April 4, 2015 – CSX Loaded coal train T087 heads through the cut approaching Adams, Tennessee after crossing the Red River Trestle as it moves it’s load south on the Henderson Subdivision. Photo by Jim Pearson
Author: Jim Pearson
A 20 minute late Southwest Chief, train #4, races through Norwalk, CA on April 4, 2015. Usually long, this evening #4 has 3 P42’s on point with a car ahead of baggage headed for Beach Grove for repair along with 3 private cars bringing up the rear of the train. Photo by Matt Gentry
| Title | Windy City Rails Volume 6 |
| Producer | C. Vision Productions |
| Format | DVD Full Screen |
| Playing Time | 1 hr. 49 min. |
| Purchased From | Trainvideodepot.com |
| Date Purchased | 8/31/12 |
| Price Paid | $27.89 |
This video gives us a look at some short line and regional railroads in the Chicago area. Specifically, we see action on the following railroads:
Elgin, Joliet, & Eastern (“the J”)
Chicago Rail Link
Chicago Central & Pacific
Chicago Terminal
Indiana Rail Road.
This video could have been so much better if it had included maps. We visit locations all around the outskirts of Chicago but we don’t get a feel for where we really are in relation to the heart of the city or in relation to the other locations that are visited in this video. It could have all been made very clear by quick references to maps as the locations changed.
Almost half of the viewing time of this video is devoted to the Elgin Joliet & Eastern and then we spend several minutes watching Chicago Rail Link action. Less time is spent with Chicago Central & Pacific and Indiana Rail Road.
Some of the best of this video is saved for last when we visit Chicago Terminal. We get to see some street running as cars are dropped off and picked up at industries on Chicago’s north side. The trains have to wait as cars and trucks are moved out of the way.
Overall this is a pretty good video if the viewer has an interest in railroading in the Chicago area.
![DSC_1927[1]](http://www.westkentuckynrhs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/DSC_19271.jpg)
The second event our chapter held was, “Archeology Saturday”, last weekend. We met at the former site of the Nebo Train Depot at 9:00 am. I can tell you there was a lot of railroad junk stored around the outside of the depot. We found a little bit of everything which will be on display at our next meeting. The foundation revealed several things, station doorways, a loading ramp and a red brick side walk that was about six inches under the soil. The side walk ran parallel to Hwy. 502 and must have come from down town Nebo, about 300 yards away. We also found remnants of a home track and were told of a siding that once existed on the site.
The artifacts that were found will be cleaned up and placed on display in the Parkway Plaza Mall for everyone to enjoy. We have some pictures that will accompany the display. We plan on having the display available for the membership to view before we place them in the mall. I need to add, two people came along and “Kidnapped” Wally. Well, about 30 minutes later they brought him back and gave us money to keep him. Wally will have a full report on his kidnapping experience at the April meeting.
We need to keep in mind that our “Spring Photo Contest” is Saturday, May 9th. Jim Pearson will have more details for us at the April meeting. Keep in mind for the next meeting “Show & Tell” and raffle items.
Bill Farrell, Chapter President
Cab cars! Cab cars as far as you can (almost) see! After being delayed flying out of Louisville on February 17, I snapped this shot on Tuesday February 18, 2015 at LA’s Union Station after landing at LAX. Five Metrolink cab cars are seen at the end of the platform awaiting their scheduled departure time. -Matt Gentry
By Bill Farrell, Chapter President
Well, it just seemed like last week and we were having our February meeting. We need to thank Ricky for getting the February program together for us. Rich did a good job on the refreshments; Blair Terry gave him a four star rating on the food. In other words, you did good, Rich. Our program this month will be brought to us by Wally Watts. We will have some guests from the former Owensboro Chapter of the NRHS.
We have some exciting news about events and projects coming up in March and April. On March 28th we have a trip planned to the National Transportation Museum in St. Louis, MO. We have two 15 passenger vans lined up for those who would rather ride then drive. I say 15 passengers but the plan is to carry only 10 people per van. I believe the word we are looking for is “comfortable”. We will fill the seats on a first come first serve basis, so if you would like to go, let me know soon. The cost per member and or guest to take the van is $17.00 (per person). We will discuss this in more detail at the March meeting.
We now have some thirty DVDs for the chapter Video Library. Any member that would like to put a DVD in the library on loan please bring them to the next meeting. I noticed several members checking out movies last month. Until we get the number of DVDs up in the library members can only check out one per month.
April 11th is “Archeology Saturday”. The plan is to use metal detectors and go to a former location of a train depot in Hopkins County. We are going to list and catalog all the artifacts our club members unearth. These items can be placed in the case in the Parkway Plaza Mall or stored at the Hopkins County Historical Society. Now keep all that in mind, last Friday I called one of our chapter in house railroad historians, Wally Watts. I said, Wally lets go and find a depot site for “Archeology Saturday”, Wally said sound fine lets meet at Cracker Barrel.
Once we got on the road, Wally dragged your President through the bowels of Hopkins County looking for sites where depots once stood. I don’t know how many times I hear Wally say, “I’ll sit in the car, you wade through that water and see what is over there”. “Wally it’s just more snow and ice”. All kidding aside we did find one very interesting site, I think you will find the pictures we have of the Nebo site very rewarding. Wally and I will have the pictures for the next meeting.
