Author: Jim Pearson
April 6, 2018 – With permission, I was able to get this shot of Respondek Railroad Corporation’s 415 and 2425 sitting in the old engine service facility at CSX’s Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision. Last word I got was that these two units are going to be servicing industry in the Henderson, Ky area.
My major Seminary Professor, Dr. Doug Smith poses in front of the Dollywood Express in Pigeon Forge, TN, with his daughter Lara and his sister Marilyn. Knowing I am a train nut, he always thinks of me when near a train. I guess that’s the way I’d want to be remembered. – Bill Thomas
Greetings my fellow Western Kentucky NRHS Chapter members, welcome to a wet and cold April! My hasn’t the weather been strange? Of course, strange and unusual is what we expect in Kentucky this time of year!
There certainly was nothing strange about our meeting last month, March 19, 2018. We had an excellent time, Blair Terri presented a fabulous program on his travels out west. Bill Farrell made a return after his medical scare. With pizza for refreshments, along with homemade cookies, how could that possibly be strange? Indeed a large time was had by all.
If one takes the time to review the minutes provided by Bill Farrell of the March meeting, they would notice we have several events coming up. Please, check the newsletter and stay informed.
Do not forget the Chapter calendars are available for purchase online. The photos within that calendar were taken by club members during the periodic photo contest. Jim Pearson has done a great job putting that calendar together so please, consider purchasing one. Jim will give us a quick rundown of the upcoming photo contest and time periods. Jim will also conduct the judging contest for the previous photo period.
Once again we will be meeting at Innovation Station, which of course is the renovated L&N train station on Arch Street in Madisonville, Kentucky. Meeting time will be 7 PM. Refreshments by Will Kling and a program by Jim Pearson will follow a brief business meeting. I hope to see you there and bring a friend.
Rick Bivins
My first real job out of college was with the Boy Scouts of America. Yes, I was a professional scout. Now get the images of being paid to camp out, go to pinewood derby races, and start fires with two sticks out of your minds. Professional scouting takes on a whole different set of activities, mostly servicing existing scout groups or units, starting new units, and raising money. As I stared at these empty text boxes on my computer thinking about what to write, it came to me that those brief years of my BSA experience contained a lot of good railroad memories.
I arrived in LaGrange, GA, in the spring of 1988 – 25 years old, single, no mortgage, and about 60 lbs. lighter than present. I had to cover two counties, Troup and Franklin, in west-central GA. Actually, I was almost as west as you can go in GA. Fishing was great on West Point Lake. LaGrange was the intersecting point of the former Atlanta & West Point RR’s line from Montgomery, AL to Atlanta, and former Seaboard Coastline’s (I think former ACL) route between Waycross, GA, and Birmingham, AL. I also had to make weekly trips to Columbus, GA, where are council office was located. This brought me alongside the former Southern branch to Pine Mountain, GA (Callaway Gardens), and it origin at Columbus and Southern’s line from Columbus to Birmingham.
Unfortunately, CSX had just completed some re-routing of their inherited lines. The Seaboard rose on a steady grade coming in on the east side of town and flew over the A&WP via a plate girder bridge, still in place when I arrived but without rails. The two lines shared an interchange yard on the east side near this location which was mostly empty with the exception of a few cars for local delivery to lumber outlets and textile giant Milliken Mills. Today, it’s completely gone and a wye has been installed between inbound tracks. The railroads once ran side by side through town, but now join as one on the west then separate on the east.
Now, what this created was a fantastic bottle neck for train watching. In great CSX fashion, the two roads joined on each side of town, but then entered a double main through high-speed switches (two motors to throw the points). Often, we could see two to four trains from one point. I often enjoyed pacing a 60 mph sand train heading north out of LaGrange toward Atlanta.
