President Keith Kittinger adds a helix to his HO scale model railroad. This route will lead to the new Morganfield Branch.
Category: General Post
Posts that don’t fall under other categories
An employee of the L&N Railroad in Paducah, Roy was instrumental in fighting the abandonment of the L&N trackage between Paducah and Murray. In 1981, he incorporated the Western Kentucky Railroad Company in an attempt to purchase the line. Although negotiations were unsuccessful, his efforts delayed abandonment and gave time for Jack Dunigan to create the J&J Railroad from Hardin to Murray. – Submitted by Chris Dees
Greetings West Kentucky NRHS members!
Due to the governors mandate which is due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and Hopkins County being a “red” county, The City of Madisonville has banned pubic meetings. Therefore Innovation Station is closed. As a result the chapter meeting scheduled for Monday, November 16, 2020 is canceled and our next scheduled meeting will be in January 2021. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we must follow the mandate set by our leaders.
Locomotive 5446 north bound on the lead of a mixed freight just south of the Christian county line on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.- Photo by William Farrell 
Norfolk Southern’s Conrail Heritage Unit is leading the Daily Autorack train #124. But, is in the siding at West Crandall, Indiana holding for 2 eastbounds on a wonderful fall afternoon. September 21, 2020 – Photo by Bill Grady 
It?s a beautiful mid morning, September 22, in Madisonville, Kentucky, as CSX crews do preliminary work on the Arch Street bridge adjacent to the former L&N depot. The bridge will later receive a new piece of ?snap track? and modified walkways. Photo by Bill Thomas with Canon EOS Digital at 1/1000, f 4.3. 
September 20, 2020 – A southbound freight train is framed by trees at Mortons Gap KY on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Ricky Bivins 
CSX locomotive 3006 south bound pulling a mixed freight in Crofton, KY on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by William Farrell 
The Daily Norfolk Southern Train #172 is westbound chasing the last rays of sun on another beautiful fall afternoon. #172 is near Fisherville, KY on NS’s Louisville District. September 30, 2020. Photo by Bill Grady 
Septtmber 26, 2020 – Ormonde IL AMTK131 P42DC – Seen here at Ormonde, IL, Amtrak’s Southwest Chief train #3 hustles west on an early fall afternoon. Strange consist to note; 3 locomotives and no baggage car. Covid traffic sure has changed the landscape of present day passenger rail as noted by the consist and the fact that this is one of the last daily Southwest Chief’s to run before schedule change go into effect in October. – Photo by Matt Gentry 
September 24, 2020 CSXT 3182 leads a southbound intermodal through downtown Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Ricky Bivins
A great show tune written by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harback for their 1933 musical Roberta. The popular song has been performed by numerous performers, but the most famous version was recorded in 1958 by The Platters.
Smoke in the eyes of engine crews racing across America’s landscape, however, not so wonderful. The configuration of steam motive power dictated that the smoke stack be up front, ahead of the boiler. That fierce exhaust is what creates the draft, keeping the firebox ablaze. Also, the fireman watched the stack, as a useful gauge on his proficiency.
Most railroad management was oblivious to the problem, but the Union Pacific and a few others solved the problem, to a degree, with “elephant ears,” as they were nick-named. The ears extended in front of the smokebox, curved inward along the top, and with fast forward movement, created an updraft. At slow speeds, tough luck, you best hope for a good side wind. The Southern Pacific solved the smoke problem particularly in their many tunnels by buying Cab-forward steam locomotives.
I can remember vividly parked along the Chilkat River in Alaska back in 1958, drinking terrible home brew, watching the Northern Lights, and listening to the Platters then new hit; “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” radio static and all. (It does get better than that…)
Credits: Classic Trains – Winter 2010 – Photos top Stan Kistler collection, bottom Allen W. Madison and Wikipedia
August 17, 2020 – West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Meeting.
Program: “Stories from the Caboose”
by Neville Crawford, Retired L&N Conductor
Google: Herald&Review Railroad Wrecks after 1980
Congratulations to the winners of our Chapter’s May 2020 photo contest! We had a total of 6 entries this month and congratulations to Bill, Cooper and Ricky for their winning entries! Our next contest will run from July 15-31 with a submission deadline of August 7th of not more than two entries per chapter member!
