Lloyd Stagner

Keel Middleton Photo

March 6, 2002, Roland, KS (West of Wellington)
Waiting on the test run of the Super Z train on the BNSF.
Pen in mouth, pad of paper in hand, camera around his neck.

John Signor Photo

Dave Webb Photo

Railroad Historian Lloyd Stagner dies at 84

BY HURST LAVIANA

The Wichita Eagle

Lloyd Stagner's life was about railroads.

"He knew trains inside and out," said lifelong friend James McClellan. "He was a walking, breathing historian. I mean he was an absolute authority -- one of the foremost authorities on passenger trains in the country."

Mr. Stagner was working on his 32nd book about trains when he suffered a heart attack at his Newton home Jan. 11. He died late Friday at Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus at the age of 84.

"He was a very prolific author and very highly regarded," said Gale Meek, who served with Mr. Stagner on the Great Plains Transportation Museum's board of directors. "He researched things carefully. He didn't write about things he didn't know about."

Up until the day of his heart attack, Marilyn Stagner said, her husband regularly fielded phone calls from people all over the country seeking information about railroads.

"Sometimes two or three a day," she said. "If you wanted to know something about trains, you'd ask Lloyd."

McClellan said he met Mr. Stagner at Wichita's Union Station when both were 16-year-old railroad buffs.

"He'd probably been at it ever since he was 5 or 6 years old," McClellan said. "We started talking and carried on from there for 68 years. He was a railroad man anyway you looked at him."

Both men went on to long railroad careers, with Mr. Stagner holding a variety of jobs during his 34 years with the Sante Fe Railroad. He published his first railroading book in 1975, and his fascination with trains continued long after his retirement in 1979.

Although he was no longer on the board of directors of the Great Plains Transportation Museum in Wichita, Mr. Stagner continued to volunteer there and often served as a tour guide when schoolchildren visited.

In recent years, he also was active with the Northern Flyer Alliance, a group that has been lobbying to bring rail passenger service back to Wichita.

Meek said that if Mr. Stagner will be remembered for something besides his railroad knowledge, it will probably be for his gentle demeanor.

"He was just an absolute gentleman," he said. "You couldn't ask for a nicer friend. He was very, very personable. Anybody who asked him a question, he did the best he could to find an answer."

Services for Mr. Stagner will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Petersen Funeral Home Chapel in Newton. In addition to his wife, he is survived by sons Matthew and Murray, daughter Marla Jane Summer, and three grandchildren.

NEWTON, Kan. - Lloyd Stagner, author of several books and eight TRAINS features between 1972 and 1989, died late Friday (January 18, 2008) following a heart attack. He was 84.

Though he first hired out with Union Pacific, Stagner spent most of his career working for the Santa Fe as a station agent in Kansas and Oklahoma. He retired as Santa Fe's Dodge City, Kan., agent.

Stagner was best known as a fan of the Santa Fe and of steam locomotives; his book titles included North American Hudson and Steam Finale in Kansas, both published in the late-1980s by South Platte Press. But his love of railroading spread across the continent and included diesels as well as steam.

After retiring, Stagner volunteered at the Great Plains Transportation Museum in Wichita, Kan., and belonged to railroad history groups including the National Railway Historical Society and the Lexington Group.

Stagner is survived by his wife, Marilyn, three children, and three grandchildren. His son Murray is a corridor manager with BNSF Railway in Fort Worth, Texas.

PUBLISHED: Monday, January 21, 2008

Lloyd E. Stagner, 84, passed away Friday (Jan. 18, 2008) at Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis campus in Wichita. He was born March 2, 1923, in Newkirk, Okla., to Lloyd Sr. and Della (Thompson) Stagner. They preceded him in death. Lloyd married Marilyn Davis on Oct. 12, 1972, in Topeka. She survives of Newton.

He was a retired Santa Fe Railway Station agent and author of books and magazine articles on American steam locomotives. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army. He was a member of Trinity Heights United Methodist Church in Newton, the National Railway Historical Society, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Harvey County Historical Society and the Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modeling Society.

Other survivors include sons, Matthew Stagner and wife, Lisa Lombard, of Oak Park, Ill., and Murray Stagner and wife, Lana, of Grapevine, Texas; daughter, Marla Jane Summer of South Paris, Maine; and three grandchildren. He also was preceded in death by a brother, Giles E. Stagner.

Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. today at Petersen Funeral Home in Newton. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel, with the Rev. Phil Fischer of Trinity Heights UMC officiating. Burial will be at McPherson City Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Heights UMC or Great Plains Transportation Museum in Wichita in care of the funeral home.

