HISTORIC FRISCO STEAM TRAIN LEADS FOUR-DAY TREK

St. Louis - The former Frisco Railroad's historic steam locomotive 1522 will once again depart from historic St. Louis Union Station next month, on a four-day rail journey to Atlanta, Ga., for the 1994 national convention of the National Railway Historical Society.

The restored locomotive will pull a 16-car, "Peach Blossom Special," on a one-way trip from St. Louis to Atlanta, Ga., with stops along the former Frisco passenger mainline tracks in Springfield, Memphis, and Birmingham.

Judy Koepke, spokesman for the St. Louis chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, said the Peach Blossom Special will depart St. Louis Union Station June 18, at 8 a.m. for the first leg of the trip down the Burlington Northern Railroad's former Frisco mainline track over Dixon Hill to Springfield.

After spending the night in Springfield, the train will leave at 7:30 a.m. June 19 for the run to Memphis, Tenn., arriving at 8:15 that evening.

Koepke said, "This was once the longest and most difficult run for the steam-era Frisco Railroad, and for which 1522 and its sister locomotives was designed."

The train will leave Memphis June 20, at 8 a.m. for Birmingham, Ala., arriving there at 6 p.m.

The final leg of the trip will begin at 7 a.m. June 21, when the train leaves Birmingham on the Norfolk Southern tracks for final leg of the trip to Atlanta, arriving at 6 p.m.

The NRHS convention begins June 22.

Koepke said passengers can ride the Peach Blossom Special in segments, or make the entire trip. Return bun service back to St. Louis will be available at the Springfield and Memphis stops.

Ticket information is available in a brochure that can be obtained by calling 314-353-5635 from 7-9:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; or send a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope to Peach Blossom Special, St. Louis Chapter NRHS, 11221 Manchester Road, Suite 321, St. Louis, Mo., 63122.

Koepke said coach seating tickets are still available for all segments of the trip. However, first class accommodations are selling out on some segments, she added.

The Frisco 1522 is the nation's only operating Mountain-type (4-8-2) steam locomotive, which, along with her sister locomotives, ruled the Frisco's challenging Ozark grades for 20 years as the Frisco's premier passenger power.

Koepke said, "The 1522 served many years as a Frisco passenger locomotive. It was built in 1926 and retired in 1960. It was donated to the National Museum of Transport where it remained on display for many years. In 1988, the museum and the St. Louis Steam Train association completed the restoration of 1522."

Since its restoration, Frisco 1522 has made a number of day-long, round-trip excursions, including a trip from St. Louis to Decatur, Ill. Its most recent outing was during the National Rail Historical Society Convention in St. Louis, when the steam locomotive and two other restored steam locomotives, including the Cotton Belt Railroad's 819, made day-long excursions from St. Louis.