Re: Dixie switchbacks

I have not seen any reference to the mikes at Prairie City. A possible reason is that the Prairie City traffic never amounted to much, and the Mikados were needed on the heavier trains out of Austin and Bates. These were commonly double headed. I would think that they would have upgraded the structures and facilities if it were cost effective.
I have seen two references to the number 50 on the line over Dixie; both of them involved accidents. I read an account, by the fireman involved, whereby the 50 rolled off the grade and into Dixie Ck. (East of the summit). He landed in the creek, and thought that the cold water was hot and he was being scalded.
The other account is actually a set of photos which I have, showing the #50 in another wreck. According to the late Floyd Carpenter this occurred below the switchbacks, and again involved rolling off the grade. The loky ended up a considerable distance from the grade, and a substantial spur was constructed to retrieve it. I think it likely that evidence of this spur still exists, but I have not gotten around to looking for it. As Floyd described it there was a trestle not far from the site.
As far as the 16 car stock train, not all such trains originated at Prairie. For as long as the railroad existed, ranchers would ship their cattle out to the high country in the spring and haul them back to Baker Valley in the fall. Tipton was a common terminus for this trade, but other destinations were probably used as well. (In recent years they simply turn the cows onto the highway and let them make their own way down.)