My regret is that cameras where not as readily available as they are these days. So, I have almost no pictorial recollections of all this fun I crammed in about 24 months of my young days. Below is a screen shot from an online street view app. Hasn’t changed much except CSX finally came around and extended the 2nd main past the west/south split to avoid the bottle necking. It used to be located behind the camera, just beyond the street crossing.
https://rapidotrains.com/ho-ge-b36-7/
Most notable is the TTI paint scheme which is a conditional announcement, meaning that they require a minimum order number to produce the models.
I have talked to the R&D guys and the magic number is 250. I know that I am in for a few TTI units and probably a CSX unit to patch for TTI to be a unit in service before repaint. I just saw the pre-production samples at the Rocky Mountain Train show in Denver Co. this past weekend, and these are stunning models. You will not be disappointed.
Matt Gentry
Greetings Western Kentucky Chapter Members! The February meeting was a success. Ray Hagerman presented a detailed overview of Innovation Station its uses and goals. I believe our beloved train station is in good hands with a secure future. Jim Pearson was able to “connect” to the wifi/media center giving us an outlet for power point/DVD/VHS etc. for our programs. And speaking of programs, Blair Terry will be presenting a program covering his rail related travels while Bill Farrell provides refreshments. A big nod goes to Alicia Terry for taking minutes during the February meeting in Bill Farrall’s absence.
I received an email from the National organization regarding National Membership renewal delays. As stated last month National is between 600 and 800 membership renewals behind. If you have not received a renewal notice from National, you can go online via National webpage and renew without the dues notice. As we have discussed numerous times, we do not collect National dues nor will the Chapter “police” the National dues. It is an honor system and we shall leave it at that! If you have not paid the Chapter dues for 2018, please do so at the next opportunity.
The recent National online publications and mailings do contain a plethora of information as well as discounts to museums, gift shops etc. The photography in these publications is splendid as are the stories. It is well worth ones time to visit the National Web Page. And while on the subject of Web Pages, Our own website guru Jim Pearson has kept the Chapter sight fresh and inviting…visit often.
I request of the Chapter that all Chapter email notices etc. be sent to VP Steve Miller and he to distribute same to the membership via the Chapter email provider. This will help maintain control of the newsletter, information and financial data. Two former members has asked to be removed from the list, there are names on the list that need updating and a few past members that are no longer living! This action will streamline our newsletter mailings and the work Steve is faced with on the Chapters behalf.
As I type this, the March photo contest is wrapping up. Please participate in the next contest. These photos are judged by the membership and will be presented in our next Chapter Calendar. It takes very little time or effort to snap a photo on a camera or phone. A simple and fun way to be involved with the Chapter. And remember, calendars can be purchased from the Chapter Website.
In closing, try to make the meeting Monday, we will have an excellent time I’m sure. And bring a guest…let’s grow our membership base.
Rick Bivins
Many of you have experienced the recent up-tick in our “holy train nights”. Honestly, I felt our chapter took a little dip in enthusiasm for a while, but I just left Keith Kittinger’s man cave over on Plainview Dr, and when I walked in, I was a bit taken by the number of people milling around, having conversations in small groups, and eating peanuts! The room had a great positive energy I enjoyed being in.
Every group or organization goes through hills and valleys – it’s a human dynamic no one can absolutely put their finger on. We just know it happens.
Our success is due to a few ingredients: 1. We have common interests. 2. Within that interest spectrum, we all have our different niches which provides some variety and makes us a bit interdependent – some know electronics, some know carpentry, some know painting, some know track-work, etc. 3. Most of us enjoy fellowship with one another which is probably the most important. But, I don’t think any of these ingredients would stand on their own.
I learned the term symbiotic by watch Star Wars movies since 1977. The term refers to the belief that living things survive by sharing life from common sources. It’s a little abstract for this article, but the older I get, the more it makes sense to me. I think our chapter lives that kind of life, good or bad. The life of the group varies with the health, contributions, and vitality of its members.
So, I think we’re on an upswing as I’ve witnessed a couple of these gatherings outside the monthly formal meetings. I see good relationships, and enjoyment every time. Just look at the pictures president Ricky sent me…
Somehow, Keith managed to get into every shot!