The Newton Kansas

I had a call from Marilyn Stagner at 10:46 pm tonight and she told me that Lloyd passed away tonight very peacefully at 9:27 pm. She said that she had came home to get some rest and that Jane and Matt were bedside when he passed.

I was so very impressed at how he bravely soldiered on today. He was brave and I believe had a truly desire to live on. Please once again remember Marilyn, Jane, Matt, and Murray in your Prayers as they struggle with their grief. If you wish to make contact here is the information to do that;Our prayers and sympathy to the family. Cards or sympathy can be sent to Lloyds house at 1402 W. 5th, Newton, Ks 67114-3133.

Norman Walters

The Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society will honor Lloyd’s memory with a special tribute in the upcoming Warbonnet and/or Running Extra, similar to what we did for Chard Walker.  If you have a particular remembrance or photo of Lloyd that you would like to share with others who share his loss, please feel free to contact either John Signor or me.  As editor of the Running Extra, I always valued the letters and responses to questions that I received from Lloyd and the Extra and its readers are the richer for his selfless help to so many.  I hope that you who knew him best will share some of your fond memories with the larger Santa Fe community that grieves this loss. Thanks for your help in remembering this wonderful man.

Eric Hiser
Editor, Running Extra
SFRH&MS Newsletter
ehiser@msn.com

Lloyd Stagner made an immediate impression on me as he did on all of us. In the early 70s, he was making a presentation about the Santa Fe.  At that time, I was just developing a slight interest in the Santa Fe.  After his presentation, the interest was greatly enhanced.  But I also knew I had met a remarkable and likeable man.  I chatted with him after the presentation, and was taken by this kind gentleman.

Over the years I attended many such sessions and also had the pleasure of introducing him.  At every event where Lloyd was, I’d search him out.  Our conversations were invaluable, pleasurable, and now found memories.

You never knew where Lloyd would appear.  One day I was setting up to photograph 844 or 3985 east of Perry.  Someone said, “Hey Budde, what are you doing.” Lloyd was walking toward me with his trusty camera over his shoulder. We met and chatted. After the train passed, we conversed by the side of the road until we were encouraged to get off the road by several honking horns.

It was a genuine pleasure to work with Lloyd on manuscripts. We collaborated on an article to stimulate interest on the restoration of the SF 3463. As a context, I have authored or worked with others on professional publications over the years.  None of that experience would hold a candle to the experience with Lloyd.  He was extremely helpful with the original ideas and design.  His drafts and final products were always ahead of schedule. His work was neat, accurate, and contained a flavor of humor. But most of all, it was just a lot of fun to work with him.  This simply was not work, but exciting labors of love.

I only saw Lloyd angry once.  We were having lunch with fellow railroaders, when one brought up a political issue.  Lloyd jumped on him with sheer determination.  It seemed so out of character for Lloyd, although I did agree with him. But, in a few seconds he was back to being his genuine, pleasant and civil self. 

In today's world where civility is lacking, you could always count on Lloyd to find an abundance of civility.  I deeply admired that about him.

I stopped by Lloyd’s home for a visit in 2006.  We had lunch in his favorite restaurant and discussed the old Santa Fe. Then, we drove around Newton to chase trains and look at his favorite sites.  I'm glad we did that. It was a great and memorable day.  I visited with him several times after that.  Although he seemed a bit frail, he remained true to his values, his friends, railroading, and his wife and companion of many years.

Jim Budde

Lloyd wrote a foreword for my Alma branch book which still has not made it to print,  but it was typical of his willingness to help and share. When I was writing my Alma branch manuscript I was constantly peppering him with questions about this detail or that of Santa Fe operations.  I have a number of letters from him with his answers.  He was always patient and I was always amazed by what he knew or the Santa Fe paperwork he had in his collection.  I valued my relationship with him although we never met.  His books on Santa Fe steam have been valued additions to my library.  He will be missed.

Jared Harper

I met Lloyd during my teen age years while I was a high school student in Wichita, Kansas. He arranged a trip on the Midland Valley for the Wichita Chapter of the NRHS. Rest in peace, friend.

Jim Satterwhite

Lloyd will certainly be missed as a historian who shared his knowledge and as a friend.

John Moore

Lloyd was an old-school gentleman whose knowledge was prodigious and who was always happy to share what he knew. Santa Fe modelers and historians will miss him; I know I will.

Richard Hendrickson

By total serendipity (and to my utter surprise) I was introduced to Lloyd in Wichita some years go. A totally pleasant and informative conversation at some length ensued, fondly recalled even now. Lloyd was just as Richard describes- and to boot knowledgeable about the railroads that we love.

