We want to remember the family of former chapter member Chuck Hinrichs who passed away August 1, 2022, at the age of 92. Graveside services were held at Kentucky Veteran’s Cemetery West Thursday, August 4, 2022 at 11:00a.m. Chuck served the West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society for several years as the newsletter editor and helped me get my start at it when he decided to give it up. I always appreciated his somewhat dry sense of humor and admired his railroad history knowledge, especially of the IC. – ed.
It’s August 1, 2022, and the email from Jim Pearson regarding the passing of long-time chapter member Chuck Hinrichs arrived in the early afternoon as I was returning from lunch. Today marked the start of another year with my current employer in the Milwaukee area, and Jim’s email brought back many comforting and happy memories of chapter meetings, train trips, and railfan adventures with Chuck that made me smile as the tears welled up inside. Bill Thomas has been requesting “how did you get into the hobby” stories for future newsletters, so I thought I would pass along a few remembrances of how Chuck got me interested in a wonderful aspect of the hobby – diesel locomotives.
My first introduction to Chuck occurred 10 years before I actually had a chance to meet him. Growing up in the far western part of Kentucky, Paducah was about the only true place I had ever “railfanned” by the time the February 1983 issue of Trains rolled onto the shelves of the local Readmore bookstore. Inside was the story of three Kentucky railfans – Jerry Mart, Timothy Baggett, and Chuck Hinrichs – detailing their July 29, 1982 visit to the Illinois Central Gulf in far southwest Kentucky during what was termed a “Slow Day in the Fulton Triangle”.
This article, documenting “when 27 trains ran and 22 didn’t”, was like opening pandora’s box for a then 12-year old railfan like myself. Fulton was only 52 miles away at the other end of the Jackson Purchase Parkway, and I begged Mom and Dad to drive down one Sunday after church to see the Illinois Central Gulf put on a show. It wouldn’t be the last time I went to Fulton, having spent many days just off Murray Street instead of studying at Murray State from 1989 to 1992. Chuck got the final frame of the 1983 article’s photo spread – a shot of northbound Birmingham-Chicago train BC-4 with ICG SD40 6000, GP35 2504, and GP30 2267 departing Fulton after making a set-out.
I discovered more of Chuck’s photography skills and his amazing knowledge of diesel locomotives through another magical place, The Hobby Shop in Hopkinsville. The Hobby Shop carried several railfan magazines that the local shop in Paducah did not: Pacific Rail News, CTC Board, and Extra 2200 South (aka “The Locomotive Newsmagazine”). Long before e-mail, Facebook and cell phone technology, Extra 2200 was THE magazine for learning about new locomotive orders, sales of locomotives to the plethora of new startup short line railroads, and just about anything diesel locomotive related (frame numbers, serial numbers, etc.). Chuck was a regular contributor to Extra 2200 South, and his knack for finding the rare, obscure, and one-of-a-kind locomotives was exceptionally detailed in several reports and photographs. A November 1989 photo at Princeton documented the brief time that former ICG GP38 9526 was patched up for up-and-coming locomotive rebuilder VMV Enterprises of Paducah.
In 1993, I finally met Chuck at the Thursday evening sessions at Don Clayton’s, and the monthly NRHS chapter meetings at the Madisonville depot. I remember Chuck being a very motivated and contributing member to the chapter, always ready to lend a hand, taking over editing of the monthly newsletter for a period of time, and representing the chapter during many director meetings on the national level. His knowledge of locomotives and the ongoing sales, swaps and new locomotive rebuilding was simply amazing in the pre-Internet era. Two railfan adventures with Chuck, one in the Centralia, Illinois area and one in the Lafayette, Indiana were epic adventures to say the least – a perusal of the chapter newsletter archives will forever be a testament to Chuck’s love of his fellow railfans and chapter members.
As I wrap up this tribute to Chuck, I have the chapter’s DVD “P&L – the first year” ready to go in the DVD for a walk down memory lane – it is narrated by Mr. Hinrichs himself, in that voice and demeanor only Chuck had. Even though it might have been a “Slow Day in the Fulton Triangle”, any time railfanning with friends sure makes for a great day of cherished memories. Rest in Peace.
