One of my most popular posts was one of earliest out at Castlewood. It still draws me back, as I see changes over the years.
The old road above, which had begun to suffer from terrible erosion, has been stabilized. Originally, the road led to the various cabins on the bluffs, as well as the ruins of the old water cistern, seen below.
The views are still incredible, and what certainly drew people out here on the railroad in the early Twentieth Century.
The long wooden staircase, supposedly built by Boy Scouts, is actually beginning to show its age; it will need to be renovated soon.
The heavy rains have left thick underbrush and canopy around the park, just as in the city.
But here and there, signs of life, such as this old telephone pole that led up the houses on the bluff.
The grand staircase still holds on, though its condition continues to deteriorate as well.
The tunnel, holding in the cold, still allows access under the very active tracks.
I don’t think I have ever seen these hunks of concrete before, revealed due to extremely low river levels. I have no idea what they were. Part of the train station that served Lincoln Beach right here?
And then there is this broad meadow; was it perhaps sports fields back in the day for the resort?
The Scenic Limited I think was the railroad that brought people out from the city.
I feel like this sign has faded badly from when I was younger.
The Scenic Limited was a premium train which the MOP ran from St. Louis to Pueblo, CO, which continued to Salt Lake City over the DRGW and thence to San Francisco over the WP.
See http://streamlinermemories.info/?p=3689
and the MOP’s Wiki page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Pacific_Railroad
The name was discontinued in the early 1940s in favor of the famous Eagle streamliner trains. That sign may well date from the 1920s or earlier.
My Gpaw (1870-1948) was an engineer on a portion of that route early in the last century and I vaguely recalled the name, so had to double-check.
The field is likely what remains of an old wheat field. In the woods, somewhat near the tunnel there is an old(circa 1950s) combine with trees growing through it. It is incredibly easy to miss unless you are looking for it.