by President, Ricky Bivins

Hello once again railfans. I hope everyone enjoyed the March meeting and found it informative. Wally picked a good video with the Upper Mississippi Railroads. That area looks to be a Railfans Mecca.  Did you know the “term” railfan was coined by the late David P. Morgan, long time editor of Trains Magazine? I have been giving some thought to “Railfanning” lately and remembering many outings taken by local members of our chapter. Some of these events I was surprised to recall were more that 20 years ago. High speed runs in a van with the side door open while photographing one of Southern Railways many steam powered fan trips. And many jaunts up to Southern Indiana to catch a glimpse of the former Yankeetown Dock Corporation’s EMD SD-38’s hauling coal and of course their little Fairbanks Morris opposed piston switchers chugging around. Not to mention the ALCO Alligators!

Several of our members past and present and a few that have passed on made many MANY trips to Southern Illinois to see the MoPac, BN (Frisco) and of course UPRR around Chaffee, Scott City and Gorham. And of course local trips that never took us out of Hopkins County.  And how about Central City KY…back when the Illinois Central and later ICG railroad ruled the roost?

So what is the point, (You knew I had a point to make didn’t You)? How many of us have photo’s, video, audio or slides of those many trips? Where are they? Would you want to share them? I would like to take up the cause as mentioned before of growing and managing the archive of Western Kentucky rail scenes we have managed to preserve. Steve Miller has agreed to take on the task of managing the archive in Jim Pearson’s place. I will have to leave it up to them as I am not at all versed on photo management via computer. But I know it will be in capable hands.

So, If one has something of interests in the way of photo’s, maps, history, audio, video, slides or “GASP” FILM make it known and make it available. Who knows, some day our very own archive could benefit the next group of “Railfans” as to “how it was back then”!