We proud to announce the winners of the chapter’s first contest of the year! This year we’re doing the contest a little bit different by having the membership present for the meeting to judge the contest winners by selecting the photograph that they like the best. We had 7 entries in the January 2018 contest and after the first round of judging we had our first place winner by Bill Grady of Union Pacific power pulling a train at Jeffersontown, Ky. We also found we had a six way tie for second place!!! So, in order to break that we did a rejudge of the six images and came up with a two way tie, which we decided to let stand. The final tie for 2nd place was between Bill Farrell and Ricky Bivins.
Our next contest will be from March 1-15, 2018 with a Submission Deadline of March 22, 2018. This contest will be judged at the April 16th meeting.
Your entries, no more than two, should be emailed to Jim Pearson at jim@jimpearsonphotography.com
Below are the winning entries for January 2018
Eastbound just exited Tunnel #11 atop the Continental Divide – Pipestone Pass. We recently discussed the train whistles, and to a short extent the signal calls. Two longs, a short followed by another long is a highway grade crossing warning. Three longs alert the whole train crew the intent to put the train in a reverse movement. Switchmen and brakemen on the ground would usually communicate by hand signal, or by kerosene lanterns in darkness, and respond to whistle signals as appropriate. Widespread railroad radio communications only goes back to the 40s & 50s.
When a train made an unscheduled stop out on the mainline, for any reason, a flagman was dispatched from the caboose. He was equipped with a flag, lantern, fusee (flares) and track torpedoes. It was up to him to make the train secure from any following movement. How far to the rear was dictated by the highest speed allowed on that track segment.
Upon removal of the cause for the delay, the engineer would “whistle-in” the flagman. After waiting for a reasonable time the train would slowly get underway, assuming the flagman recovered from his position and was aboard the caboose.
There were instances where the flagman may not hear the call; canyons, heavy tree foliage, unrelated noise, like highways, waterfalls, storm conditions, etc., even other trains, like across the river. More than one flagman got left behind. A good Conductor would not let that happen. His method to prevent abandonment was to open the air-brake valve and disallow the brakes from releasing. The engineer would know what is happening by the lack of air-pressure building in the train-line.*
Getting left behind up in the mountains or out in the desert had to be on the mind of that lonely flagman. I guess worse than that would be stranded adjacent to an alligator-filled Southern swamp, in the middle of the night. I don’t think they paid these guys enough.
* A discussion on air-brakes may be in order, for another day. Notice the Milwaukee Road used “Bay-window cabeese.” Photo credit: Tom Post, David P. Oroszi collection, May 1973, fourteen months prior to wires coming down. (rear cover The Milwaukee Railroader mag. 2nd Qtr. 2014) – Gary O. Ostlund
Summit of Continental Divide, at Donald siding, Pipestone Pass, Montana – 1973 – We have at least three things going on here. The eastbound freight will soon descend about 2 thousand feet into the Jefferson River valley. The grade is a steep 2% compensated. The 3-unit set of boxcab helpers were apparently on the point climbing out of Butte, and not needed for regenerative braking. They ducked into the siding when the train stopped, it’s nose barely out of the tunnel, just out of view to the left. The Speeder (putt-putt) will follow the train vigilantly watching as a fire preventive.
During fire season down bound trains were shadowed by water-equipped speeders. Even with the motor/units up front applying regenerative braking some air-brake use is often needed. That involved brake shoes pressing on spinning wheels, with sparks always swirling along the right-of-way.
This scene was in the Summer of 1973 at Donald, the summit of Pipestone Pass and the Continental Divide. The train climbed out of the Clarks Fork River drainage that leads to the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. Ahead the train drops into the Missouri River watershed leading to the Mississippi and Gulf.
