Nostalgia & History > Rock Island, Great Western steam action in Iowa

Here are some more from the J. P. McGlynn collection recently donated to the UP Museum. Most of it is UP, but there are some neat shots from other roads in the area. Center shows the magnificent Rock Island 5008 getting underway from Council Bluffs on December 22, 1946. Bottom is another great looking Rock Island engine, 4060 at Des Moines in April 1945 and a real pearl, top, is Chicago Great Western mikado 754 leaving Council Bluffs for the Twin Cities November 1942.
JB- UP Museum

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I'm drooling--I LOVE those RI Northerns with the huge tenders! And, I had to do a double-take. That RI 2-8-2...I really had to count wheels there. I didn't miscount, did I?!? That Mike is most CERTAINLY not in the "Light Mike" category. In fact, that's the hugest 2-8-2 I've ever seen. Can anybody think of any "Heavy Mikes" that were more massive? I'm certain there were some, and, hope that I didn't miss an axle, and that this isn't a 2-10-2. Or a 4-8-2? Yes...I do need reading glasses--LOL!!! :-P

Looks like a Northern to me but the first photo of the CGW engine is a Mike.

Red Wrote:
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> I'm drooling--I LOVE those RI Northerns with the
> huge tenders! And, I had to do a double-take.
> That RI 2-8-2...I really had to count wheels
> there. I didn't miscount, did I?!? That Mike is
> most CERTAINLY not in the "Light Mike" category.
> In fact, that's the hugest 2-8-2 I've ever seen.
> Can anybody think of any "Heavy Mikes" that were
> more massive? I'm certain there were some, and,
> hope that I didn't miss an axle, and that this
> isn't a 2-10-2. Or a 4-8-2? Yes...I do need
> reading glasses--LOL!!! :-P

Red Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm drooling--I LOVE those RI Northerns with the
> huge tenders! And, I had to do a double-take.
> That RI 2-8-2...I really had to count wheels
> there. I didn't miscount, did I?!? That Mike is
> most CERTAINLY not in the "Light Mike" category.
> In fact, that's the hugest 2-8-2 I've ever seen.
> Can anybody think of any "Heavy Mikes" that were
> more massive? I'm certain there were some, and,
> hope that I didn't miss an axle, and that this
> isn't a 2-10-2. Or a 4-8-2? Yes...I do need
> reading glasses--LOL!!! :-
That would be a HUGE 2-8-2...but it's a 4-8-2, the steam from the cylinder cocks is hiding the second lead truck axle.

Yeah, the Rock had 57 beautiful 4-8-2's, 4000 through 4056. John, I have some UP photos that originated with John McGlynn, who gave them to John McGovern, another long time UP employee, and John passed them on to his daughter Mary, who let me copy them. Mostly experimental stuff like the 415 with an SP style skyline casement, the 7002 streamlining, and a beautiful shot of Big Boy 4002 probably right after delivery.

What I get a kick out of are those free swinging bells. Check out that 5008 getting underway. And the mike.
JB