Originally posted in Yahoo Groups, May 2005

MP trains 32 and 37, March 26, 1960, from Arkansas Division dispatcher train sheet. #37 was carried in the employee timetable as a first class train, but was actually a mail and express train which did not normally carry revenue passengers. The extra passenger cars, other than the rider coach, on this consist are presumed to be deadheading. #32 was the northbound Sunshine Special, by this time a local service which was overshadowed by both sections of the Texas Eagle. The Sunshine carried various setout Pullmans so that switching of the Texas Eagles could be minimized.

Note that train 37 set out a box-express and train 32 picked up a box express at Hoxie, where the Missouri Pacific crossed the Frisco. This switching was done on a fairly regular basis, suggesting a regular express car line. St. Louis to Memphis via Hoxie would have been a cumbersome routing when direct line service between St. Louis and Memphis was available on both the Frisco and the IC. Any information or theories on this car interchange would be appreciated.
Bill Pollard

MP train #32 north bound from Little Rock
7014 A E unit
7007 A E unit
MP 88306 50′ box express —- picked up at Hoxie, AR
MP 2006 HW mail storage
TP 1711 box express
PA 2187 box express
MP 2569 HW baggage-mail (RPO)
MP 4270 HW baggage express
GM&O 90 HW baggage
MP 6307 HW coach
MP 6176 HW coach
MP 6315 HW coach
MP 10239 HW diner lounge
Arkansas River from Hot Springs (6 sec-6 Rmt-4 DBR)
Eagle Hill from Lake Charles (14 Rmt-4DBR)
Eagle Stream from Shreveport (14 Rmt-4DBR)
Eagle Glide from El Dorado (14 Rmt-1DR-2DBR)
Eagle Rock extra car ?? (14 Rmt-4DBR)

MP train #37, southbound into Little Rock
7019A E unit
7014B E unit
REX 6145 refrigerator express
N&W 220 box express
REX 7691 refrigerator express
PRR 2064 box express
REX 6624 refrigerator express
REX 6774 refrigerator express
MP 86166 50′ box express
NYC 8733 HW baggage
NYC 8078 HW baggage
REX 7729 refrigerator express
MP 2073 HW mail storage
MP 4265 HW baggage
T&P 1153 HW baggage express
MP 86150 50′ box express

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set out at Hoxie, AR
T&P 1110 HW baggage express
MP 2207 HW mail storage
T&P 622 HW baggage
MP 12566 ?
Blackstone (Possibly Timothy B. Blackstone – GM&O LW Pullman)
MP 6553 HW coach
MP 6409 HW grill coach
MP 6335 HW coach

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Bill:

Interestingly, I recorded MoPac #32 less than a week before you did (March 20, 1960) at Little Rock and that night also it had a fifth Pullman. I recorded the car [loading] numbers (as assigned by the MoPac and shown in the timetable — not the Pullman line numbers for which I get in trouble every time I mention). My night they line up, after Pitzcicaro (diner-lounge) as follows:

MP Arkansas River 6-6-4 car #7502
BO Cascade Sound 10-5 car #325 (Hot Springs-St. Louis)
MP Eagle Stream 14-4 car #323 (Shreveport-St. Louis)
MP Eagle Glide 14-2-1 car #324 (El Dorado-St. Louis)
MP Eagle Rock 14-4 car #1321 (Lake Charles-St. Louis)

You see that it is exactly the same lineup with the exception of Eagle Hill having been substituted for Cascade Sound. As I copied the car assignment numbers personally from the lighted signs in the windows, I feel pretty confident that they are correct. The numbers correspond to the numbers published in the timetable covering this period, so I am going to propose that they were actually in the same assignments on your night as well, rather than as you have them shown. The timetable showed car #325 as a 10-5, so I assume that Cascade Sound had been bad ordered and substituted for.

