Year: 2019

September 2019 Chapter Photo Contest Winners

October 26, 2019 Jim Pearson No Comments Chapter Photo Contest, Photo Contest Winners

September 2019 Photo Contest Results

We had a total of nine entries for the July 2019 chapter photo contest and the chapter members selected the winners during our October 2019 meeting.

Our last contest of 2019 will run from November 1-15th and the deadline for entries will be November 17th, 2019. Send your entries to me (no more than 2 per paid chapter member) at webmaster@westkentuckynrhs.org or jim@jimpearsonphotography.com by midnight on November 17th!

  • First Place, September 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – The East Chattanooga Station Platform during the night photo session of the 2019 L&N Railroad Convention at Chattanooga, Tennessee. – Photo by Keith Kittinger
  • Second Place, September 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – It’s a warm September afternoon on Lake Michigan in southern Wisconsin and number 4606 (nicknamed the Green Hornet) has pulled streetcar duty today for the Kenosha Transit System. Established in 2000, the two mile route through the downtown and park districts is one of Kenosha’s major attractions, hosting over 65,000 riders a year. – Photo by Chris Dees
  • Third Place, September 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – Saturday, September 28, 2019. NB at Crofton KY during the NRHS Chapter Picnic. – Photo by Rick Ricky Bivins

Rusty Rails on the Morganfield Branch

October 26, 2019 Jim Pearson No Comments Bill Thomas, Pickin' the points

by Bill Thomas, editor

August 17, 2019 – CSXT 972 leads a load of 75 coal cars on J800-16 as they round the curve coming approaching the Happy Lane Crossing on the Morganfield Branch at Manitou, Kentucky. This one of the last trains to pickup a load of coal from Dotki Mine in Clay, Ky since it ceased operations on August 14th, 2019. Photo and caption by Jim Pearson.

For 16 years now, I’ve watched the Morganfield branch (or what’s left of it to Dotiki Mine) host hundreds of coal trains bringing the powerful mineral topside to help power our country.  Little did I know that when that last train rolled out from under the tipple it would signal the end of a 52-year stretch of mining in one facility.  I was 4 years old when they started. 

Since the late Dennis Carnal took me on a tour of western Hopkins and Webster counties almost 15 years ago, I’ve been fascinated with history of mining that contributed to the success of the branch from Madisonville to Diamond.  Now as I drive school buses in the area and cross it at Happy Lane, Columbia School House Rd, Bernard St., Schmetzer’s Crossing, and SR 814, in see rust collecting on the shiny rails.  The stacks of old ties bundled for re-use at home & garden centers and landscaping companies, the brand new asphalt crossings mentioned above speak of the volatile and often unexpected turns made in the coal industry these days. 

No matter the reason, dirty coal, economic imbalance, or the continued battle against the coal industry in general, the trains are gone and now I wish I’d ventured out and taken more pictures.  How we are lulled by the continuous sight of the passing train – thinking, “I’ll catch it next time when the weather is better or I have more time or when the light is better – or when I have my good camera instead of my iPhone.” 

But, the great thing about being in a group like The Western Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society is we are closely connected with those who often carry a good camera and are purposeful about getting those treasured photos.  So here’s my tribute to those in the chapter who get the shots – good light or bad.  Thank you for sharing your work on our website and social media outlets.  Thanks for burning the gas and taking the time so the rest of  us can enjoy the memories. 

Photo Gallery Extra

October 26, 2019 Jim Pearson No Comments Photo Section

Above – NS #167 eastbound with the “yellow nose” SD70ACC #1800 leads the way towards Louisville just east of Depauw, Indiana on September 1, 2019.

Left – Another scene that can never be replicated.   This is Avery,  deep in the Bitteroot Mountains of  Idaho.   You will recall the funny looking (not so) round house hanging over the river.

In its heyday, this is what Avery was all about.   Exchanging steam or diesel locomotives for electric power facing a stiff climb up and through St Paul Pass Tunnel.   Crews change here too.

In this busy scene the Little Joe in the foreground with it’s quad-headlight still on just uncoupled from the westbound up the track, and is heading for that funny looking roundhouse.   The Joe was added at Harlowton, back some 440 miles across three major mountain ranges.   From the control position in the Joe, the engineer operates all the power, even setting the diesels at idle on level ground, throttling up as needed. Soon a fresh crew will take the westbound on to points west terminating in Tacoma.

With the mainline cleared, a freshly serviced Little Joe will be placed on the point of the eastbound stopped at the depot.   It’s new crew will shepherd the freight up the grade.   Then it’s up the substation operator to supply the needed amps to get the job done.   Substations like the one in the distance were located about every 30 miles.

This is the way I remember that day in July 1973 when I trekked through Avery with my wife and four kids in our new VW bus.    They all remember the great ice-cream cones sold across from the depot.

Photo credit:   Ted Benson featured in an Ed Lynch writing in Railfan & Railroad Magazine, October 1990

Where Rails Once Ran

October 10, 2019 Jim Pearson No Comments General Post

Earlier this year my wife and I visited the Fordsville, Ky train depot on a rainy day. Fordsville is about 46 miles east of Madisonville in Ohio county. The depot is across the street from City Hall downtown.