The helper crew, Engineer Fred Coombes and Fireman Del Hart are still in the cab hidden by the boxcar. Del Hart is the former engineer that wrinkled up the Little Joe E-78 in Sixteen Mile Canyon on May 23, 1966. Hart was fired, rehired after good union representation, but restricted to fireman status on the Butte Helper, only. He eventually retired from that position, and has since passed. I knew both Coombes and Hart. Coombes lived in Butte, Hart had a place about half way up the pass adjacent to the mainline.
Coombes was #1 seniority in the division, and a fellow church member. He knew I was an avid railfan, but straight-laced as he was, he never even let me up in the cab the many times I saw him hooking up and trekking over the pass. He retired when the electrics ended in 74, and moved to Seattle with his wife of many years. I once asked him why as #1 on engineer’s roster that he didn’t bid on some glamorous hotshot freight run. With a twinkle in his eye he stated; “ I sleep in my own bed every night.”
In a year the Milwaukee electrics will be history, and in 1980 the entire system west of the Red River of the North will shut down. The roadway behind the helper is Old US Highway 10, by then downgraded by I-90, about 7 miles the way the crow flies to the north. The Milwaukee Road favored bay-window type caboose, and the tri-level auto racks are open to the elements. Why they are now completely enclosed, and the wreck of the E-78 are stories for another time. – Gary O. Ostlund
If you have items for sale or looking something in particular, feel free to send a description and digital photographs to me for publication in the next issue of The PennyRail.
Free to a good home – Time Books. Bill Thomas, 270-339-9482 or my billtrainthomas@gmail.com
Greetings fellow members. And welcome to February 2018. I am happy to report after talking with Bill Farrell, that he is doing well following open heart surgery where in he had five bypasses performed. He is following his doctors orders, his medical and exercise regime and of course Mrs. Farrell is keeping him at bay! We certainly hope to see Bill at the February meeting.
As you are well aware, inclement weather forced me to cancel the January meeting. I felt it was best for all parties involved. As a result, I will be hosting the February meeting as opposed to traditionally the January meeting.
Speaking of the Chapter meeting, we will meet at the Madisonville-Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation headquarters. Which happens to be the former L&N Railroad station in downtown Madisonville. Located on W. Arch St., Madisonville, this building has been repurposed by the City of Madisonville and is now called Innovation Station.
My guest for the evening will be Ray Hagerman, President of Madisonville-Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation. Ray will enlighten us as to the events developing Innovation Station The trials and frustrations and the ultimate success of the building not to mention the function of the building. This will be an interesting night. I plan to depart from our normal meeting criteria and give Ray the floor at 7 o’clock. Then we will have our business meeting and I will follow with a short video program entitled C&O 614, March to Hinton. This 30 minute video pits Ross Rowlands 614 against the Diesel Locomotive in the hills of Virginia and West Virginia. It is very entertaining.
Jim Pearson will have the results of our first 2018 Photo Contest. The next contest is March 1-15 with March 22 as the entry deadline. Make an effort to enter this Chapter event, even if only with a cell phone photo. Keep in mind, The Chapter Calendar showcases the photos from these yearly contests.
Be sure to check the recent NRHS News and NRHS Telegraph publications available online from the NRHS Website. There are several interesting articles therein with excellent photos. And while on the web sight, check out the other tabs available. A lot of work goes into the National Newsletter and is very well done.
The only old business I have is a reminder to pay dues. National as well as Chapter dues are…well..DUE! One can pay National Dues online with a credit card or via check. Chapter dues are to be paid to Bill Farrell by check or cash. In one of the National publications there was a note stating in the future National dues can be paid through the Chapter. That option is not yet available.
New Business will address our meeting space, Program idea’s, Chapter trips etc. Etc. being anything the membership wishes to bring before the Chapter. Bill Farrell has suggested we drop the raffle as a fundraiser. Once he has presented the results of the Breakfast with Santa, Photos with the Polar Express Characters and the raffle, we will discuss this option.
As always, Members can step up with programs, ideas and suggestions. Trips trackside or to a museum etc. This is train enthusiast group…let us make 2018 another banner year.