TRRA 1503 - West Belt Subdivision - St. Louis, MO - 9/23/08

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TRRA 1503 - West Belt Subdivision - St. Louis, MO - 9/23/08
TRRA 1503 - St. Louis, MO

TRRA 1503 leads its train under Adelaide Avenue on the TRRA West Belt Subdivision, in North St. Louis, Missouri. This train had made its way from the TRRA's Madison Yard in Illinois, across the Merchants Bridge over the Mississippi River into St. Louis, and then onto the West Belt Subdivision. The train was making its way north to North Belt Junction, at Carrie Avenue. At North Belt Junction the TRRA North Belt Subdivision and the West Belt Subdivision interchange with each other.

TRRA 1503

According to RR Pictures Archives, TRRA 1503 was built in 1967, for the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis. The locomotive is an EMD SW1500 model. Today, the locomotive is owned by GMTX leasing, and is now numbered as GMTX 149. The TRRA, a few years ago, sold off their switcher model locomotives and bought larger locomotives with more horsepower to handle its switching operations.

TRRA West Belt Subdivision

The West Belt Subdivision runs between West Approach Interlocking and Rock Island Junction. West Approach Interlocking is milepost 0, and is located on the western side of TRRA's Merchants Bridge. The subdivision comes down to grade at May Street Interlcoking (milepost 0.34), and runs north to Carrie Avenue. At Carrie Avenue (milepost 1.64), the TRRA North Belt Subdivision diverges from the line. Also, at Carrie Avenue, the West Belt Subdivision curves and runs west, passing along the southern edge of Bellefontaine Cemetery. After leaving St. Louis, Missouri, the line runs through the Missouri towns/cities of Hillsdale, Wellston, Pagedale, Hanley Hills, University City, and Vinita Park, before reaching Rock Island Junction (milepost 9.54), in Overland, Missouri. Rock Island Junction sits in the southeast corner of Overland, on the northwest edge of University City, east of Interstate 170.

Terminal Railroad

The Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis is a switching railroad that operates railroad lines and trains on both sides of the Mississippi River in the St. Louis Metro area. The TRRA's Madison Yard located in Venice, Illinois, and Madison, Illinois, is one of two hump yards in the area. TRRA's Madison Yard serves all of the Class 1 railroads that operate in the St. Louis area. The other hump yard is the Alton & Southern's Gateway Yard in East St. Louis, Illinois, and Alorton, Illinois. Most of the major junctions/interlockings in the St. Louis area, including Grand Interlocking and Valley Junction, are controlled by the TRRA.


September 23, 2008. St. Louis, Missouri.

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