The first train to Fordsville on the newly built Owensboro and Fordsville Railroad was on October 1, 1889 and regular freight and passenger service started a week later. The round trip fare was 85 cents. The Illinois Central Railroad built a branch line from Horse Branch to Fordsville in 1893. The L&N Railroad bought the lines in 1905 and the present station was built in 1916.

As many as 6 passenger trains a day went between Horse Branch and Owensboro but passenger service was cut June 15, 1941. Freight service lasted until the late 1970s.

The depot has been nicely restored and contains a modest train museum. Call 270-929-5792 for current hours of operation. There is a nice diner a block away on the main road (Hwy 54).  – Rich Hane

Social Media and Rail Enthusiasts

October 10, 2019 Jim Pearson No Comments General Post
Bill Thomas

Are you a hold out for jumping into the social media circle?  Afraid you’ll get unsolicited friend requests and suspicious messages from people you don’t know and may not want to know?  Reluctant about getting your account hacked?  Well, if you’re willing to change your password every 6 months or so you can avoid most of these demons. 

The truth is, in my opinion, the advantages and benefits social media offers to rail fans and model railroads far outweigh the occasional frustrations experienced by many of us, myself included.  Here are just a few examples of rail-related Facebook pages and/or groups:

Nashville Steam – a FB page dedicated to promoting the restoration of NC&StL steam locomotive 576.  It is chocked full of pictures and current information about the restoration process.  You can post questions and make comments on each post. 

Illinois Central Railroad – A public FB page designed for former (and current it still says) employees of The Illinois Central – “A place for former and current employees of the Illinois Central Railroad to hang out and keep in touch.”

L&N Railroad Modelers – A public FB page for those modeling anything L&N. 

Railroad Fools – I think the name of the public page speaks for itself.  One of  my favorites.

Railroad Oddball Locomotives and MOW Equipment – A closed group so you’ll have to click on the “Join Group” button and wait to be granted entrance.  A unique site for unusual railroading equipment. 

West Kentucky Chapter of The National Railway Historical Society – keep in touch with what your chapter mates are up to and post your own photos, comments, and ideas.  Jim Pearson does a great job keeping the public page updated and looking good. 

I hope these samples have encouraged you to give social media a try.  If you do not have a computer, smart phone, or tablet, you can use your public library’s computers.  Just ask the library staff for help. 

Bill Thomas, editor

July 2019 Chapter Photo Contest Winners

August 22, 2019 Jim Pearson No Comments Chapter Photo Contest, Photo Contest Winners
  • First Place, July 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – CSX locomotive # 958 pulls an intermodal south on the Henderson Subdivision after emerging from the south portal of Ridgetop Tunnel, north of Baker Station crossing in Ridgetop Tennessee on May 30, 2019. – Photo by Bill Farrell.
  • Second Place, July 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – CSX locomotive # 958 pulls an intermodal south on the Henderson Subdivision after emerging from the south portal of Ridgetop Tunnel, north of Baker Station crossing in Ridgetop Tennessee on May 30, 2019. – Photo by Bill Farrell.
  • Third Place, July 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – Illinois Central 1026 and 1000 lead a northbound CN mixed freight on the Centralia Subdivision at Champaign, Illinois on July 29, 2019. – Photo by Rick Bivins
  • Honorable Mention, July 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – BNSF 665 Santa Fe War Bonnet with no patches makes its way south on the Thayer Subdivision on July 5th, 2019 at Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. It’s a GE Model Dash 9-44 CW Series, Build date 8-9-94. – Photo by Donny Knight

The evolution of change in handling finished automobiles

August 22, 2019 Jim Pearson No Comments Gary O. Ostlund, General Post

Railroads have long played a major role in the automobile industry, from the era of primitive converted wagons to today’s high-performance cars.  Auto manufacturing is a key market segment for railroads, so train schedules have often been geared to production deadlines and needs.  There will be at least one follow-up to this series.

 The evolution of change in handling finished automobiles is seen here.

Pipe Dream and Buffer Cars!

August 22, 2019 Jim Pearson No Comments Gary O. Ostlund, General Post

Twenty seven loads of “Big Inch” pipe from Kaiser Steel enroute to Wyoming.

 So why the boxcars, fore and aft.  Those empty cars are for crew protection in the event of a mishap along the way.  Those heavy pipes would be like missiles in any kind of sudden stop.  The buffer cars provide at least some level of personal protection.

This scene is just north of Sacramento very late in the steam era, September 1956.  This Southern Pacific train will deliver the cargo to the Western Pacific at Marysville for onward shipment.

The use of buffer cars continues to this day.  100 plus car trains of crude oil, likewise lengthy trains of ethanol have buffer cars behind the power, you no longer see a caboose and the friendly wave from the crew.  Buffer cars today are partially filled with sand to reduce the impact in the event of an accident.

The jury is still out as to the wisdom, efficiency, even the safety of shipping crude via rail or pipeline.  My take is in favor of the rails, as the infrastructure allows flexibility in sources and destinations, on an existing transportation plant.  No need to tear up the countryside and abuse the environment with underground pipe.  Ethanol cannot be shipped via pipeline, so we’ll always that on the rails of barges.

Credits:  photos by Richard E. Lohse as seen in Classic Trains – Spring 2018     Gary O. Ostlund