VO-1000m 205 and Boxcar 154318 at Springfield, Missouri on April 27, 1971 (Al Chione).
The locomotive is headed west on city industrial tracks (old passenger main) imbedded in Mill Street. It is crossing the grade crossing intersection with North Main Avenue headed toward South Yard. This is just northeast of the Springfield Passenger and Frisco Freight House. All are located in the Jordan Creek Valley just northwest of the downtown central business core. The passenger depot was abandoned after service ended in 1967 and would be demolished in 1976. The freight house lasted just a little longer, until 1980 when it too was raised.
The building to the north on the left of the image is a former power station of the City Utilities of Springfield. It was located at 414-428 North Main Street. Today on this site the utility maintains a large electric substation. The utility built large power plants on the James River at Lake Springfield and southwest of town near Brookline, MP 247.2. The former is located at Kissick, MP 249.1, on the Ozark Branch. The latter is located on a purpose built three-plus mile spur loop off the Springfield Subdivision near the south end of the Brookline siding near MP 247.5.
In the distance above the boxcar is the main grain elevator at the Missouri Farmers Association (MFA) grain milling complex. It stands along additional city industrial tracks imbedded in parallel Phelps Avenue. The elevator is located at the southeast corner of North Robberson Avenue and East Phelps Avenue. This anchors a large milling complex on the northeast and northwest corners of this intersection. This elevator is the newest (1950s), tallest and largest of the mill complex. It has a capacity of 750,000 bushels.
The view is looking northeast.
Special thanks to Mark Davidson.
Is that Boonville at Phelps looking more or less NE?
Location is definitely as originally posted. This is the intersection of West Mill Street and North Main Avenue adjacent to the Springfield Passenger Station (to the left behind the photographer) on the “old passenger main”.
The distinctive power house building shows in the background of several photographs taken at the station. Please see http://frisco.org/mainline/2017/10/25/e7a-2002-comanche-4/ , http://frisco.org/mainline/2014/07/03/e8a-2019-cavalcade-2/ and http://frisco.org/mainline/2013/10/09/e8a-2022/ .
Note the building just visible to the left of the locomotive’s radiator, behind and above the City Utilities of Springfield truck. This one story building still stands at 400 North Main Avenue. At the time of the photograph believe it was occupied as an office by the utility. It has a distinctive northwest corner wing wall with three stacked vertical openings.
In addition, note the tall elevator head or hoist house. It contrasts considerably in height and configuration from the much smaller and shorter head house at the mill elevator diagonally across the street. Also, atop the elevator note the large framework supporting the sign MFA Feeds. This was a landmark sign on the elevator as noted in the original post. Please see http://frisco.org/mainline/2014/05/01/e8a-2018-ponder/ and http://frisco.org/mainline/2017/11/26/around-the-tracks-at-springfield-missouri-in-1980/ .
Hope this helps.
Thanks!
Mark