As Autumn descends on the Midwest, Saturdays are usually set aside for that event known as College Game Day. October 16, 2010, was no exception in Lafayette, Indiana, as the familiar cheer of “Boiler Up – Hammer Down” erupted from Ross-Ade Stadium. However, on this Purdue Homecoming 2010, my friend Doug Buck and I had a different vision of what it means to “Boiler Up and Hammer Down” – one built back in 1907 by the Southern Railway. So we decided to invade “Illini Country” and head west to Monticello, Illinois to ride behind, photograph, and chase newly restored Southern Railway 2-8-0 number 401.
Monticello, Illinois – circa??? With visitors from a nearby Amish community on hand to see Southern 401 come back to life, this shot could easily have been taken 16-October-1910 instead of 100 years later. Photo by Chris DeesBoiler Up!!! Southern 401 begins the 103rd year of working on the railroad. Here she is crossing Camp Creek en route to the town of Monticello, IL on 16-Oct-2010. Photo by Chris DeesHammer Down!!! Southern 401 stretches her legs in the early morning prior to running excursions for the Monticello Railway Museum. Here she switches out a Wabash boxcar in order to assemble the day’s passenger consist. Photo by Chris Dees
