November 13, 2019 – What a day!! I chased Union Pacific’s 4014 “Big Boy” from Prescott to Little Rock, Arkansas and couldn’t have asked for better weather! The cold really made the steam and smoke pop! Here we see 4014 as it departs Prescott early in the morning, after a slight delay to let two trains pass it. There’s just something about a steam locomotive when it pokes its nose out of a cloud of steam!
November 12, 2019 – Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 sits tied down at the Prescott, Arkansas depot, after its run for the day up the Little Rock Subdivision. Tomorrow morning it’ll depart at 9am CST for Little Rock where it’ll be on display till Friday morning before continuing it’s move back to Cheyenne, Wyoming. According to Wikipedia: The Missouri Pacific Depot of Prescott, Arkansas is located at 300 West 1st Street North. It is a 1-1/2 story red brick building, with a breezeway dividing it into two sections. One section continues to be reserved for railroad storage, while the other, the former passenger ticketing and waiting area, has been adapted for use by the local chamber of commerce and as a local history museum. It was built in 1911-12 by the Prescott and Northwestern Railroad, which interconnected with the Missouri-Pacific Railroad at Prescott. The line had passenger service until 1945.
The building is now known as the Nevada County Depot and Museum. Exhibits include area settlers, railroads, and military items from World War I, World War II, the American Legion, National Guard of the United States, 1941 U.S. Army maneuvers in Prescott. The depot building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
November 12, 2019 – Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” 4014 puts out a huge plume of steam in the cold November air as it departs Hope, Arkansas and heads north on the UP Little Rock Subdivision on its way to Prescott, AR where it will tie down for the night. I’m doing my first chase on the “Big Boy” today and tomorrow as it heads for Little Rock, AR.
According to Wikipedia: The Union Pacific Big Boy is a type of simple articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive manufactured by the American Locomotive Company between 1941 and 1944 and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in revenue service until 1959.
The 25 Big Boy locomotives were built to haul freight over the Wasatch mountains between Ogden, Utah, and Green River, Wyoming. In the late 1940s, they were reassigned to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where they hauled freight over Sherman Hill to Laramie, Wyoming. They were the only locomotives to use a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement: four-wheel leading truck for stability entering curves, two sets of eight driving wheels and a four-wheel trailing truck to support the large firebox.
Eight Big Boys survive, most on static display at museums across the country. This one, No. 4014, was re-acquired by Union Pacific and restored to operating condition in 2019, regaining the title as the largest and most powerful operating steam locomotive in the world.
September 2019 Photo Contest Results
We had a total of nine entries for the July 2019 chapter photo contest and the chapter members selected the winners during our October 2019 meeting.
Our last contest of 2019 will run from November 1-15th and the deadline for entries will be November 17th, 2019. Send your entries to me (no more than 2 per paid chapter member) at webmaster@westkentuckynrhs.org or jim@jimpearsonphotography.com by midnight on November 17th!
by Bill Thomas, editor
For 16 years now, I’ve watched the Morganfield branch (or what’s left of it to Dotiki Mine) host hundreds of coal trains bringing the powerful mineral topside to help power our country. Little did I know that when that last train rolled out from under the tipple it would signal the end of a 52-year stretch of mining in one facility. I was 4 years old when they started.
Since the late Dennis Carnal took me on a tour of western Hopkins and Webster counties almost 15 years ago, I’ve been fascinated with history of mining that contributed to the success of the branch from Madisonville to Diamond. Now as I drive school buses in the area and cross it at Happy Lane, Columbia School House Rd, Bernard St., Schmetzer’s Crossing, and SR 814, in see rust collecting on the shiny rails. The stacks of old ties bundled for re-use at home & garden centers and landscaping companies, the brand new asphalt crossings mentioned above speak of the volatile and often unexpected turns made in the coal industry these days.
No matter the reason, dirty coal, economic imbalance, or the continued battle against the coal industry in general, the trains are gone and now I wish I’d ventured out and taken more pictures. How we are lulled by the continuous sight of the passing train – thinking, “I’ll catch it next time when the weather is better or I have more time or when the light is better – or when I have my good camera instead of my iPhone.”
But, the great thing about being in a group like The Western Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society is we are closely connected with those who often carry a good camera and are purposeful about getting those treasured photos. So here’s my tribute to those in the chapter who get the shots – good light or bad. Thank you for sharing your work on our website and social media outlets. Thanks for burning the gas and taking the time so the rest of us can enjoy the memories.
Above – NS #167 eastbound with the “yellow nose” SD70ACC #1800 leads the way towards Louisville just east of Depauw, Indiana on September 1, 2019.
