ISD & FA Railroad

Miss Calico

Frisco Mikado Steam Locomotive
Makes Big Impression On Citizens!!

On Wednesday, April 18, 2001 at 4:00 A.M. the ISD & FA Short Line Railroad completed it inspection of their new Frisco Mikado locomotive. ISD & FA General Superintendent gave the order to the locomotive crew to fire up the boiler. By 11:00 A.M. the cab crew announced that they had the pressure needed to make a move in the service yard.

With the ISD & FA General Superintendent on board, the engineer moved the throttle lever just a little and while everyone held their breath the mighty Mikado locomotive with its water pumps operating, steam blowing from its Cox's values, generator running and the air compressor making its pumping noise, just sat there. "What was wrong?"

After a moment of exchanged words in the locomotive cab, the engineer moved the throttle just a little bit more and then it happened. The mighty Mikado moved for the first time under her own power. The locomotive that the service crew has nicknamed "Miss Calico" moved oh so slowly up the track with its pistons moving slowing in and out of the cylinders, the massive drive rods slowly turning the huge driver wheels and then right on cue, the smoke stack belched a massive cloud of smoke and made the sound that everyone in Calico, Texas had waited to hear, its first "CHOO".

The joy and jubilation that came from the waiting crowd of ISD & FA employees brings tears to the eyes and so much joy to the heart. Then just about the time the crowd drew quite again, "Miss Calico" belched another cloud of smoke and made her second CHOO! The crowd cheered again! Now it was time for "Miss Calico" to make her presents known to everyone in town and all up and down the valley.

The engineer slowly reached up above his head, placed his oil and grease stained glove on the brass bobber at the end of a rope and slowly pulled on that bobber until the whistle on top of Miss Calico's boiler let out with a blast! It was official now, Miss Calico was in town and everyone could hear her whistle blowing, announcing to the town's folks, "I'm here, I'm alive, and I'm ready to meet the world!"

Then the engineer pulled back on the throttle, Miss Calico came to a lady like stop and the cab crew was so excited, it took them 15 minutes to gain control of themselves. Miss Calico's first steps were everything they had hoped for.

ISD & FA General Superintendent climbed down out of the cab, got on his walkie-talkie and radioed the junction tower and told the yardmaster to "Clear some track, Miss Calico, she's coming out!" Moments later, the yard master radioed back, "Your have clear track into town." The General Superintendent signaled the engineer and Miss Calico strutted her stuff into town.

The engineer drove Miss Calico in front of the station and parked her there for all the towns people to see. Her gleaming paint, white steam, white smoke from her stack, they all made for a beautiful sight. While all this was going on, the ISD & FA General Superintendent was on the phone to the yardmaster in Uhlerville.

The conversation was about getting clear track to Uhlerville's new servicing facility 18 miles away and Miss Calico's first test run. The clearance was given and Miss Calico backed away from the station onto a spur, picked up the restored wood side Frisco caboose and then back onto the mainline for Uhlerville.

With a Frisco U36B standing by, Miss Calico would move under her own power to Uhlerville and the U36B would follow close behind just in case. So the locomotive service crew and the General Superintendent climbed aboard the caboose. Miss Calico's whistle announced her intentions and as the engineer slowly pulled back on the throttle, the mighty Mikado headed for Uhlerville.

Some 50 minutes later, Miss Calico and her caboose came to a stop in Uhlerville on a track adjacent to the new servicing area being built. Everyone got off and started checking Miss Calico out. They checked her water levels, grease fittings, bushings, drive rods, checked everything. After a 30-minute layover in Uhlerville, the General Superintendent radioed the yardmaster and requested clear track back to Calico, Texas. After a few moments the green light was given and Miss Calico with her U36B escort returned home. It was an exciting day and things couldn't have gone better. Miss Calico was home and ready to show what she could do.

After arriving home, the General Superintendent hurried back to his office to line up Miss Calico's first day of revenue service. Things had already been lined up but plans had been made to have a couple of diesel locomotives standing by just in case.

The ISD & FA Short Line Railroad is a branch line operation. They supply and receive freight to and from the big boys. The next day the big boys were bringing a consist of 12 coal hopper cars full of coal. It was the intent of the General Superintendent that the Mikado would pick up the 12-unit coal train and bring it into Calico, Texas.

Now with the success of the test run behind them, he ordered up a U36B to accompany the Mikado to the mainline junction and assist Miss Calico in bringing the coal train in.

Miss Calico was moved back into the yard, her caboose still coupled to her tender where she remained the rest of the day and night. The crew took shifts that night, tending to her, re-checking her, waiting for the next day to be her official debut.

As the sun slowly came up the next morning, the sun moved over Miss Calico bringing her from the dark shadows of the night into the light of a perfect day, no clouds and the bluest of sky. As the crew continued checking on Miss Calico during the early morning hours, things were getting under way to make the trip to the mainline and to pick up that coal train.

At 11:00 A.M. the radio aboard Miss Calico received the message from the Calico yard master ordering the U36B to couple on behind the Mikado, couple up the caboose and move out of the service area toward the station. Sitting in front of the station, some additional crew climbed onboard the caboose and now all was ready.

The engineer whistled their intent and with the pull of the throttle, Miss Calico was off on her first revenue run. The ride over was easy and because Miss Calico had not pulled a load the excitement was building on how she would perform. The Frisco U36B was instructed to add power assist only if the engineer asked for it. You see the diesel locomotive was there just in case.

They arrived at the mainline junction a little early and were there when the mainline freight from the North arrived. After looking the Mikado over, the engineer of the South bound freight and his crew uncoupled the freight right behind the last coal car, moved up the line to clear the switch and then backed the 12-unit coal train onto the siding. After setting the brakes, the diesel uncoupled from the coal train consist and moved back through the switch onto the mainline, coupled up the remaining freight and after a fan fare of horns and whistles blowing, the South bound freight pulled away from the junction.

After the freight had cleared the junction, Miss Calico and the U36B maneuvered the caboose into a spur to wait while they coupled onto the coal train. Then after some switching, Miss Calico and her U36B assistance backed up to the coal train, set the couplers, connected the air brake hose, ran an air check, then the brake check and now things were ready to go.

Miss Calico whistled that she was going to move off the siding and the mighty Mikado was throttled up. As the slapping noise of the couplers could be heard throughout the train, the coal train started to move. When the last coal car cleared the switch, the Mikado was put in reverse and the entire train moved backwards to pick up the caboose. Once the caboose was coupled up, air hose connected and tested, the order was given to head for home.

Once again the engineer radioed the dispatcher for track clearance, blew the mighty whistle, pulled back on the throttle and Miss Calico was officially on the payroll.

Miss Calico moved her load of coal with ease and without strain. When she arrived back home, all the towns people were there to greet her. With helicopters over head and people sitting on top of the water tower, on the service platform of the light tower, the cat walk on the crossing signals, roof tops and one person sitting on the elevated trolley track, there must have been several 100 pictures taken as Miss Calico pulled into town with that coal train.

The staff of the ISD & FA Short Line Railroad is extremely proud to show you the SL-SF "Frisco" Mikado steam locomotive "Miss Calico" and her first trip home.