The May winners are are:
The other entries were…
Our March 2020 chapter photo contest ran from April 15-30th and we had a total of 10 entries from 5 chapter members. The winning entries are below and the other entries are below them. Congratulations to our winners and we hope that everyone will participate in our May contest that runs from May 15-31st. If we are still in the pandemic please observe social distancing! Submission deadline is June 7th and we need a caption with each entry! – Jim Pearson
First Place March 2020 by Cooper Smith – Canadian Pacific 9814 leads K815 southbound through the Red River cut just north of Adams, Tennessee on the Henderson Subdivision as the conductor holds a flag out his window as they pass under the hwy 41 overpass. 
Second Place March 2020 by Ricky Bivins – CSXT 397 leads a mixed freight at Mortons Gap KY as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision on March 25, 2020. 
Third Place March 2020 – CSXT #3092 on the lead followed by #5320 pulling a northbound intermodal out of Pembroke Yard. On a siding sits CSX locomotive #5468 waiting for its CSX grain train to be unloaded at Siemer Milling Company on March 30, 2020.
CSX locomotive #3092 on the lead followed by #5320 pulling a northbound intermodal. The lead locomotive is just about ready to pass under the Walnut Street overpass, Hopkinsville, Kentucky on March 30, 2020 on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by William Farrell 
Norfolk Southern #375 skirts along Brush Creek with a mixed freight near Louisville, Ky on March 29, 2020. – Photo by Bill Grady 
Norfolk Southern #375 with Southern Heritage Unit #8099 pulls through the crossovers at Buechel, KY on March 31, 2020. – Photo by Bill Grady 
RJ. Corman 3803 leads the Cumberland City turn southbound over the Cumberland River bridge in Clarksville, Tennessee. – Photo by Cooper Smith 
Put Me In, Coach! – CN/GTW GP38-2 #6228 is found hustling a very late (appx. 8hrs) northbound City of New Orleans after just completing their station stop a few miles south in Champaign, IL. The ex-DT&I veteran is running long hood forward after being added to the train earlier in long distance journey due to mechanical issues with the aged P42DC locomotive. – Photo by Matt Gentry 
Special Delivery – Canadian National SD70s 1037 and 1031 snake their way into south Champaign yard to do more work before continuing on their way north. Seen behind the veteran SD70s are 2 recently repainted (verdict is still out on if they were completely overhauled or just repainted) SD70ACe locomotives headed for North Shore Mining. The units are ex-PRLX, ex-CSX SD70ACe units 4833 and 4839. – Photo by Matt Gentry 
Two BNSF and a UP locomotive leads a southbound freight at Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on March 25, 2020. – Photo by Ricky Bivins
Former chapter member Bill Heaton has developed his O scale layout with the help of his friend, Bob Welch, who works on the scenery. As you may remember, Bill is a fine scale, rivet counting modeler! Click on any picture for a larger view!
The first photo I shot from a tree at the north portal of Ridge Top Tunnel, Ridge Top, TN. It was more like hanging from a tree as the CSX locomotive passed underneath me. I no longer advocate taking pictures from trees.
Photo by William Farrell, 2018. (Editor’s note: I thought this was just a lot of super-elevation!)
The other three photos were shot at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum back in 2017. – Photos by William Farrell
Obituary
David Alan Fraser, 73 of Clay, KY passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at Baptist Health in Madisonville.
David was born in Earlington on June 20, 1946 to the late Emory and Reba Fraser.
He worked at York International where he was an industrial mechanic.
He was a member of the Redeeming Love General Baptist Church in Clay and also a member of Webster County Historical Society, West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, Civic Club in Earlington and the Earlington Volunteer Fire Department.
Survivors include his wife of 24 years Gayle, 1 son Sean O’Brien (Lisa) of Madisonville, 1 brother John Fraser of Earlington 2 granddaughters Avery and Abigail O’Brien, 1 niece Melanie Fraser and great-niece Avoe Fraser.
Private funeral services will be held. Burial will be in Fraser-Blackwell Cemetery
Memorial contributions can be made to Fraser-Blackwell Cemetery, c/o Ryan Hammack, 93 Old Clifty Road, Clay, KY 42404.
Online condolences can be made at https://www.vanoverfuneralhome.com/obituary/David-Fraser
Illinois Central Lanterns For Sale – Asking $100 each. Contact David Bratcher at 270-836-4973 – ¨ Price is negotiable!
If you have items for sale or looking for a particular item or items, Email me at billtrainthomas@gmail.com with the information and I will list it here.
Above: The Chicago-Miami Auto-Train circa 2006 exits Baker Tunnel on Steve’s N Scale layout October 15, 2019. .
Above: “Tote Boats” on Steve’s N Scale layout – October 15, 2019.