Left – Another scene that can never be replicated. This is Avery, deep in the Bitteroot Mountains of Idaho. You will recall the funny looking (not so) round house hanging over the river.
In its heyday, this is what Avery was all about. Exchanging steam or diesel locomotives for electric power facing a stiff climb up and through St Paul Pass Tunnel. Crews change here too.
In this busy scene the Little Joe in the foreground with it’s quad-headlight still on just uncoupled from the westbound up the track, and is heading for that funny looking roundhouse. The Joe was added at Harlowton, back some 440 miles across three major mountain ranges. From the control position in the Joe, the engineer operates all the power, even setting the diesels at idle on level ground, throttling up as needed. Soon a fresh crew will take the westbound on to points west terminating in Tacoma.
With the mainline cleared, a freshly serviced Little Joe will be placed on the point of the eastbound stopped at the depot. It’s new crew will shepherd the freight up the grade. Then it’s up the substation operator to supply the needed amps to get the job done. Substations like the one in the distance were located about every 30 miles.
This is the way I remember that day in July 1973 when I trekked through Avery with my wife and four kids in our new VW bus. They all remember the great ice-cream cones sold across from the depot.
Photo credit: Ted Benson featured in an Ed Lynch writing in Railfan & Railroad Magazine, October 1990
CSX #3245 is in charge of the CSX E321-18 as he is about to finish crossing the Tennessee River and enter Bridgeport, Alabama on a fine late sun evening. Photo by Bill Grady.
Clinchfield F-unit number 800 is seen on the Ohio Rail Experience’s DT&I North End excursion on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at Leipsic, Ohio. Hosted by the Indiana and Ohio Railroad, the excursion on the former Detroit Toledo & Ironton north to Diann Tower, Michigan allowed many rare mileage collectors to fill in a much needed segment of Henry Ford’s railroad. Photo by Chris Dees.
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.
Earlier this year my wife and I visited the Fordsville, Ky train depot on a rainy day. Fordsville is about 46 miles east of Madisonville in Ohio county. The depot is across the street from City Hall downtown.
The first train to Fordsville on the newly built Owensboro and Fordsville Railroad was on October 1, 1889 and regular freight and passenger service started a week later. The round trip fare was 85 cents. The Illinois Central Railroad built a branch line from Horse Branch to Fordsville in 1893. The L&N Railroad bought the lines in 1905 and the present station was built in 1916.
As many as 6 passenger trains a day went between Horse Branch and Owensboro but passenger service was cut June 15, 1941. Freight service lasted until the late 1970s.
The depot has been nicely restored and contains a modest train museum. Call 270-929-5792 for current hours of operation. There is a nice diner a block away on the main road (Hwy 54). – Rich Hane
Are you a hold out for jumping into the social media circle? Afraid you’ll get unsolicited friend requests and suspicious messages from people you don’t know and may not want to know? Reluctant about getting your account hacked? Well, if you’re willing to change your password every 6 months or so you can avoid most of these demons.
The truth is, in my opinion, the advantages and benefits social media offers to rail fans and model railroads far outweigh the occasional frustrations experienced by many of us, myself included. Here are just a few examples of rail-related Facebook pages and/or groups:
Nashville Steam – a FB page dedicated to promoting the restoration of NC&StL steam locomotive 576. It is chocked full of pictures and current information about the restoration process. You can post questions and make comments on each post.
Illinois Central Railroad – A public FB page designed for former (and current it still says) employees of The Illinois Central – “A place for former and current employees of the Illinois Central Railroad to hang out and keep in touch.”
L&N Railroad Modelers – A public FB page for those modeling anything L&N.
Railroad Fools – I think the name of the public page speaks for itself. One of my favorites.
Railroad Oddball Locomotives and MOW Equipment – A closed group so you’ll have to click on the “Join Group” button and wait to be granted entrance. A unique site for unusual railroading equipment.
West Kentucky Chapter of The National Railway Historical Society – keep in touch with what your chapter mates are up to and post your own photos, comments, and ideas. Jim Pearson does a great job keeping the public page updated and looking good.
I hope these samples have encouraged you to give social media a try. If you do not have a computer, smart phone, or tablet, you can use your public library’s computers. Just ask the library staff for help.
Bill Thomas, editor
Continuing the recent DPU (Distributed Power Units) parade by CSX, northbound freights glide through Morton’s Gap, KY. Photo by Ricky Bivins.
For my money, one of the best looking diesel locomotives to ever grace a 4’8.5” gauge track. The 42-year-old, 1977 built-for-Conrail EMD SD40-2 rolls south through Morton’s Gap, KY, September 12, 2019. – Photo by Morton’s Gap resident and our president, Ricky Bivins.