@MegaFred55 The Frisco sold the stretch of the highline from just south of Maurine to a point just south of Osceola to the U S Army Corps of Engineers in '78 and was stripped before Truman Lake was completed. The rest of the line from East Lynne and Bolivar was abandoned and stripped shortly afterwards. BN ran on the northern end of the Highline from Dodson Jct to East Lynne until '88, and that stretch was no better than this one.
Absolutely amazing footage! I grew up in Ash Grove, on the BN mainline, and west of Willard on this Highline/Bolivar Branch. In all of my years growing up (1979- ) I never once saw a train on the tracks through Willard. Thanks for this great video! At least we can still enjoy this corridor by walking or biking it.
I was sad to see this go, however, service changes, and cuts like this were necessary so the railroads could sustain themselves, scences like this are from the past, unit trains and long freight hauls are the future of the railroads
Today, a portion of the line from Grandview, MO, near where the Frisco had ducked under the KCS main line, to Belton, where it parallells along US 71 Hwy at 179th street (Cambridge Rd.) is the only remanant of the Blair Line.
From Kansas City, trains ran to Clinton, then returned to KC. That portion of the line was cut back to East Lynne in 1977 when a trestle north of Blairstown burned. The Springfield to Clinton handled service to Blairstown when needed until 1978 when another trestle south of Balirstown also burned.
Up until 1978, the line went to Clinton, and returned back to springfield. The biggest portion of the line from Clinton to Osceola is at the bottom of Truman Lake.
Great classic video. I remember the Frisco using the "Highline" quite a bit in the early 70's. I dated a girl that lived in Walnut Grove and remember the trains passing through town pretty often. Hated to see it go away:(
Wow. Never expected to see this. BN on that track? Amazing. Thought Frisco closed it off when they owned it.
MegaFred55 11 months ago
@MegaFred55 The Frisco sold the stretch of the highline from just south of Maurine to a point just south of Osceola to the U S Army Corps of Engineers in '78 and was stripped before Truman Lake was completed. The rest of the line from East Lynne and Bolivar was abandoned and stripped shortly afterwards. BN ran on the northern end of the Highline from Dodson Jct to East Lynne until '88, and that stretch was no better than this one.
garywayne1966 3 months ago
Looks like he has the headlight on in the video post from Karlin, MO
mikelandislive 1 year ago
I wonder why they're running with the headlight off?
mikelandislive 1 year ago
Absolutely amazing footage! I grew up in Ash Grove, on the BN mainline, and west of Willard on this Highline/Bolivar Branch. In all of my years growing up (1979- ) I never once saw a train on the tracks through Willard. Thanks for this great video! At least we can still enjoy this corridor by walking or biking it.
mikelandislive 1 year ago
I was sad to see this go, however, service changes, and cuts like this were necessary so the railroads could sustain themselves, scences like this are from the past, unit trains and long freight hauls are the future of the railroads
montecarloLS2003 1 year ago
very nice...
mtskidmark 2 years ago
It don't get any better than this!!! Thanks
JDeereGP 2 years ago
Today, a portion of the line from Grandview, MO, near where the Frisco had ducked under the KCS main line, to Belton, where it parallells along US 71 Hwy at 179th street (Cambridge Rd.) is the only remanant of the Blair Line.
garywayne1966 2 years ago
From Kansas City, trains ran to Clinton, then returned to KC. That portion of the line was cut back to East Lynne in 1977 when a trestle north of Blairstown burned. The Springfield to Clinton handled service to Blairstown when needed until 1978 when another trestle south of Balirstown also burned.
garywayne1966 2 years ago
Up until 1978, the line went to Clinton, and returned back to springfield. The biggest portion of the line from Clinton to Osceola is at the bottom of Truman Lake.
garywayne1966 2 years ago
Great classic video. I remember the Frisco using the "Highline" quite a bit in the early 70's. I dated a girl that lived in Walnut Grove and remember the trains passing through town pretty often. Hated to see it go away:(
cz75fan 2 years ago
I forgot how poor that track was.
montecarloLS2003 2 years ago
He needs to turn his headlight on.
dumbbuff 2 years ago