| When the N&W filed to abandon their line from Moberly to Des Moines in 1993, the Thomas Hill Power Plant was faced with a possible loss of rail service. The Bevier & Southern had already quit and the NW had the only active rail line to the plant, via a branch from Excello. The Lakeside Transportation Company (LTCO) took over, hauling coal from Moberly to Thomas Hill, leasing four ex CR and B&M GP38s and a quartet of former IAIS (ICG) GP10s. The operation only lasted for ten months, Dec 1993 to Oct 1994, while the BN laid tracks over the old BVS roadbed. LTCO ceased ops on 2 Oct 94 and sent its units elsewhere. These are the last two units on the road, being repainted at Excello prior to movement. The short NW/WAB branch west was subsequently pulled up, as was the rest of the Des Moines line. |