UP 321 on the Lesperance Industrial Lead and Desoto Subdivision

In the winter of 2004, I caught a Union Pacific local train heading south on the UP Lesperance Industrial Lead and the UP Desoto Subdivision. The train came south out of UP's Lesperance Street Yard in St. Louis, Missouri, and was destined for DeSoto, MO.

UP 321 in South St. Louis

I spotted the train coming south on the Lesperance Industrial Lead (LIL) along 1st Street, near Potomac Street in South St. Louis. With the train moving slowly I had enough time to turn around and head to Bellerive Park, where the LIL runs between the park's river bluffs and the Mississippi River. Bellerive Park sits up on the bluffs, while the lower level where the tracks are is Sister Marie Charles Park now.

UP 321 leads its train south at Bellerive Park and Sr. Marie Charles Park, near Elwood Street.

With the train moving slowly, I was able to get to East Steins Street (milepost (MP) 6.3), at Vulcan Street, to catch it coming around the curve there. In the background are some of the old brick buildings along South Broadway Street in South St. Louis. At this point, the train is about a half of a mile north of Davis Junction. Davis Junction (MP 6.8) is where the Lesperance Industrial Lead will end, and the train will continue south on UP's Desoto Subdivision.

UP 321 and its train on a curve on the Lesperance Ind. Lead at E. Steins St. in South St. Louis.

UP 321 at Ivory Yard

My last photograph of the train was taken at UP's Ivory Yard in Lemay, Missouri. Ivory Yard sits along UP's DeSoto Subdivision at MP 7.3. A half mile south of Davis Junction. The yard sits between River City Casino Boulevard, to the north, and East Hoffmeister Avenue, to the south. The train continued on its journey south, eventually arriving at DeSoto, Missouri, to deliver a string of autorack cars to UP's Desoto Car Shops for rebuilding.

UP 321 at UP's Ivory Yard in Lemay, MO. The second locomotive is UP 352.

Photographs taken on December 28, 2004.