1st Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS July 2022 Photo Contest by Bill Farrell – L&N Locomotive 405, at the Tennessee Central Railroad Museum, Nashville, Tennessee.2nd Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS July 2022 Photo Contest by Ricky Bivins – CSXT 889 leads an empty coal train NB at Mortons Gap, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision.
Click Images below to view a larger view of the other entries
Ricky Bivins – BNSF 8435 leads an freight train NB at Mortons Gap, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision on July 5.Photo by Tom Steiner – Cowan (TN) Railroad Museum, 1920 Columbia-Type 2-7-2 Steam Locomotive. It was first owned by Mr. William Elliott Dunwady, owner of the Cherokee Brick Company in Macon, GA, about 1920.
It was especially suited for the brick company’s needs and pulled six yard side cars loaded with clay from the clay pits to the foundry.
The engine’s size was limited for two reasons: it did not pull great weights, and it had to be rather small to function on the Cherokee Brick Company line.Photo by Tom Steiner – July 15, Cowan, TN Rail Road Museum. CSX 3426, the first of 3 locomotives, passing the Cowan (TN) Railroad Museum with the Diesel electric locomotive, General Electric 44 tonner, former NC&StL number 100 in the background.Photo by Will King – BNSF 7805 at Centrale, Ill by the Amtrak Station . I thought it was a cool shot BNSF on lead with CN and NS locos behind. taken on same day.Photo by Will King – Rail fanning in Bartelso, Ill I captured these shot of NS loco’s.
CSX has joined the relief effort in eastern Kentucky, where heavy rain on July 27 led to widespread flooding, forcing hundreds of people from their homes; at least 35 people died. The region is home to many CSX families, several of whom have been affected, according to the Class I railroad.
CSX reported on Aug. 10 that it has contributed $50,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief and $25,000 to the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund. It also provided $5,000 and transportation services to Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation (KSHC). KSHC assembled former Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus housing cars into a nine-car train to provide 100 beds for relief workers in the region; CSX took on the job of moving the train into position as close as safely possible to the affected area.
CSX is now is matching employee donations—up to $1,000, dollar-for-dollar—to the CSX Employees Disaster Relief Fund (EDRF) or the Red Cross through its Matching Gifts program. The CSX Employees Disaster Relief Fund provides financial assistance to employees who have suffered severe damage to their homes and property, according to the railroad. It said that donations to the Red Cross will support the wide range of assistance under way, including working with community and government agencies to assess damage and support emergency needs. The Red Cross is providing shelter, food and health services to families who lost their homes and belongings; Team Eastern Kentucky, formed by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, is also assisting.
“The flooding has disrupted the lives of many CSX employees and their families,” CSX Vice President of Corporate Communications Bryan Tucker said. “They’re experiencing significant financial hardship, and I encourage all CSX employees to consider helping your co-workers by providing a tax-deductible contribution to the CSX Employees Disaster Relief Fund.”
CSX L382 puts out a bit of smoke as it pulls away from WF Ware after picking up a cut of grain cars at Trenton, Kentucky on July 12th, 2022, on the Henderson Subdivision. L382 is the local that runs between Casky yard in Hopkinsville and Guthrie, Ky and here we catch it as it starts its run back to Casky. Photo and caption by Jim Pearson.
Our train is pulling into the siding at Osier (elevation 9,637). The downhill train has already arrived and we will pull just past it so we can access the Beanery. They don’t call it that, but that’s what the railroads had to feed passengers and crews.
We had been pampered all the way up the mountain, aboard the catered extra-fare lounge car, through tunnels, around Whiplash Curve and along the edge of the Toltec Gorge. The aspens were in their fall splendor, we had been consuming Rocky Mountain fresh air, “we were hungry.”
And the railroad knew it. The dining hall was specially built, hardly the original depot. It had the aura of a Swiss ski chalet with class and pizzazz. We had been asked whether we prefer turkey or barbecue for lunch. Mitch and I selected the turkey, expecting a sandwich and chips. Yikes, there was a buffet layout to rival Ryan’s or Furr’s.
Even at this altitude the temperature must have been in the high 70s. Ample time was given for wandering around the trains for pictures and friendship. Eventually we pulled out on our venture upward and the downhill train did likewise. Our train looped around the valley and our vista included the lodge, mountains, valleys and the downhill train disappearing around a bend. What a neat train ride.
Credits: Text and pix by me. This event was in September 2010, on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR in SW Colorado.
