bumping it. Thus, this new thread was created. I hope that was ok!)

Edited May 10 by Murdoch17

[Murdoch17]

I have found 333 out of 930 parts, with 597 left to go for this passenger car project.

Even if I continue to find parts, it will not be ordered until next month at the earliest. (though it will most likely be later in 2023)

thoughts?

[Toxic43]

Awesome! So great to see your model with the real thing. I feel your pain with ordering the parts though! It seems everything has gone up, except my disposable income, which seems to have taken a nosedive these days!

 

I hope you manage to get this train together as it's rather impressive. Even more so knowing the history behind it. Getting to see the model run will likely be the only chance to see it run again.

[Murdoch17]

On 5/15/2023 at 6:34 AM, Toxic43 said:

Awesome! So great to see your model with the real thing. I feel your pain with ordering the parts though! It seems everything has gone up, except my disposable income, which seems to have taken a nosedive these days!

 

I hope you manage to get this train together as it's rather impressive. Even more so knowing the history behind it. Getting to see the model run will likely be the only chance to see it run again.

Thanks for the compliments, and sorry I didn't see your post earlier @Toxic43! I plan on getting the model ordered first thing next month. It currently sits at about $40 before S&H with only 433 parts to obtain. (I also plan on putting stickers on the sides of each car with the names spelled out on them.)

Keep your eyes peeled for the real models sometime next month!

Edited May 21 by Murdoch17

[Darkkostas25]

Nice train! Fine detailing hope to see pics of it in bricks! Cool build!