I have a lot of his books, including most recently a very slim but very interesting volume on Milwaukee Road steam power- a railroad far from his usual haunts (excluding Kansas City, of course). He knew an awful lot about steam power, but he never wrote or published more than he actually knew. That is why his writings are so respected.

Denny Anspach

Quoting Lloyd Stagner from his complete story of the Santa Fe’s 2-8-4s, “Missouri Berkshires”, in the February 1987 issue of TRAINS, “If not as famous as the 4-8-4s and 2-10-4s, nor as numerous as the heavy 2-8-2s and 2-10-2s, the 4101 class was rated by the Missouri Division enginemen who knew them best as “good engines”. In the steam era that was sufficient praise for any locomotive”. Lloyd’s affection for railroading, his understanding of the art of steam, and his boundless enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge are captured in that simple quotation.

I knew Lloyd only through correspondence and his published works, yet he was unfailing prompt and courteous in answering my many questions and patiently reviewing a draft of my work. Lloyd was always a fan of the Santa Fe and other railways but never a fanatic. Lloyd was indeed a truly gifted historian and fortunately his work survives. He will be more than missed, he cannot be replaced.

Larry E. Brasher

KAKE Wichita did a feature on Lloyd a few years ago. Click here to see it.

34 Books by Lloyd Stagner

American Steam Finale, 1954-1970, South Platt Press, 2001.

ATSF Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment, Morning Sun Books, 1995.

Burlington Route Steam Finale, South Platt Press, 1997

Chicago Great Western in Color, Morning Sun Books, 1997.

Fifty Years of Union Pacific Steam Excursions (with James J. Reisdorff), South Platte Press, 2003

Frisco Steam Finale: 1946-1952, South Platte Press, 1995.

Illinois Central: In Color, Morning Sun Books, 1996.

Kansas Division Steam Finale: 1950-1956 (with James J. Reisdorff), South Platt Press, 1988.

Midland Valley: Rails for Coal, Cattle and Crude, 1996

Missouri Pacific Steam Finale in Kansas: 1940-1952 (with James J. Reisdorff), South Platte Press, 1992.

Missouri Pacific's steam to diesel era, 1945-1955, 2002.

North American Hudsons: The 4-6-4 Steam Locomotive (with James J. Reisdorff, Robert R. Malinoski) , South Platte Press, David City Nebraska, 1987.

Rio Grande Steam Finale, South Platt Press, 1999.

Rock Island in Color: Volume I: 1948-1964 (with Bill Marvel), Morning Sun Books, 1994.

Rock Island Motive Power, 1933-1955, Pruett Pub Co, 1980

Santa Fe Facilities in Color, Vol. 1: Transcontinental Route Chicago - Los Angeles, Morning Sun Books, 2005.

Santa Fe Facilities in Color, Vol. 2: Branches, Morning Sun Books, 2005.

Santa Fe in Color, 1940-1971. Vol. 1: Chicago -Kansas City, Morning Sun Books, 1992.

Santa Fe in Color, 1940-1971. Vol. 2: Kansas City - Albuquerque, Morning Sun Books, 1993.

Santa Fe in Color, 1940-1971. Vol. 3: Albuquerque - Los Angeles, Morning Sun Books, 1993.

Santa Fe in Color, 1940-1971. Vol. 4, Texas - El Capitan, Morning Sun Books, 1993.

Santa Fe in the Intermountain West, Colorado Rail Annual No. 23 (with Cornelius W. Hauck and Daniel E. Seward), Colorado Railroad Museum, 2000.

Santa Fe Steam Finale in Kansas 1952-1955, South Platte Press, 1988.

Santa Fe Steam Survivors, South Platte Press, 2006.

Santa Fe Steam, the Last Decade, 1949-1959, South Platte Press, 1995.

Santa Fe Trackside, with Bill Gibson, Morning Sun Books, 1999.

Steam Locomotives of the Frisco Line, Pruett Publishing Co., 1976.

The Milwaukee Road's Steam, Diesel and Electric Era 1950-1957, South Platte Press, 2005.

Trackside around Kansas 1960-1975, Morning Sun Books, 2006.

Union Pacific Motive Power in Transition: 1936-1960, South Platte Press, 1993.

Union Pacific Steam in Color, Morning Sun Books, 1995.

Union Pacific Steam Survivors, South Platte Press, 2007.

UP Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment, Vol. 1 (with Robert J. Yanosey, Lou Schmitz) , Morning Sun Books, 1993.

UP Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment, Vol. 2 (with Robert J. Yanosey, Lou Schmitz) , Morning Sun Books, 1993.