Do you have a digital camera? Well if not, maybe you can borrow one from a good friend. In May, the chapter plans on having a photography contest within the club. Jim Pearson, one of the chapter members will chair this event. It will be open to all our chapter members in good standing. The pictures you submit to Jim (by email) will have to be taken in Western Kentucky on the day of the contest. Jim will have some tips and rules for the contest in the April meeting. Those members who are worried about Jim Pearson winning the photo contest need to know he will not be a contestant. We are still working on the prize to the winner. The most important thing in this event is, you have fun. In the case of Matt Gentry, he will be allowed to submit a picture from the west coast.
Those who missed the last meeting, it was announced that the GarGraves track company has donated between $1,000.00 and $1,100.00 in track for the modular layout. We still have three module’s unspoken for, any member who want to build one, let me know.
We need “Show & Tell” items and things for the raffle for the next meeting. Weather permitting I hope to see you on the 16th of March @ 7:00.
Located somewhere on the Henderson Sub, this NYC Caboose has been sitting for a few years without moving.
Take your best guess! Submitted by Jim Pearson
Just finished an American Standard 6-3 Pullman kit that I did on ACL purple. I’ve never seen one done in O scale as I don’t think anyone has ever made the purple paint. Finally Tru-color came out with the paint. Yea for Tru-color! The yellow striping was painted on then masked for the purple. Then the purple was masked and the silver applied. The lettering is from 3 different Champ sets. The ACL on the letter board is from a Champ ACL passenger car set, the car name is from a Champ Pullman set & the small Pullman on the ends came from a NYC passenger car set. This one was a lot of fun to do and a challenge.
Below is a T-1 that I weathered. Don’t know who painted the model initially. I wanted that “in-service” look as well as some reddish tint (like GA clay) on the trucks and tender frame. Other colors used were two types of grime, sand, grimy black, rust and dirt.
CSX #5439 is tied down just north of the CSX yard in Louisville, KY. just after 8 inches of snow have fallen on the town on February 16, 2015.
I snapped this photo for, among other things, the main reason of the way the wind was blowing the locomotive’s exhaust. As some may know, I’m a bit of a UP Turbine junkie and this shot reminded me of the way Turbine exhaust exited the famous UP locomotives. -Matt Gentry
P&L #3800 and #3805 rest in P&L’s Louisville yard awaiting their next assignment on February 13, 2015. -Matt Gentry
NS #2690 leads an empty bucket train north through Glendale, OH. on a frigid February 12, 2015. -Matt Gentry
KCS Power leads NS #224 through Buechel, KY on Feb. 24, 2015. -Bill Grady
| Title | Kicking Horse Pass Canadian Pacific’s Laggan Sub |
| Producer | 7idea Productions |
| Format | DVD Wide Screen |
| Playing Time | 1 hr 34 min |
| Purchased From | Trainvideodepot.com |
| Date Purchased | 2/19/15 |
| Price Paid | $27.95 |
This one is another excellent video from 7idea. The video quality is great and the Wide Screen format lends itself well to the beautiful panorama of the Canadian Rockies. The scenes were shot in June, September, and October of 2014.
The Laggan Sub runs from Field, British Columbia, on the west to Exshaw, Alberta, on the east, a distance of 136 miles. Some of the most spectacular and beautiful scenery is found on the Laggan Sub.
Trains shown include mixed manifest freight, double stacks that are 10,000 feet long, unit grain trains, potash trains, and we even get to see Canada’s most prestigious passenger train “The Rocky Mountaineer.”
Two unusual and extremely interesting features of the Laggan Sub are the upper and lower spiral tunnels that were completed in 1909. These tunnels lowered the grade from 4.4% to 2.2% and added 8.2 miles to the route. The treacherous 4.4% grade was called “The Big Hill” by railroaders when it was in use from 1884 to 1909.
The tunnels were dug by hand and even though they were built without benefit of all the modern surveying technology, the alignment was off by only two inches when the crews digging from either end met in the middle.
We see trains spiral over themselves as they go through these tunnels, just as they do a Tehachapi Loop in California.
The narrator, Aaron Bentsen, tells the story of how Kicking Horse Pass got its name. James Hector, a member of the survey crew searching for the best route for the right of way, was kicked in the chest by his horse in 1858 while at this pass. His co-workers thought he was dead and dug his grave, but, fortunately, Mr. Hector regained consciousness in time and was not buried alive. So, the pass was named Kicking Horse Pass because of that event.
This video is definitely one you will want and I highly recommend it.
Led by CN #5527, 3 Canadian National covered wagons head north through Morton’s Gap on January 7, 2015. -Rick Bivins
Norfolk and Western Heritage Unit #8103 leads NS #890 along the Flood Wall at New Albany, Indiana on January 30, 2015. -Bill Grady
A Union Pacific MOW train makes its way into the town of Tehachapi, CA. on the afternoon of February 1st, 2015. I had spent about 3 hours in Tehachapi waiting on trains and none had come by. This train rolled into town right as I was about to leave and, once I saw what it was, I knew why the tracks were silent. So, I snapped my shots and headed back towards Anaheim via Mojave where there were a few trains sitting in the yard wasiting to move, but not many. – Matt Gentry