Steam & Excursion > Southern 4501 rolling in Louisiana

Nov 1975
Headed to New Orleans from Hattiesburg, 4501 is moving fast with mostly heavyweight cars.
Possibly Bill Purdie, the head of the Southern Railway steam program and master mechanic , firing that day.
Gary

 

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Magnificent action image of Southern 4501 at speed in Louisiana.  Thanks for this impressive photo.

gcm Wrote:

> Possibly Bill Purdie, the head of the Southern
> Railway steam program and master mechanic , firing
> that day.

That's Bill in the forward end of the fireman's seatbox carrying the water. This was many years before the stoker was installed.

>
>  

Sweet pan!  Great action shot.

Andy

Worthington_S_A Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> gcm Wrote:
>
> > Possibly Bill Purdie, the head of the Southern
> > Railway steam program and master mechanic ,
> firing
> > that day.
>
> That's Bill in the forward end of the fireman's
> seatbox carrying the water. This was many years
> before the stoker was installed.

Bill's son, Don Purdie was probably doing the firing. Don seemed to be the only guy that could successfully fire 4501.