Thirteen miles southwest of Marceline is Mendon, in Chariton County. Being a very rural farming community, Mendon was and still is a tiny town, featuring several grain silos, two signal bridges and at once time, a depot. On April 19, 1981, Santa Fe C30-7 # 8025 rushes an eastbound manifest through the signal bridges, headed for Chicago. Today, not only is the Sante Fe gone, but the classic ATSF signal bridges are gone as well, replaced by BNSF with contemporary 3-indication “Vader” hood signals. (Photo – Dale Hearn)

The above is an excerpt from Rails Around Missouri, Chapter Two, page 46. Rails Around Missouri is currently in its second hard cover print run, and is due out by Thanksgiving 2015. You can order your copy via the link below, and your copy will come signed by the author, and in time for Christmas! Postal or dealer orders are also an option directly from the printer. Contact Don Banwart, donald@sekan.com or call 620 664-7014.

The book is packed with over 500 all-color images from between 1946 – 1986, and from every corner of the state. Our online price is $54.95 plus $8 shipping. If it is a gift, please email me after your order to make sure I have that info: atsf101@hotmail.com