That leaves Arkansas River. I have always speculated that the car #7502 was a Little Rock-St Louis car. There had been such an assignment until shortly before and I have always wondered whether they were still running it on an as-needed basis. The fact that the same car was running in the same position in your consist reinforces my inclination in this regard. Who can tell us for sure????
Gordon Mott

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Gordon:
Thanks for the correction. I concur with your line up of the sleepers on Mop #32 out of Little Rock. After further review, this train was
actually carrying 5 sleepers on a regular basis during the time in question, the 5th “mystery” car being a Thrift-T-Sleeper between St.
Louis and Hot Springs. This car came south on #1, to #831 at Little Rock, and was open for occupancy at Hot Springs until 8am. Northbound, #832 brought this car as well as the regular Hot Springs-St. Louis sleeper to Little Rock, where both cars were added to #32 for movement to St. Louis. The northbound loading number for the Thrift-T-Sleeper was TS-32.
Bill Pollard

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Bill, Gordon,
Based on your consists, would you conclude that the sleepers on #32 appeared in this order?
6-6-4 TS-32 HSP-STL Thrifty Sleeper
14-4 325 HSP-STL
14-4 323 SHR-STL
14-2-1 324 ELD-STL
14-4 1321 LCH-STL
Interesting discussion! Thanks,
Rick Peterson

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Bill:
That makes sense, and a 6-6-4 would certainly have been the logical choice to use in Thrift-T-Sleeper service. Still doesn’t explain the 7502 loading number that Arkansas River was displaying the night I saw it, but probably not important. Incidentally, the night I saw it, the sleepers were trailed by office car #1 which made a very nice looking train!
Gordon

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Rick,
The line up that you list appears to be the standard when 5 cars were running. There is some question as to why the Pullmans were lined up in this fashion, since it required extra switching moves at Little Rock. Train 32 arrived in Little Rock (1960 scheduled arrival 11:05pm) with the Shreveport sleeper (picked up at Texarkana) and the El Dorado sleeper (picked up at Gurdon) on the rear of train. #832, carrying the two Hot Springs sleepers, would have arrived at 10:55pm, and #132, with the Lake Charles sleeper, was due at 11:20pm. The most efficient switching would have been to add the two Hot Springs cars to the rear of the two sleepers already on train #32, then add the Lake Charles sleeper on the rear of those cars when it arrived. Instead, steam lines were disconnected and the two Hot Springs cars were inserted “mid-train” with the other sleepers following. All of this was completed to allow train #32 to depart Little Rock at 11:50pm, just in advance of Texas Eagle #21’s arrivial at 11:55pm and Texas Eagle #1 at 12:05am.
Bill Pollard

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Bill
Don’t forget that the diner-lounge was also added at LR. With #832 arriving first, the two Hot Springs sleepers could have been cut and set against the diner-lounge and then a single move made on #32 to cut the three cars in between the coaches and sleepers.
Just speculation. Wish we could just pop down to the switch tenders shanty at the north end of the station this evening and verify it for ourselves!
Gordon Mott

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Bill, Gordon, Rick and List
I’ll research my MP dispatcher sheets for January 1960 to try to get a feel for the arrangement for #32 in and out of Little Rock. I have sheets for the Little Rock and Hoxie subs for that month.

A quick look at a my passenger service list shows the Thrif-T Sleeper added to Hot Springs in Nov 1, 1959 and discontinued in May 1, 1960. The December 6, 1959 Public Timetable indeed shows Thif-T Sleeper TS-32 as a 6-6-4. A cursory look at my dispatcher sheets shows Eagle River and Colorado River running frequently.

As info a Thift-T Sleeper also ran to Hot Springs between 1/15/59 and 5/15/59. It would appear that the Thrif-T Sleepers were used in 1959 for the Hot Springs Racing Season and then for the 1959 – 60 Holiday season and 1960 Racing Season. I believe Oaklawn usually opened in Late Jan and ran through mid-April. I also remembering cutting class at LRU on an occasional Friday to go to the races. BTW the B&O 10-5 were replaced with 14-4s on 11/9/61.
Dick Ryker

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Gordon brings up an interesting point with the diner lounge. The diner lounge came from St. Louis on #25 arriving in Little Rock at 8:30 PM. By then #32 had already left Texarkana. By cutting the diner lounge at Little Rock MP could turn the car on #32 and save dining car miles. Number 25 went to Palestine, and returned only to Texarkana as #26 combining with #4 to St. Louis. #4 left Little Rock at 7:25 AM and was coach only to St. Louis. I remember a Porter selling sandwiches at noon time. So cutting the diner in the train allowed a place to set-in the two Hot Springs sleepers as well. I’ll check consists to be sure.
Dick Ryker

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