Western Railroad Discussion > Switcher Saturday: the forgotten A&SV #5

Since retiring from my career in train service and moving back home to Manhattan, KS I’ve taken a big shine to my 2nd home town’s namesake: Abilene & Smoky Valley excursion RR. A few months ago I had the pleasure of meeting the A&SV’s new skipper Ross Boelling. We met at a train show in the nearby town of Herington. I introduced myself to Ross as “your un-official, official photographer”. Even though I’m about to enter my 13th year of chasing & shooting the A&SV, it just never gets old!

Passing through Abilene last month I did my routine snoop-around job, and found this little switcher -A&SV #5- sitting out as if posing for any ol’ camera that might come down the road. I daresay the #5 doesn’t get near the attention it should. But that’s understandable with the darling ex-Santa Fe 4-6-2 #3415 & the workhorse ex-H&S Alco S-2 #4 hogging all the regular excursion attention. Truth is, behind the scenes this Whitcomb switcher is a crucial piece of the A&SV operation. It usually handles the switching chores that come up. And it has even been a rescue engine of sorts, whenever some snafu occurs out on the (insert modest cough) “Main Line” between Abilene & Enterprise.

So when I came across the #5 looking for some photographic attention I just had to oblige. (It’s my un-official, official job, ya know... ;^)

1. & 2. A&SV 5 basking in the sun? How about basking in some pixelation attention on February 11, 2023 in Abilene, KS.

Remembering the forgotten!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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A well proportioned and maybe even handsome little critter.
Go

Nice, Lance!

Randy
texchief1